TORONTO, ON, Feb. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is hosting its annual Lobby Week, with college and university students from across the province meeting with Members of Provincial Parliament. Students across the province are struggling. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, record high levels of inflation, and a surging cost of living have severely impacted students' well-being and the ability to attain a Post-Secondary Education. The current conditions have exacerbated the pre-existing issues within the Post-Secondary Education sector in Ontario. Students need a provincial government that works with them to create an equitable Post-Secondary Education system in Ontario.
Throughout the week, students will meet with MPPs to discuss six key recommendations, including:
- A 25% reduction in tuition fees for the next 4 years, towards the progressive elimination of tuition fees for all.
- Introduction of a 3% cap in the increase to differential fees for International students annually.
- The conversion of OSAP from a loan-based to a grant-based system.
- Double the funding to Campus Safety Grants for a total of $12 million annually.
- The immediate reinstatement of OHIP for all International students.
- Free transit for post-secondary students on services offered by provincial transit agencies.
"MPPs are accountable to their constituents, including students. Students need a provincial government that values our input and makes us part of the decision-making process. No issue impacting students should be decided on without our input. We are the experts of our lives and we know the answers to the issues we encounter. Students throughout the province are struggling, and we deserve better than just to survive. We deserve to thrive while receiving a high-quality, accessible and equitable education. We, the students, demand a better future, and we demand it now!"
-Mitra Yakubi, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario
The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the oldest and largest student organization in Ontario, representing over 350,000 college and university students in every region of the province.
-30-
For further information or to set up an interview, contact:
Romina Avila, Campaigns and Communications Coordinator, at r.avila@cfsontario.ca, 289-259-7014 or
Michael Butler, Government Relations and Policy Coordinator, at m.butler@cfsontario.ca or
Mitra Yakubi, CFSO Chairperson, at m.yakubi@cfsontario.ca
