Ontario most expensive province to attend college or university for sixth consecutive year

TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2014 /CNW/ - Data released today by Statistics Canada today confirms that for the sixth consecutive year, Ontario students are paying the highest tuition fees in Canada. Average tuition fees in the province for 2014-15 will be $7,539 for undergraduate students, up from $7,257 in 2013-14. For graduate students, fees increased to $8,738, up from $8,470 last year.

"Ontario's extremely high tuition fees are evidence of a government that does not prioritize access to college and university education," said Alastair Woods, Chairperson for the Canadian Federation Students-Ontario. "There is nothing progressive about forcing students and their families to reach deeper into their pockets to pay a greater share of the rising costs of education."

The tuition fee data released by Statistics Canada today shows that undergraduate tuition fees have increased by 3.9 per cent, above the three per cent cap set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

The data also shows that Ontario international student tuition fees increased the most at 6.9 per cent. International students pay three times as much as domestic students for the same education. At some institutions, tuition fees for international students have surpassed $30,000 per year.

"The government believes that by offering an array of complicated and highly selective financial aid programs, they can hide the detrimental effects of high tuition fees," said Woods. "But students can see through the smoke and mirrors, it's time to deliver truly progressive post-secondary education policies and reduce tuition fees for all students."

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the largest and oldest student organization in Ontario, representing more than 350,000 college and university students in all regions of the province.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario

Alastair Woods, Chairperson: 647-378-8942 or [email protected]

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