Province-wide student walkout planned to protest OSAP changes

Mar 19 2019, 9:01 pm

Students across Ontario will walk out of class on Wednesday to protest the provincial government’s changes to post-secondary funding.

The walkouts will take place in 16 colleges and universities across the province to demonstrate to the Ontario government that students “will not tolerate their attacks.”

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In January, Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government eliminated free tuition for low-income students, while imposing a 10% across-the-board tuition fee cut, and made several once-mandatory student fees, such as those that fund campus organizations and clubs, optional.

Additionally, the six-month grace period on student loan interest has also been cancelled.

On Wednesday, March 20 at 12 pm, students will walk out of class in protest, according to the Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).

According to the CFS, students are walking out of the classes and calling on the government to provide more grants, rather than loans, eliminate tuition fees for all students, increase public funding for public education, protect students’ independent voices, and demand the right to organize.

The previous Liberal government led by Kathleen Wynne had increased the number of grants and made it possible for low-income students to attend college or university free of cost.

Under the previous program, it was expected that some 230,000 students receiving OSAP would have less debt as a result of the changes.

An online petition has also been created to stop Ford’s OSAP cuts. At this time it’s received well over 282,000 signatures.

Province-Wide Student Walkout

When: Wednesday, March 20
Time: 12 pm
Where: Campuses across the province

Ainsley SmithAinsley Smith

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