The tuition freeze may not be over this fall, if the NDP have their way.

NDP MPP Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina) introduced a bill to freeze tuition for all Ontario colleges and universities yesterday morning.

Estimated to cost roughly $125 million-less than 1 per cent of the provincial budget-the bill would continue the Ontario government’s freeze until the next provincial election scheduled for 2007.

Marchese has repeatedly asked the provincial government to more quickly seek the money promised through the federal Bill C-48, passed this spring. Bill C-48-often called the “NDP budget”-included $600 million in funding for Ontario post-secondary education.

Speaking in the legislature on Wednesday afternoon, Marchese repeatedly referred to the input-and pressure-that the government has been getting from the Canadian Federation of Students since Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that his two-year tuition freeze would be ending in a September 30 speech at Carleton University.

“We want to reach out to as many students are we can,” Marchese said. “How far this bill goes depends on the public pressure brought to bear on the government. The only way to convince this government to act on funding is to pressure members.”

“Students need to lobby their MPPs, write to them, and meet with them. MPPs have to be pressured into supporting legislation like this or nothing will happen,” said Marchese on what is needed to bring this bill to law.

“It is premature of the Premier to announce tuition fee hikes at a time when the federal government has earmarked money for post-secondary education,” said Jesse Greener, Chair of the Canadian Federation of Students in a statement.

“We are urging MPPs to support Mr. Marchese’s bill to extend the current tuition freeze and we are calling on the Ontario families to join us in this campaign.”

Marchese echoed Greener when he said that current tuition levels are hurting Ontario families.

“I’m profoundly worried about the social implications of this kind of tuition. Debt levels [could exceed] $25,000 or more depending on when people get married, or how many children they have,” he warned.

“I am hoping this bill will help focus the efforts of those who want to see the problem of rising tuition addressed.”

The CFS claims that several MPPs, including a Progressive Conservative, are already in favour of the bill. It is not known whether any Liberal party members are also endorsing it.

Tuition levels have once again become the hot topic for the CFS, which U of T joined in 2003. To lobby the government, the student group has delivered 20,000 signed postcards addressed to Premier McGuinty saying, “I support tuition fee reductions.” In addition, the CFS is holding a province-wide plebiscite to gauge student opinion on tuition fees. At York University, 96 per cent of students voted in favour of the freeze.

At UTSC, students also voted 96 per cent in favour of a freeze. A plebiscite of U of T St George is scheduled to take place from November 1-3.