Alberta will provide an extra $450,000 for the Northern Alberta Development Bursary (NADB), aiming to help more students cover post-secondary costs and strengthen the northern workforce. This move marks the second year in a row of major funding hikes, pushing the total increase to nearly $1.1 million since 2023-24. According to government figures, another 50 students will now be able to receive up to $11,500 each year for certificates, diplomas, and degree programs.
Matt Jones, minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, said, “The Northern Alberta Development Bursary is helping to attract and retain skilled professionals in Alberta’s north, strengthening the province’s northern communities and ensuring businesses have the skilled labour they need to succeed. This investment is about building a stronger, more sustainable future for northern Alberta and the people who call it home.”
The province notes that the bursary is funded and delivered in partnership with the ministries of Education and Advanced Education. Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of Education, said, “We are ensuring that every student has access to a world-class education no matter where they learn. The Northern Student Teacher Bursary attracts the skilled educators that students deserve to teach in classrooms across northern Alberta.”
Rajan Sawhney, minister of Advanced Education, said, “Our government is committed to ensuring that Alberta’s labour market needs are met across the province. This important investment will empower more students in northern Alberta to pursue one of the many post-secondary education opportunities our province has to offer while helping meet northern Alberta’s current and future workforce needs.”
According to government data, 1,165 students have applied for the NADB since April 2024, up from 813 in 2023-24. The bursary has multiple streams, including a First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) bursary. The new funding is expected to support students in high-demand fields, such as health care, teaching and social work.
The NADB, marking 50 years in operation, has assisted more than 7,100 students to date. One bursary recipient, counselling therapist Penny Vasseur, said, “As a recipient of the Northern Alberta Development Bursary I was able to further my education in the counselling and mental health field, which in turn has been a catalyst for positive change in my community.”
Government officials say this ongoing investment will help bolster the province’s workforce and ensure employers in northern Alberta have access to a stable pipeline of skilled graduates.
