Students call on McGuinty to keep the promise for an actual tuition fee reduction

TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - College and university students are heading back to school this semester disappointed that McGuinty has broken a promise to deliver a 30 per cent tuition fee reduction. The government is instead offering a grant of less than 25 percent of average undergraduate tuition fees, for which more than half of Ontario students are ineligible. Students are calling on McGuinty to keep his election promise and deliver a tuition fee reduction to all students.

"Despite Dalton McGuinty's repeated promise to reduce tuition fees, his government is introducing a grant that will reach just over 300,000 of Ontario's more than 900,000 students," said Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "Students delivered 40,000 petitions to the Premier in December demanding an across-the-board tuition fee reduction for all. We will work with the government to improve this program for its full implementation in Fall 2012."

The grant promised by the Liberal Party excludes the majority of students in Ontario and will not prevent tuition fees from rising next fall. Students who are ineligible for the grant include part-time students, those in more expensive professional programs like law, medicine or education, graduate students, students struggling academically and undergrad or college students who are older than the age of 21.

"Students are concerned that the government will waste millions of dollars administering this complicated grant," said Krisna Saravanamuttu, Ontario National Executive Representative of the Canadian Federation of Students. "Many people voted Liberal to support a tuition fee reduction and students are hopeful that Dalton McGuinty will keep his election promise by converting this grant into a tuition fee reduction for all students."

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario represents more than 300,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students across the province.

Sandy Hudson, Ontario Chairperson: 416-925-3825 or 416-722-8842 (mobile)
Nora Loreto, Communications Coordinator: 416-925-3825 or 416-846-6672 (mobile)