Hon. Mary Coyle: Minister, thank you for joining us today.

On April 6, 20 Atlantic senators wrote to Minister LeBlanc, copying you, regarding obstacles that our universities are facing in accessing federal infrastructure investments to support campus modernization, including decarbonization and accessibility.

Atlantic Canada is home to many high-quality universities that play an outsized role in driving economic growth and innovation in our region, as you know. In your role as Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, you support the Atlantic Growth Strategy. Minister, we have heard about serious obstacles faced by our universities, including narrow eligibility criteria for federal infrastructure programs and problematic requirements for provincial approvals and matching funds.

Minister, could you tell us if you and your colleagues would agree to reviewing the criteria for those existing infrastructure programs, and would you consider dedicated funding for post-secondary campus modernization?

Thank you so much.