C-260Canada Post-Secondary Education Act
An Act relating to cash contributions by Canada and to criteria and conditions in respect of post-secondary education
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on March 24, 2022
- Status
- At second reading in the House of Commons since March 24, 2022
What it does
Sets federal rules for post-secondary funding to provinces and requires a plan to split the Canada Social Transfer into social services and post-secondary parts.
What it does
- Sets criteria that provincial post-secondary institutions must meet, including non-profit public administration, academic independence, quality, and accessibility, before a cash contribution may be made.
- Lets Quebec choose not to follow the criteria in section 5 and still receive the cash contribution.
- Requires provinces to give the minister prescribed information to qualify for funding.
- Sets a default process where the minister can notify a province, seek more information, discuss the issue, and refer it to the Governor in Council, which may reduce or withhold funding.
- Requires the minister to report to Parliament each year on the act, including funding amounts and indicators such as tuition, student debt, class sizes, faculty ratios, and financial aid.
- Requires the minister, within six months, to work with provincial ministers to create a framework dividing the Canada Social Transfer into two parts, one for social assistance and social services and one for post-secondary education.
Who it affects
- Provincial governments
- Post-secondary institutions
- Students
- Quebec government
- Federal ministers
Background
The bill says cash contributions may be made to provinces under other Acts of Parliament. It also calls for a framework to divide the Canada Social Transfer into two distinct components.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Current stage. Now here
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
No recorded votes yet
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
NDPHeather McPherson· March 24, 2022
“Moved for leave to introduce Bill C-260, An Act relating to cash contributions by Canada and to criteria and conditions in respect of post-secondary education.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Outside the Order of Precedence. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.