Students demand response from Minister John Milloy
TORONTO, Nov. 30 /CNW/ - Students have waited nearly a month to find out why Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities John Milloy has allowed tuition fees to increase beyond his government's maximum allowable amount. Earlier this fall, Statistics Canada reported that tuition fees increased by 5.4 per cent for undergraduate students and 10.6 percent for graduate students, despite the fact that provincial tuition fee policy limits fee increases to five per cent.
"On November 4, 2010, the Federation sent a letter to Minister Milloy requesting an explanation for why, by Statistics Canada's measure, the Ontario government's policy of five per cent tuition fee increases has not been adhered to," said Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "Ontario students already pay the highest fees in Canada and we rely on government regulation to prohibit colleges and universities from increasing fees beyond government policy."
The government's policy clearly states that no tuition fees should increase higher than five percent on average. Claims made by the Minister to the media and the Estimates Committee, that Statistics Canada has made an error in its calculation, have been insufficient.
"Students are simply demanding a response to why we have not been protected from tuition fee hikes that surpass five percent on average, despite clear government policy," said Hudson. "How will students be compensated for paying fees that seem to have violated government policy?"
A copy of the original letter can be found at this link.
The Canadian Federation of Students unites more than 300,000 public college and university students across Ontario and more than 600,000 students across Canada at the diploma, undergraduate and graduate levels.
For further information:
Sandy Hudson, Ontario Chairperson: 416-925-3825 or 416-722-8842 (cell)
Nora Loreto, Ontario Communications Coordinator: 416-925-3825 (cell)
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