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January 18, 2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario Government to Lower Student Tuition Burden by 10 per cent First ever province-wide tuition reduction will make college and university more affordable for students in Brantford-Brant <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brantford \u2013 For the first time in Ontario, students at every publicly-assisted college and university will see their tuition rates go down by 10 per cent thanks to a province-wide tuition rate reduction introduced by Ontario\u2019s Government. The tuition rate reduction is the latest step in the Ford Government\u2019s plan to keep more money in the pockets of Ontario students and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe believe that if you\u2019ve got the grades, you deserve access to an affordable postsecondary education,\u201d said Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. \u201cBy lowering tuition across the entire province, our Government is ensuring that all qualified Ontario students will have more affordable access to high quality skills, training and education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of its overall reform of postsecondary education affordability, Fullerton also announced that that the Government will be refocussing the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to ensure it remains sustainable and viable for future students while directing a greater proportion of OSAP funding to families with the greatest financial need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe previous government believed in handing out OSAP money to some of Ontario\u2019s highest income earners with virtually no meaningful criteria for success,\u201d said Fullerton. \u201cIt is no surprise that student enrolment has remained flat while tuition rates skyrocketed. Instead of using OSAP to indirectly subsidize future rounds of tuition hikes, we will focus our resources on the families in greatest need while challenging our partners in the postsecondary sector to deliver better value for the high tuitions they already charge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Minister also announced a Student Choice Initiative, giving every student in Ontario the freedom to choose which student fees they want to pay, and how that money will be allocated. Fees for essential health and safety initiatives will continue to be mandatory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Student fees in Ontario can range as high as $2000 per year and, too often, force students to pay for services they do not use and organizations they do not support. The opt-out initiative will ensure students have transparency and freedom of choice regarding the campus services and organizations which get access to their money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reducing tuition and increasing the affordability of college and university is part of the government\u2019s plan to help people get the training they need to get good paying jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are making postsecondary education more affordable in Brantford-Brant through these historic reforms, refocussing supports to our students and families who need it most.\u201d Said MPP Will Bouma. \u201cThese changes give students the freedom of choice about how their money is spent, and restores accountability, affordability and access to postsecondary education while giving more of our students opportunities to find a job and build a career right here in Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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For more information, contact MPP Will Bouma at 519-759-0361 or will.bouma@pc.ola.org <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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