For immediate release
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

MANITOBA- A Statistics Canada report released today shows Manitoba posted the second highest tuition fee increase in Canada this year.

"The Statistics Canada report clearly shows that the Manitoba NDP government has one of the most regressive tuition fee policies in the entire country," said Jonny Sopotiuk, Manitoba Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "The Manitoba government has failed students and has lost its position as a leader in post-secondary education in Canada."

According to the report, tuition fees across Canada rose by 3.6% on average, the same as the previous year. By comparison, inflation declined by 0.8% this year, whereas last year it increased by 3.5%. The tuition fee increase in Manitoba was 4.3%, the second highest increase behind Ontario, where tuition fees rose by 5.0%. Tuition fees, the single largest expense for most college and university students, are increasing more rapidly than any other cost faced by students, and far faster than inflation.

"The Statistics Canada report should send a strong message and serve as a wake-up call for our new Premier, Greg Selinger," said Sopotiuk. "It's time to show real vision and to re-establish our province as the Canadian leader in access to high-quality university and college education. Students are looking forward to working with him to do just that."

The Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba is calling on the Manitoba government to implement tuition fee controls and other measures to improve accessibility to post-secondary education in Manitoba. The full report, "Investing in Education, For A Poverty-Free Manitoba", was provided to Premier Greg Selinger in a meeting with the Canadian Federation of Students on October 1, 2009.

The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student organisation. It is composed of over 80 university and college students' associations with a combined membership of over one half million students in all ten provinces, with over 42,000 students in Manitoba alone.

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For more information, please contact: Jonny Sopotiuk, Manitoba Chairperson at 204-797-4630