Minister’s Statement on Auditor General’s Report on Funding to Universities

NOTE: The following is a statement from Brendan Maguire, Minister of Advanced Education.

The Auditor General’s report confirms what our government already knew – that funding agreements signed by previous governments between the Province and our 10 universities did not provide accountability to taxpayers for their investments; that our 2024 bilateral agreements were an important step forward with the introduction of performance targets; and that there is more work to be done in future agreements to ensure accountability and achieve results.

This audit took place before we could measure the impact of our bilateral agreements. With the agreements in place, most recommendations are already complete or will be completed in the coming months.

These agreements included new data and financial reporting requirements and performance targets harnessing the unique potential of each school. They also created new mechanisms to review financial sustainability and administrative expenses, prioritized critical program areas like healthcare, expedited work on much-needed student housing projects and kept tuition costs stable for Nova Scotia’s students.

In her report, the Auditor General states that “it is concerning that the (Universities Accountability and Sustainability Act) puts the onus on the university, not the Department, to initiate a revitalization plan process.”

Recently introduced amendments to this legislation address the Auditor General’s concern and recommendation for more proactive measures to ensure our universities are sustainable for generations to come.

I want to thank the Auditor General for her recommendations and our university partners for their ongoing collaboration.