Undergraduate students attending universities in Ontario this year can expect to pay an average tuition fee of $4,923. This figure represents a 5.5 per cent increase from the previous year’s average of $4,665.
The fees have increased 35 per cent and a 137 per cent from five and 10 years ago, respectively. According to Statistics Canada, Ontario is second only to Nova Scotia, whose average is $5,557, and has been for the past five years. The average tuition fees in Ontario are approximately double those of Newfoundland and Labrador ($2,606) and triple those of Quebec ($1,862). But, it is not only academic expenses that are rising at an alarming rate. Currently, Ontario ranks first for average additional compulsory fees at $694 an 8.8 per cent increase since last year.
Joel Duff, Ontario chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, believes the root cause of this rapid ascent in fees lies with the political leadership in Ontario. He describes their agenda as “[profiting from] what is essentially a public service.” Since 1998, the mount in fees is essentially a result of the elimination of public control. Duff believes Ontario fees have not risen at a more alarming rate due to “marginal [victories]” such as the recent installation of a two per cent annual cap on Arts and Science fees. “It has never been the case that our government has [raised tuition] to better education,” he says.
Duff presents the following solution to Ontario residents, which in his opinion will obliterate the rising trend. “We have to make this election about education,” he says, and makes the plea that if a party has not displayed a focus on post-secondary education in their plan, they should not win. He strongly advises students and parents to vote because essentially, if anyone can force the rise in fees to plateau and optimally decline, it is principally students and their parents.
