Sudbury/Thunder Bay (Thursday, May 12, 2005) – Contact North/Contact Nord, Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, expressed its strong support for Reaching Higher – The McGuinty Government Plan for Postsecondary Education announced in yesterday’s Ontario Budget.

The Government’s multi-year investment of $6.2 billion represents the largest investment in 40 years in post-secondary education in Ontario, and is the first step in responding to the recommendations of the Rae Review. This new investment, including the proposed $20 million in new funding for northern and rural colleges by 2007-2008, is good news for learners and Contact North/Contact Nord’s Educational Partners across Northern Ontario. The Government of Ontario has clearly acknowledged the significant economic and social value of post-secondary education for residents of Northern Ontario.

“Contact North/Contact Nord was pleased with the significant emphasis placed on improving access and quality in post-secondary education,” said Doug Smith, Chair, Board of Directors, Contact North/Contact Nord, and President Smith Boshcoff Insurance Brokers in Thunder Bay. “This is excellent news for residents of small and remote communities for whom Contact North/Contact Nord is the only means of access to the education and training programs they need.”

“The Government’s announcement that it will make targeted investments to improve aboriginal education and francophone education supports Contact North/Contact Nord’s mandate to meet the needs of these two groups in Northern Ontario,” stated Maxim Jean-Louis.  “We look forward to working with the North’s colleges and universities to improve both the access to and the quality of the post-secondary experience in Northern Ontario while at the same time being held accountable for these objectives.”

Northern Ontario residents are at a disadvantage when it comes to access to post-secondary education. The North’s geography, the lack of high-speed communications infrastructure in many small and remote communities and the continued decline in population make it challenging to provide access to education and training opportunities in every community. The Government of Ontario, through its targeted investments, has challenged the post-secondary sector to overcome this disadvantage. 

Contact North/Contact Nord currently serves 83 small and remote communities in Northern Ontario and, with additional support from the Government of Ontario, will meet this challenge head-on and actively work to provide service to up to 25 additional small and remote communities in 2005-2006.

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About Contact North/Contact Nord

Contact North/Contact Nord, Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, facilitates access to the education and training programs offered by Northern Ontario’s colleges, universities and a school board through audioconference, videoconference, and e-learning. In 2003-2004, Contact North/Contact Nord facilitated close to 15,000 course registrations in over 730 full and part-time credit courses and programs offered over its Network. Contact North/Contact Nord services are available in both official languages in the majority of small and remote communities in Northern Ontario.