With the cost of living skyrocketing, especially the cost of rent and food, the income associated with the scholarships is no longer sufficient to focus strictly on our research. Sure, it helps, but it's no longer enough to meet the original goal of the scholarship which according to their website quotes that "With this support, students can focus entirely on their studies in their chosen field." So in parallel, one must find another part-time job while keeping the studies full-time and try to maintain a high level of performance to honor the scholarship and possibly continue a career in research.
If graduate school funding was $35,000 CAD per year for all students, how would that change your life? This increase to $35,000 would definitely make a difference in my daily life and my future. Not only would it allow me to better cope with the current cost of living and meet the initial objective of the bursary and allow student recipients to move out of the poverty line in Quebec which according to the Iris Institute is between $25,128 and $34,814 in Quebec in 2022 (https://bit.ly/revenu-viable-2022), but it would also allow me to focus on my dissertation full-time. This would allow me to complete it faster, but also to put 100% of my energy and concentration on it and would act as a source of motivation to continue my studies afterwards without it seeming too much of a hindrance to future projects such as the development of a family or the acquisition of a home.
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