Following election, students renew call to reduce tuition fees in Ontario

TORONTO, June 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Students look forward to working with newly elected Members of Provincial Parliament to make post-secondary education more affordable in Ontario. Today, students renewed their call to the Liberal government to truly reduce tuition fees for all students.

"Just as before the election, students in Ontario right now are paying the highest tuition fees in the country and graduating with record levels of student debt," said Alastair Woods, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "We hope the Liberal government will change its tune on tuition fees and student debt and work with students to make education more affordable and accessible in Ontario."

During the election, the Ontario Liberal Party renewed its commitment to the Ontario Tuition Grant, which reaches less than a third of students. Under the Liberal government, tuition fees have increased by as much as 80 per cent. Last year, students launched the Hikes Stop Here campaign, calling on the provincial government to use funding from the grant and provincial tax credits to reduce tuition fees for all students.

Throughout the spring, actions took place at campuses across Ontario calling on university and college governing bodies to freeze tuition fees and join students in their demand for more government funding for colleges and universities. At many institutions, student representatives were prevented from participating in governing body meetings. At the University of Ottawa, for example, student representatives were told the meeting would be by teleconference to stop students from attending an in-person meeting.

"Students have said enough is enough," said Woods. "We're prepared to continue to pressure the government to make students and youth a priority."

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the largest student organization in the province, representing over 350,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students from Windsor to Thunder Bay.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario

Kaley Kennedy, Communications and Government Relations Coordinator: ?647-302-3891 or [email protected]