Canadian students to see 13 per cent rise over four years
It is a phenomenon not unfamiliar to university students: a tuition hike. A report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives predicts that by the 2017-18 school year, tuition fees will increase by over 13 per cent.
Ontario university students can expect to pay upwards of $9, 483 in 2017, as compared to an average of $8, 474 today. The higher amount, expected through incremental rises over the next four years, would result in tuition fees reaching triple the price paid 20 years ago.
Tuition fees have always been a hot button topic amongst students and politicians, where promises of frozen fees have run rampant. The problem seems to boil down to a matter of public funding, which has decreased from 79 per cent of university operating revenue in 1991 to 55 per cent in 2011 – numbers that continue to decrease. This decrease in public funding results in universities having to come up with alternative ways to increase funds – one key way being increasing the compulsory funds that tie into students’ tuition. These include graduation and athletic fees, as well as student association fees.
There are often caps on how much a university can increase tuition, but there is no such cap on compulsory fees, and as such, universities are not subject to any such restrictions.
While the average amount of tuition across Canada will increase, there is a considerable difference in fees paid by province. The most affordable province to attend post-secondary education is Newfoundland and Labrador, whose tuition is expected to rise only $17.00, to $2, 888, in 2017. Ontario, on the other hand, is the most expensive.
The high cost associated with obtaining a degree can result in a large amount of stress for students. As University of Guelph student Emily Johnston said, “knowing that fees will keep increasing every year puts almost as much pressure on students as their academics.”
Johnston went on to say, “it does not seem fair to punish those who can not afford a university education by pushing prices up way past what they can afford.” Many students share this sentiment across the province and country.
Ontario does attempt to soften the blow of increased tuition costs by offering students a refund of up to $1, 780 per year. However, this refund does not reduce tuition, nor does it apply to all undergraduates – some, such as part-time students and students who have been out of high school for more than four years, are unable to receive the rebate.
It is clear that University of Guelph students will not be spared from the upcoming tuition increases, but at least they can start preparing for them now. It may be time to hand out those last few resumes and stalk up on Kraft Dinner.