The provincial government heard the appeal for the Student Choice Initiative this week, a policy that student unions say harms student-run programs and doesn’t save students money
(CREDIT: CFS-Ontario/Melissa Palermo)
On March 23 and 24, the Ontario Court of Appeals heard the Ford government’s appeal for the Student Choice Initiative (SCI), a policy that required universities to give students the option to opt-out of “non-essential” fees such as funds for clubs, services, and campus media.
The SCI was announced in January of 2019 and implemented the following school year alongside cuts to tuition grants and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
In November of 2019, the Ontario Divisional Court unanimously ruled against the SCI, stating that it is “not authorized by law and [is] inconsistent with the autonomy granted universities, bedrock principles on which Ontario universities have been governed for more than 100 years,” according to CBC News.
The Ford government requested an appeal over this decision, which was heard this week, but student unions and organizations across the province continue to stand against the SCI.
Kayla Weiler, national executive representative of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) in Ontario, told The Ontarion that the CFS was never consulted over the policy.
“If they had met with us then they would’ve heard directly from students that this is not a good policy and that it’s not there to help students,” said Weiler. “It’s actually there to harm student organizations that represent students and provide them with support.”
Weiler stated that while the SCI is framed as something to help students save money, what the policy truly does is defund student groups that protect student rights on campuses and save students money.
“If you wanted to save students money, you would have lowered tuition and have more education funding, and you wouldn’t have cut $670 million to OSAP,” she said.
When the CFS or similar student unions want to change or introduce fees, students may vote in student referendums. Weiler explains that this is a democratic process that is undermined by the SCI.
Having never lived in a town with a population over 3,000 and never taken a bus before attending U of G, she says that student organizations helped her significantly.
“I was two hours away from my hometown, and I relied heavily on my student unions in my first year for my bus pass, my health plan, and my dental plan,” said Weiler.
“When I got lost on campus, I’d go to their office and ask for help, and those were the things that I relied on the most. In my first year, [the SCI] might’ve convinced me to opt out of the $20 [student plan] fee, and then I wouldn’t have had access to their services.”
A coalition against the SCI was formed between the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Western Ontario. During the appeal in March, representatives of the coalition spoke in favour of the autonomy of universities and the economic benefits of student unions.
According to Weiler, this was not a support student unions had during their first Ontario Divisional Court ruling in 2019, so she is hopeful that they will succeed again.
To read more on how student unions have responded to the SCI, search for ‘Student Choice Initiative’ on The Ontarion or follow this link.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. A court decision on the appeal is expected within a few months.
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