Students in B.C. have even more to look forward to this back-to-school season as free open textbooks hit up to $2 million in overall student savings.

Melina Laboucan, a 33-year-old member of the Lubicon Cree First Nation, came to UVic’s Indigenous Governance (IGov) master’s program in 2013 with a clear purpose: to develop a solar energy project plan that would tackle Indigenous and environmental issues in her home town of Little Buffalo, Alberta.

Students at Northern Lights College (NLC) will benefit from $187,000 in funding toward the purchase of trades equipment, such as a new high-efficiency furnace for the plumbing program.

Post-secondary institutions help equip young Canadians with the education and training they need for future careers that will help them join a strong, healthy middle class.

Trades students at Vancouver Island University (VIU) will benefit from hands-on learning opportunities through a new investment of $187,071 in industry-standard trades-training equipment, as well as $4.85 million in continued support for 1,366 trades seats.

Vancouver Community College (VCC) is receiving $694,605 toward the purchase of new trades-training equipment that will benefit students in the auto service technician, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts and heavy-mechanical trades programs.

Carpentry students at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) will benefit from the purchase of various tools, including new sliding compound mitre saws, routers and survey instruments, as part of a $300,000 investment by the Province in new industry-standard trades equipment.