The Making of a Policy Regime - Canada’s Post-Secondary Student Finance System Since 1994

Oct 15, 2026

Examines decision-making patterns and influence that shaped a landmark series of federal student assistance policies launched under Jean Chrétien’s Liberal government in the late 1990s. The Canada Opportunities Strategy introduced new initiatives, including grants, bursaries, and tax credits, but key programs were later judged weak for widening need-based access and for targeting assistance effectively. The regime also failed to complete a long-standing effort to convert Canada’s student debt program into a systematic income-contingent loan.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Policy regime formation in Canada’s student finance since 1994

Canada Opportunities Strategy and direct assistance initiatives

Policy inconsistency, fragmentation, and intergovernmental challenges

Policy network analysis and interview-based evidence

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 42, No. 3, 2012, pages 1-23 The Making of a Policy Regime: Canada’s Post-Secondary Student Finance System Since 1994 Richard Wellen, Paul Axelrod, Roopa Desai-Trilokekar, & Theresa Shanahan York University ABSTRACT 7KLV SDSHU H[DPLQHV WKH SDWWHUQ RI GHFLVLRQ􀀐PDNLQJ􀀏 OREE\LQJ􀀏 DQG LQÀXHQFH that led to the landmark series of federal student assistance policies introduced by Jean Chrétien’s Liberal government in the late 1990s. The package of new initiatives—dubbed the Canada Opportunities Strategy—not only partially reYHUVHG DQ HDUOLHU SHULRG RI ¿VFDO UHVWUDLQW EXW DOVR EURXJKW D QHZ HPSKDVLV RQ direct forms of student assistance such as grants, bursaries, and tax credits. However, programs such as the Canada Millennium Bursaries and the Canada Education Savings Grants, despite their focused approach and innovative structure, came to be regarded as weak policy tools when measured against WKHLU RVWHQVLEOH JRDOV RI ZLGHQLQJ DFFHVV WR SRVW􀀐VHFRQGDU\ HGXFDWLRQ DQG HI¿ -ciently targeting student assistance on the basis of need. The new policy regime DOVR IDLOHG WR IXO¿O QHDUO\ WZR GHFDGHV RI SUHYLRXV HIIRUWV E\ SROLF\􀀐PDNHUV WR transform Canada’s student debt program into a systematic income-contingent loan program. We offer explanations of this pattern of policy inconsistency and incoherence by examining the awkward challenges of intergovernmental relations in the Canadian federal system as well as the fragmentation and competing goals now evident in student assistance policy networks. We FRQWUDVWWKH VWXGHQW ¿QDQFHSROLF\ UHJLPHZLWKWKH DUJXDEO\ PRUH FRKHUHQW VHW of research and innovation policies established by the federal government during the same period. We use policy network analysis as our theoretical framework, and we use data from our extensive interviews with higher education stakeholders and policy-makers to provide empirical support. CJHE / RCES Volume 42, No. 3, 2012 The Making of a Policy Regime / R. Wellen, P. Axelrod, R. Desai-Trilokekar, & T. Shanahan 2 RÉSUMÉ Cet article analyse les processus décisionnels, les actions des groupes de SUHVVLRQ HW OHXU LQÀXHQFH TXL RQW PHQp j XQH VpULH GH GLVSRVLWLIV OpJLVODWLIV TXDQW j O¶DLGH ¿QDQFLqUH DX[ pWXGLDQWV LQWURGXLWV SDU OHJRXYHUQHPHQW OLEpUDOGH-HDQ &KUpWLHQ j OD ¿Q GHV DQQpHV 􀀔􀀜􀀜􀀓􀀑 &HW HQVHPEOH G¶LQLWLDWLYHV DSSHOp © OD VWUDWpJLH FDQDGLHQQH SRXU O¶pJDOLWp GHV FKDQFHV ª D QRQ VHXOHPHQW PLV ¿Q 􀀋SDUWLHOOHPHQW􀀌 j XQH SpULRGH GH UHVWULFWLRQ ¿VFDOH􀀏 PDLV D pJDOHPHQW FRQGXLW j XQH DLGH GLUHFWH DX[ pWXGLDQWV VRXV IRUPH GH VXEYHQWLRQV􀀏 GH ERXUVHVet de crédits d’impôt. Malgré leurs approches ciblées et leurs structures LQQRYDWULFHV􀀏 GHV SURJUDPPHV WHOV TXH OHV Bourses canadiennes du millénaireet la Subvention canadienne pour l’épargne-études furent considérées comme GHV PR\HQV SHX HI¿FDFHV IDFH DX[ REMHFWLIV DPELWLHX[ G¶pODUJLU O¶DFFqV j O¶pGXFDWLRQ SRVWVHFRQGDLUH HW jIRXUQLU XQH DLGH DGpTXDWHEDVpH VXU OHV EHVRLQV ¿QDQFLHUV GHV pWXGLDQWV􀀑 'H SOXV􀀏 FH QRXYHDX UpJLPH D pWp LQFDSDEOH GH PHQHUj WHUPH G¶DQFLHQQHV SROLWLTXHV HQWUHSULVHV SUqV GH YLQJW DQV SOXV W{W YLVDQW j transformer le programme canadien de dette étudiante en programmedeprêts FRQGLWLRQQHOV DX[ UHYHQXV􀀑1RXV H[SOLTXRQV O¶LQFRQVLVWDQFH HW OD FRQWUDGLFWLRQ GH FHWWH SROLWLTXH SDU O¶DQDO\VH GH O¶HIIUR\DEOH Gp¿ TXH SUpVHQWHQW OHV UHODWLRQV LQWHUJRXYHUQHPHQWDOHV GDQV OH V\VWqPH IpGpUDO FDQDGLHQ DLQVL TXH OD GLYHUVLWp HW OD FRPSpWLWLYLWp GHV REMHFWLIV GDQV OHV UpVHDX[ G¶DVVLVWDQFH DX[ pWXGLDQWV􀀑 1RXV PHWWRQV HQ RSSRVLWLRQOHV\VWqPHG¶DLGH ¿QDQFLqUH DX[ pWXGLDQWV DYHFXQH DXWUH SROLWLTXH SOXV FRKpUHQWH SRUWDQW FHOOH􀀐FL VXU OD UHFKHUFKH HW O¶LQQRYDWLRQ établie par le gouvernement fédéral durant la même période. Notre cadre WKpRULTXH V¶DSSXLH VXU OHV RXWLOV G¶DQDO\VH GHV SROLWLTXHV SXEOLTXHV􀀏 DLQVLTXH OHV GRQQpHV SURYHQDQW G¶XQH ORQJXH VpULH G¶HQWUHWLHQV DYHF OHV SDUWLHV concernées par l’éducation postsecondaire et

FAQs

What federal student assistance package was introduced in the late 1990s?

The late-1990s initiatives were dubbed the Canada Opportunities Strategy, including new forms of direct student assistance such as grants, bursaries, and tax credits.

Why were programs like the Canada Millennium Bursaries considered weak policy tools?

They were regarded as weak when assessed against goals of widening access to post-secondary education and sufficiently targeting student assistance based on financial need.

What was the study’s main explanation for the observed policy inconsistency?

It links policy inconsistency and incoherence to challenges of intergovernmental relations in Canada’s federal system and to fragmentation and competing goals in student assistance policy networks.

Oct 15, 2026

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