Media advisory - Students Win Free Post-Secondary Education for Low-Income Families in Ontario

OTTAWA, Feb. 25, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - In an historic victory for Canada's students, the Ontario government has announced an investment of more than $1 billion in up-front, non-repayable grants to college and university students, including free college and university tuition for students from families with incomes of $50,000 or less.

"The Ontario Government has sent a clear message with this provincial budget," said Bilan Arte, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, "Education should not be a privilege of the wealthy, education is a right of everyone."

Ontario is home to the highest tuition fees in Canada and the lowest per-student funding. Post-secondary education has become largely out of reach for Ontarian low-income families, with students from the lowest income quartiles barely accounting for 10% of university and college enrolments.

This announcement comes following the Federation's national lobby week earlier this month where student representatives from across the country met nearly 200 MPs and Senators to present their priorities ahead of the 2016 federal budget, including a pathway to eliminating tuition fees in Canada.

"Students across Canada are celebrating this victory in Ontario today," said Arte, "We're looking to the upcoming federal budget and saying 'Your move, Prime Minister Trudeau'."

The Canadian Federation of Students is the oldest and largest national student organization in Canada, representing over 650,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students across the country.

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Students

Sarah McCue, Communications Coordinator 613-797-6626 or [email protected]