Tuition reduction needed in province: Smith
CountyWeeklyNews.ca
Jan 21, 2019
Bruce Bell

The Ontario government has announced it is reducing tuition fees at postsecondary institutions across the province and giving students more choice over school fees.
Students at all Ontario public colleges and universities will see their tuition rates go down by 10 per cent after the tuition rate reduction was introduced by the Conservative government this week.

Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith said the announcement will help make postsecondary education more affordable in Ontario.

“Since 2006, university tuition skyrocketed from $5,000 to nearly $9,000 per year,” said Smith. “That makes it the most expensive tuition in Canada,” he added. “Starting in September we’ll be putting more money back into the pockets of students and families.”

According to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities website, students in Ontario currently pay the highest tuition rates in Canada. The average Ontario university tuition is close to $9,000 while the average 2018-19 college tuition is $3,400. More than 20 different Ontario degree programs charge students more than $15,000 per year.

As part of its overall reform of postsecondary education affordability, the province also announced it will be refocussing the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to ensure it remains sustainable and viable for future students while directing a greater portion of OSAP funding to families with the greatest financial need.

The Ontario government is also restoring financial sustainability to the ballooning costs associated with Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). According to the Auditor General the OSAP budget was projected to double over the next five years to $2.7 billion.

“Just prior to the last election, the Liberals increased the number of OSAP grants to an unsustainable level to offset out of control tuition increases,” said Smith. “The changes we are making will ensure OSAP is available to students in need for generations.”

Loyalist College president and CEO Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan said officials at the Wallbridge Road facility watched the announcement with great interest.

“We are very pleased they confirmed our core operating grants will be maintained and that is crucial,” she said. “We understand the province is in a very tight fiscal position and wants to see more innovation from schools. We’ve been hard at work with that and have some options we want to discuss with the ministry.”

Vaughan said it was much too early to determine if the tuition cuts will impact programming for the approximately 3,300 students at Loyalist.

Not everyone agreed the reductions would be beneficial.

Bay of Quinte Liberal Association spokesman Robert Quaiff said he is confident the reduction will result in programming cuts.

“(This) announcement shows Doug Ford does not value the importance of making education accessible (and) the government is stepping away from building a highly skilled and educated population and instead leaving future Ontario students with diminished opportunities for higher learning and skills training,” Quiaff said. “Ontario’s postsecondary education system is one of the reasons we’ve led the G7 in growth and jobs. By cutting 10 per cent in tuition fees without consultation or thoughtful consideration, this government is reversing progress. Colleges and universities will be forced to cut their programming and access to important student enrichment programs.”
While fees for essential campus health and safety initiatives will continue to be mandatory, students will have the opportunity to opt out of fees for other programs they don’t utilize.

Quaiff said the cuts will make it more difficult for some to receive postsecondary educations.

“Postsecondary education in Ontario is further collateral damage in this government’s agenda to cut,” he explained. “Last year 13,000 single moms were able to attend college or university because of our initiatives to make education more affordable and accessible, there was a 36 per cent increase in Indigenous students, 33 per cent increase in mature student and 24 per cent increase in middle income, weakening our institutions and restricting access are bad economic decisions.”