note: Calculation of alternative amount (4) The alternative amount for a province for a loan year (in this subsection referred to as the "current loan year") is the amount, as determined by the Minister after consultation with the Chief Statistician of Canada, obtained by ( a ) multiplying (i) the net per capita costs for participating provinces for the loan year beginning on August 1, 1990, by (ii) the product obtained by multiplying the estimated number of persons in that province who, on the first day of the current loan year, have attained eighteen years of age and have not attained twenty-five years of age by the escalator determined under subsection (5), for each loan year in the period beginning on August 1, 1991 and ending on July 31 of the current loan year; and ( b ) subtracting from the product obtained under paragraph ( a ) the net costs for that province for the current loan year. Marginal note: Escalator (5) For the purposes of subparagraph (4)( a )(ii), ( a ) subject to paragraph ( b ), the escalator for a loan year is a fraction of which (i) the numerator is the net per capita costs for participating provinces for that loan year, and (ii) the denominator is the net per capita costs for participating provinces for the previous loan year; and ( b ) the escalator for the first loan year in which a provincial student financial assistance plan will be in operation in the