A new student bursary has been unanimously named after a prominent late resident.
The Jack Talstra Memorial Bursary will be $1,000 given out every year for five years by council after a memorandum of understanding was set up between Northwest Community College (NWCC) and the City of Terrace.
Councillor Brian Downie suggested it could be named after a former mayor and when he said Talstra was who he was thinking of, all the councillors agreed as did mayor Carol Leclerc, who was present by phone.
After much discussion, councillors decided it should be based on financial need to a mature student in the health program.
City council had choices to make in addition to its name, such as what type of funding opportunity, what program it’s given out for, and criteria.
The college offers three types of funding opportunities: award, which is based on a comibination of financial need and academic performance; bursary, based on financial need; and scholarship based on academic performance.
Councillor Brian Downie said the hospital was a priority now and for years to come with the city and council so the bursary could go to a student in a health program.
Making it available for a mature student or single parent entering the workforce again could help address poverty in a small way since the poverty level is one in five in the northwest, said councillor and acting mayor Michael Prevost.