Edmonton Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish said Thursday the team is working on getting more scholarships for children under 5.
The team is getting $1.9 million from the state of Alberta’s Youth Development Fund for a $4.9-million scholarship program for students from low-income families.
“We’re getting a lot of inquiries from parents who are concerned about the impact of the budget on their children,” MacTacavish told reporters.
MacTavity added that the Oilers have already received requests for the same scholarships.
He said that as the team continues to expand, he will be looking to get more scholarships.
MacTacay, who also works for the Edmonton Oilers, said that the team has received many requests for scholarships for students who are currently in the program.
“It’s great to see that the community has embraced us, and I’m looking forward to the day that we’ll have kids in this program,” Mac Tavish added.
The Oilers are the only NHL team to receive a scholarship for students under 5 years old.
Last year, the team was the only hockey team to sign the scholarship program, which pays $1,000 a month to students from high-risk neighbourhoods in the Edmonton community.