Student leaders voice opposition to Ford's changes to post-secondary fees and loans

Post-secondary student leaders from across Canada have signed a letter to the Ontario government. They're protesting changes announced January 17 that impact tuition rates, student loans and fees for non-educational programs and services. 

The Progressive Conservative government is eliminating free tuition for low-income students, changing the rules around grants for the Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP) and giving students the choice to opt out of ancillary fees that pay for programs and services such as peer-to-peer support, health and dental services, bus passes and food banks. 

"This is a national precedent," said Mitch Pratt, student council president at Western University.

The letter writers claim to be representing more than 1.3 million students across Canada. 

"We are student leaders. We have one job in this role and that's to listen to students," read the letter. "When their tuition is too high and they need a second job to pay for rent, we listen. When they have mental health concerns and need help, we listen. When they want to create a club for LGBTQ+ advocacy on campus, we listen."

Student concerns

The student leaders take on several issues in the Ford government's changes. The first issue is around changes to OSAP suggesting that moving from grants to loans will create more student debt and allow only the richest families to benefit from the government's 10 per cent cut in tuition. 

The letter also challenges what the student leaders call assumptions about student input when it comes to ancillary or student union fees. The government calls it the Student Choice Initiative. 

"It assumes that students don't have the choice in how their student fees are spent," read the letter. "Each of us conducts regular referendums related to student fees. Adding an "opt-out" option, would be the same as allowing voters to opt-out of paying their taxes to police services or libraries."

Combining the 10 per cent tuition cut with no additional funding will mean institutions will not pick up the slack from any lost programs or services that students might opt out of paying for.

The student letter also challenges the provincial government's motto of being "open for business". 

"Chambers of commerce, think tanks, research groups all point to a talented and skilled workforce. By making post-secondary less accessible to middle and low-income families and by jeopardizing the student experience on campus, your government is actively standing in the way of growing that workforce." 

The letter urges the Ontario government to sit down with students associations, administrators, labour groups and business networks to better understand how the changes will create a workforce less saddled with debt. 

Not just a provincial concern

Pratt said, student leaders are concerned other governments in Canada will consider taking similar action. 

"It's actually been floated by individuals and politicians such as Jason Kenney in Alberta, several conservative riding associations have reported voluntary student unionism to the [Conservative Party of Canada] national party."

"If we're not raising our voices as one today nationally, this could spread across the country before the repercussions of it are truly known," he said.