MEDIA RELEASE – Students Across Ontario Demand Free and Accessible Education and Full Respect of Students’ Rights to Organize

TORONTO, ON – On November 8th, students across the province will be hitting the streets and demanding free education for all students. The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is organizing a National Day of Action with rallies across the province bringing together thousands of students united in their call for a publicly funded, free and accessible education system.

Students across the province are struggling. Years of austerity measures, cuts to the Post-Secondary Education sector, and consistent attacks on students’ rights to organize by the provincial government, have left students grappling with ever increasing tuition fees, lack of support, and consistent interference by the government and administrators in our student organizations.

The student experience has also been exacerbated by the ever-increasing cost of living, including soaring rent prices, grocery bills, and transportation expenses, all while many students work in low-wage and precarious jobs. Meanwhile, International Students are subject to unjustifiable hikes in their tuition fees, and are left without support from institutions. For far too long, students have been left behind by the government.

On November 8th, students across the province stand united with the following demands:

1. Free education for all;
2. Grants not loans; and
3. Education justice

“It is possible to have a free education system in this country and this province. Budgets are about priorities and so far what we have seen from the Ford government is that they do not prioritize education and they continue to underfund Post-Secondary Education, perpetuate student debt, and consistently attack students and their rights to organize”. said Mitra Yakubi, Chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. “Students demand education justice and the full and complete respect and acknowledgement of autonomy of students and our organizations as we fight against systems of oppression that impact our members both locally and globally. Students further demand free, accessible and barrier-free education because we know that it is the only way to ensure access for all.”