Turning the Page A NEW CHAPTER FOR ’S POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS

Students’ Recommendations for the 2015 Ontario Budget January 2015 | Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario General inquiries regarding this document should be directed to:

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario 900-180 Bloor Street West , Ontario M5S 2V6 TEL 416.925.3825 FAX 416.925.6774 EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.cfsontario.ca

Ce document est disponible en français. The Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario

With more than 350,000 members at 38 students’ unions in all regions of the province, the Canadian Federation of Students– Ontario is the voice of post-secondary students in Ontario. Our Federation represents students at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels, including full- and part-time students.

Algoma University Students’ Union Laurentian Students’ Union at Students’ Barrie Union Association générale des étudiants et étudiantes du Collège Association des étudiantes University of Toronto Mississauga Boréal et étudiants francophones de Students’ Union l’Université Laurentienne Graduate Association of Part-Time Students’ Association McMaster University Graduate Undergraduate Students of the Students’ Association University of Toronto Students’ Association Student Union Central Student Association Carleton University Graduate Ontario College of Art and Design Students’ Association Student Union University of Western Ontario Society of Graduate Students Association étudiante de la Cité Student Federation of the collégiale University of Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association Student Association of George Graduate Students’ Association Brown College des étudiant(e)s diplômé(e)s de Students’ l’Université d’Ottawa Alliance Student Union Queen’s University Society of University of Windsor Graduate Central Graduate and Professional Students’ Society Student Association Students University of Windsor Organization University of Guelph Graduate Ryerson Students’ Union of Part-time University Students Students’ Association Continuing Education Students’ York Federation of Students Student Association of Ryerson Union Graduate Students’ Students’ Association Laurentian Association of Mature Association and Part-time Students University of Toronto Scarborough Graduate Campus Students’ Union Students’ Association University of Toronto Graduate Laurentian University Students’ Students’ Union General Association

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 1 Summary of Recommendations: Expenses

Tuition Fees OHIP for Sexual Assault Guarantee access to post- International on Campus secondary education by reducing tuition fees for all Students Create a Sexual Assault Support students, including international division within the Ministry students, and for all programs, Make Ontario the most attractive of Training, Colleges and to 2005 levels. Develop a long- province for international Universities that would oversee term strategy for the progressive students to study, work, live and institutional accountability reduction of tuition fees in the stay by re-integrating them into measures, reporting and province. OHIP with no premium and a supports, including a long- maximum three-month waiting term Sexual Assault Support Cost: Dependent upon period, as is consistent with all Resource Fund that would implementation new Ontario residents. allow campus groups and stakeholders to apply for funding ▻ 1 year plan: $1.2 billion Cost: Program for their campus, regional or Dependent provincially based support ▻ 3 year plan: project. $0 in year 1 Cost: $6 million (16.3% reduction) (Reallocation of funds from Ontario Tuition Grant and provincial education tax credits.) $500 million in years 2 and 3 (8.3% reduction per year)

Re-introduce post-residency fees in Ontario by reducing tuition fees for all graduate students in the research, thesis or dissertation-writing portions of their degrees by 50 per cent. Cost: $134 million

2 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students Summary of Recommendations: Savings & Revenue

Sector Reform Revenue options HEQCO Income tax

End funding for the Higher Introduce a two per cent surtax Education Quality Council of on personal incomes over Ontario. $250,000. Savings: $5 million Revenue: $1.3 billion per year Salary Cap Corporate Taxes Implement a $250,000 cap on university salaries and Restore the corporate income a $200,000 cap on college tax rate back to 2009 levels from salaries. 11.5 per cent to 14 per cent and restore the capital tax for Savings: $17 million medium and large corporations per year to 0.3 per cent for general corporations and to 0.9 per cent for financial corporations. Revenue: $3.9 billion per year

Total savings & revenue: ~$4.2B

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 3

Introduction

Students had reason to cheer in 2004, when the newly elected Ontario government under Premier Dalton McGuinty followed through on his highly popular promise to freeze tuition fees for all college and university students in the province. The move was seen as a welcome relief in a province where successive governments in the 1990’s and early 2000’s oversaw a tripling of the costs associated with attending post- secondary education, climbing from an average of $1,464 in 1990 to $4,141 in 2004.

Barely two years into his term, Premier McGuinty abruptly ended the tuition fee freeze, arguing that like milk and bread, the price of education must also rise with time. His announcement was not a sudden realization that the costs associated with operating colleges and universities increase every year, but rather an admission that the government no longer felt obliged to cover those rising costs. The result was a transfer of economic burden from the provincial government onto students and their families, one that continues to grow larger and more insurmountable every September.

Since 2006, tuition fees in Ontario have increased by as much as 80 per cent and are on course to double within the next few years. Differential fees for professional, graduate and international students – some of which are completely unregulated – register in the tens of thousands annually. Ontario students study in ’s largest class sizes with the lowest student-teacher ratio, and for six consecutive years, Ontario has outpaced all other provinces as the most expensive place in Canada in which to pursue higher education.

This void of leadership at Queen’s Park has resulted in a system of post-secondary education that is unaffordable, inaccessible, underfunded and overburdened. In an economy where over 70 per cent of newly posted jobs require the completion of post- secondary education, it is imperative that the provincial government drastically change course on funding formulas and tuition fee policy to guarantee access to college and university for every Ontarian.

Though Ontario has spent much of the past nine years taking too many steps back, students are proposing a handful of thoughtful and practical solutions that can bring us a few steps forward.

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 5 Affordable & Accessible Campuses

and tuition fee caps for Guarantee access to post-secondary domestic students limit private contributions. International education by reducing tuition fees for students have faced increases of as much as 50 per cent in the all students last nine years. For six years in a row, Ontario By 2016-2017, tuition fees will has been ranked as the most have increased up to 108 per Graduate students also face expensive province in Canada cent since the Liberals first took significant financial barriers in which to pursue post- office in 2003. to conducting their research secondary education. According and finishing their education to Statistics Canada, average As with previous frameworks, in Ontario. In the 1990s, many tuition fees for the 2014-15 this new plan allows tuition universities began to end the academic year were $7,539 for fee increases in professional practice of charging reduced undergraduate students, up from programs at a higher rate than tuition fee rates to graduate $7,257 in 2013-14. For graduate other programs, compounding students engaged in the students, fees increased to the already significant increases research, thesis or dissertation- $8,738, up from $8,470 last year. some programs saw in the writing portion of their degree 1990s and early 2000s. During programs, known commonly The continuing rise of tuition fees this period, fees for law school as post-residency fees. Since has been a decades-long trend tripled, fees for medicine these students had completed under provincial governments nearly quadrupled, and fees their coursework and no longer of all political stripes. But even for dentistry increased almost used most university resources, though Ontario students pay five fold. The sharp rise in many institutions recognized more than their counterparts professional program tuition fees charging full tuition fees was in other provinces, they get has created significant barriers both unnecessary and unfair. less. Ontario’s college and for low- and middle-income However, most universities university students learn in the students looking to pursue legal, today charge full tuition fees to largest class sizes, have the medical or dental education and graduate students who have worst student-teacher ratio and training. completed their coursework, the lowest per-student funding asking them to pay thousands of allocation in all of Canada. Tuition fees for international dollars annually to simply use a students remain unregulated campus library card. In 2013, the provincial and are often four to five government introduced a new times more expensive than The Ontario government justifies four-year tuition fee framework. domestic tuition fee rates.1 tuition fee increases by pointing Under this framework, tuition Colleges and universities have to financial assistance options fees can increase by three per been aggressively recruiting that include tax credits, student cent for most programs and international students to loans, targeted grants programs five per cent for graduate and make up for lost revenue as and institutional scholarships professional programs. government funding diminishes and bursaries. These programs

6 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students Enrolment by Socio-economic Background (2011) University: College:

 1st quartile (highest)

 2nd quartile

 3rd quartile

 4th quartile (lowest) are touted as ways to support cases, a student who is made to Recommendation: students from marginalized borrow the maximum allowable communities to attend post- government financial assistance Guarantee access to post- secondary education. But a will pay 50 per cent more for secondary education by look at enrolment data from their education that a student reducing tuition fees for all Statistics Canada reveals a who can pay those costs up students, including international persistent socio-economic front. students, and for all programs, divide on college and university to 2005 levels. Develop a long- In 2004, the Liberal government campuses. In 2011, 52 per cent term strategy for the progressive made good on their promise to of university enrolments came reduction of tuition fees in the freeze tuition fees for all students from the highest income quartile, province. in Ontario. Almost eleven years while barely 10 per cent came later, they will be remembered from the lowest. The college Cost: Dependent upon as the government that doubled student population during that the cost of going to college or implementation same year, often lauded as more university. A decade of tunnel- socio-economically diverse, saw vision has created a province ▻ 1 year plan: $1.2 billion 43 per cent of enrolment come where ones best hope of a from the highest income quartile, stable future rests in attending ▻ 3 year plan: while just over 10 per cent came post-secondary education, yet from the lowest.2 accessing that education has $0 in year 1 High tuition fees in Ontario never been more expensive. In (16.3% reduction) have produced record-levels of order to ensure the economic (Reallocation of funds from debt and negatively impacted strength of our province and Ontario Tuition Grant and the ability of low- and middle- guarantee financial stability provincial education tax credits.) income students to access post- for students and their families, secondary education. Students Ontario must open a new $500 million in years 2 who take on loans to attend chapter in higher education and 3 (8.3% reduction college or university graduate policy; a chapter that begins per year) with an average of $27,000 of with a real tuition fee reduction debt to repay, delaying important for all students. Re-introduce post-residency life decisions such as buying fees in Ontario by reducing a home or vehicle, opening a tuition fees for all graduate 3 1 Association of Universities and Colleges business or starting a family. Canada, “Tuition Fees by University 2012- students in the research, thesis Funding higher education by 2013.” or dissertation-writing portions of forcing students to take on 2 Data requested as custom report from their degrees by 50 per cent. staggering amounts of debt Statistics Canada, February 2014 3 Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives- punishes those who do not have Ontario, “Making Every Job a Good Job,” COST: $134 million the financial means to cover October 2013. the costs themselves. In some

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 7 Healthy & Equitable Campuses

Make Ontario more attractive dollars to the Ontario economy, of which $1.8 billion was to international students by re- contributed to the GDP creating over 29,000 jobs and over $200 integrating them into public health million in government revenue.6 insurance International students not only have an incentive to study In 1994, the Ontario government international students in Canada3 elsewhere based on lower eliminated coverage for but in the 2010 Ontario Budget, tuition fees but other provinces international students from the provincial government set a including , the Ontario Health Insurance goal of expanding international Manitoba, Prince Edward Island Program (OHIP). Currently student enrolment by 50 per and Nova Scotia currently international students studying cent.4 A goal they have met in include international students in at universities must enroll in recent years and continue to their provincial health insurance a private health insurance surpass annually. programs. In order for the program – the University Health province to remain competitive, Insurance Plan (UHIP) – which The vast majority of international immediate steps must be taken costs between $700 and students remain in the province to ensure Ontario can continue $2,000 per year.1 This for-profit once they graduate and to attract and retain international health insurance plan provides continue to participate in the students. limited health coverage that economy and in their local is not accepted universally by communities. Between 2011 and We need only look to other physicians, hospitals and clinics 2016 immigration is estimated provinces for models of in Ontario. International college to account for 100 per cent of international student integration students are also required to the net labour force growth in into public health insurance pay for mandatory private health the country.5 While international that we can emulate or adapt insurance plans that may not be students live and work in for Ontario. Both the British universally accepted by health Canada they pay both sales and Columbia Medical Services care providers and normally cost income taxes, and contribute to Plan and Manitoba Health do between $500 and $700 per the Canada Pension Plan and not charge any premiums for year.2 Employment Insurance. In 2010, international students to be international students in Ontario part of their provincial health International students are an contributed almost $3 billion plan, but do require a six-month integral part of college and university campuses, they make our institutions more International students contribute diverse and make valuable contributions to the academic $3 billion dollars to the Ontario community. Not only is Ontario home to the largest population of economy annually.

8 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students waiting period and health cards International students not only are issued for the duration of an contribute over $3 billion dollars international student’s studies to the Ontario economy annually, in Canada. In the province of they create revenue-generating Nova Scotia, Medical Services jobs and contribute to the growth Insurance requires that an of the Ontario economy. A vast international student reside in majority of international students the province for 12 consecutive in Ontario remain in Canada after months before they are issued their studies, start families and a provincial health card. continue to work and contribute Immediate coverage in Nova to the economy. It is unfair that Scotia is offered to international while studying and working in students who have a Research Ontario they are not afforded Assistant or Graduate Assistant the same health care as their position at their institution. domestic peers.

The Federation proposes that Recommendation: the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care integrate Make Ontario the most attractive international students into province for international OHIP with no premium and a students to study, work, live and maximum three-month waiting stay by re-integrating them into period, as is consistent with all OHIP with no premium and a new Ontario residents. A vast maximum three-month waiting majority of international students period, as is consistent with all already work both on campus new Ontario residents. and off campus and are part of the Ontario Personal Income Cost: Program Tax System that contributes to Dependent the Ontario Health Premium. Charging a premium for integration would be taxing this population twice.

1 UHIP, 2014. 2 Institutional fee summaries, 2013. 3 Roslyn and Kunin, 2012. 4 , 2010. 5 Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Government of Canada, 2012. 6 Roslyn and Kunin, 2012.

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 9 Safe Campuses

Make Ontario colleges and this leadership, college and university administrators have universities leaders in sexual resisted supporting this work in the past. assault prevention In fact, in 2013, the problem One in five women experience fact, it is students who have became so widespread that sexual assault while attending a actually been at the forefront the Canadian Federation of post-secondary institution.1 It is of combatting sexual assault Students-Ontario produced an no understatement that sexual in post-secondary institutions. information sheet for students’ assault continues to be a serious Since 1981, the Canadian unions on how to respond to issue at every single college and Federation of Students has administrators’ lack of will to university campus in Ontario. led the charge against sexual address sexual assault.3 At assault on campus and rape some universities and colleges, Campuses are a reflection of culture through the No Means No students were told that by greater society, experiencing campaign. talking about sexual assault it similar systemic issues as are experienced at home and in the workplace. However, when it comes to sexual assault, campuses are unique. Post-secondary students experience a disproportionate number of sexual assaults as compared to the general 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted while population.2 Universities and attending a post secondary institution. colleges possess unique tools to prevent, mitigate and address sexual assault. From Students across the province would draw unwanted attention lecture halls to dorm rooms, have demonstrated that they to the fact that it happens on universities and colleges have take this issue seriously. From campus, or that students weren’t numerous avenues to implement the York Federation of Students mature enough for that subject mandatory consent education implementation of mandatory matter. This can no longer be an programs and clear rules and equity and consent training for acceptable response. It has not procedures around preventing thousands of students during been for students and should not and dealing with sexual assault. orientation, to the Ryerson be for the Ontario government. Students’ Union Sexual Assault Unfortunately, universities and Support Line serving students As was recognized in The colleges have remained largely every day, students are Toronto Star investigative report inactive around the issue of working on the front lines of this this year, many campuses are sexual assault on campus. In issue. Unfortunately, despite ill-prepared to handle instances

10 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students of sexual assault, and in many measures are all implemented. cases, aggravate the situation. This is the only way that we This is due to the fact there are can combat sexual assault on few policies in place, varied and campus in a meaningful way. underfunded support systems and no accountability within the Recommendation: sector. Create a Sexual Assault Support division within the Ministry In fact, in November 2014, only of Training, Colleges and 9 out of 102 Canadian colleges Universities that would oversee and universities had sexual institutional accountability assault policies.4 There is also measures, reporting and no oversight or accountability supports, including a long- when it comes to sexual term Sexual Assault Support assault in the post-secondary Resource Fund that would education sector. Universities allow campus groups and and colleges are expected to stakeholders to apply for funding handle complaints of sexual for their campus, regional or assault, and when they don’t, provincially based support students have nowhere else project. to turn. It is also important to acknowledge that many students coming into Ontario’s colleges Cost: $6 million and universities are simply uneducated or unaware of 1 Toronto Star, “Involving ‘bystanders’ to fight concepts of consent and the true sexual violence on campus,” March, 2014 definition of sexual assault. 2 Statistics Canada. Measuring violence against women: Statistical trends. 2013. Action must be taken to ensure 3 Campus Tool Kit on Sexual Violence, Canadian Federation of Students- Ontario, that steps towards mandatory 2013 preventative education, proper 4 Toronto Star, “Canadian post-secondary policy and procedure, well- schools failing schools failing sexual assault victims,” November, 2014 funded and varied support resources and accountability

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 11 Paying for our Priorities: Savings & Revenue-Generation

The Ontario Budget is a reflection of the priorities of a given government at a given time. Unfortunately, when reviewing how to provide high quality public services for people in Ontario, the revenue options available to the government are often ignored. Students understand the importance of not only proposing thoughtful and practical solutions to the challenges the post-secondary education sector faces, but also being honest about how we can pay for those solutions. The cost of the proposals contained with this submission could easily be addressed through implementing certain cost-saving measures and improving the fairness and progressivity of the Ontario tax system.

by their institutions to work on Salary Cap Sector Reform HEQCO projects have sounded the alarm about limits to their While chronic government Savings academic freedom. In particular, underfunding has lead to the researchers at Queen’s privatization of post-secondary HEQCO University publicly condemned education by stealth, it remains HEQCO when the results of important that colleges and their research were significantly The Higher Education Quality universities are transparent altered to fit with the policy Council of Ontario (HEQCO) and accountable for their use recommendations desired by the is an arms-length body that of public funds and tuition fees council and the university. The undertakes research on post- paid by students. Students authors were not even informed secondary education in Ontario. support the capping of executive about the changes prior to the HEQCO should provide much- compensation at colleges and release of the findings. needed insight into pressures in universities. Capping college the post-secondary education and university administration sector and policy options and At the same time, HEQCO has salaries would not only redirect alternatives that can improve ignored the need to do research money within the system to or strengthen the college on important issues like the benefit students, but would and university education impact of high tuition fees, long ensure a balance between system. Instead, HEQCO has completion times, low retention reasonable compensation and consistently prioritized research rates, the proliferation of contract institutional expenses. that aligns with the governments' faculty and other issues, despite agenda for sector transformation calls from students, staff and Recommendation: and refused to explore the faculty to investigate them concerns raised by students, further. Implement a $250,000 cap staff and faculty about the on university salaries and state of college and university Recommendation: a $200,000 cap on college education in Ontario. salaries. End funding for the Higher Education Quality Council of The council’s research practices Savings: $17 million Ontario. have also come into question per year as researchers subcontracted Savings: $5 million

12 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students people under this surtax and Revenue restoring corporate taxes could substantially build on the Total savings Generating province’s ability to maintain and expand public services in Options Ontario. & revenue: Investing in post-secondary Recommendation: education to make sure ~$4.2 billion that Ontario has a system Introduce a two per cent surtax of high quality, affordable on personal incomes over and accessible college and $250,000. university education would have positive impacts on health, Revenue: $1.3 billion community development, civic engagement and the per year economy. By increasing the province’s revenue, students’ Recommendation: recommendations and other investments could be made to Restore the corporate income improve public, post-secondary tax rate back to 2009 levels from education and other public 11.5 per cent to 14 per cent services in Ontario. and restore the capital tax for medium and large corporations Students applaud the steps to 0.3 per cent for general made in the 2012 Ontario corporations and to 0.9 per cent Budget that introduced a for financial corporations. surtax on personal incomes of $500,000 and froze the Revenue: $3.9 billion planned cut for the fiscal year, per year recognizing the need to retain this revenue. Building on these measures by including more

Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario | 13 Conclusion: Three Steps Forward After Many Steps Backward

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario has always believed that post-secondary education is a fundamental human right that should be free of any and all social, political and financial barriers. Ones prospects of self-improvement and the promise of a bright, meaningful and stable future should never rely on their ability – or lack thereof – to access enough financial leverage to pay for their tuition fees and other associated costs. Yet today we are farther away from this ideal than we were in 2004, when the government instituted a province-wide freeze on college and university tuition fees – a freeze implemented after the massive tuition fee increases and funding cuts introduced by previous governments in the 1990s and 2000s.

Since the tuition fee freeze was lifted, we have seen deterioration in both access and quality of education, but also in access to opportunity and quality of life for an entire generation. Students today face a society far more expensive than generations before them, a labour market far more dismal and a future that is much more uncertain.

A leadership vacuum and pocket-book politics have prevented governments and parties of all political stripes from making bold and visionary decisions to guarantee access to higher education, preferring instead to rely on ineffective and unfair financial assistance programs and blanket tax credits that go to homes that never needed them in the first place. Our system of post-secondary education faces profound challenges in the years ahead. How do we maintain quality as our institutions continue to grow and serve more students? How do we create more reliable, stable and sustainable funding models for higher education? How do colleges and universities prepare students for the workforce without compromising their role as centres for inquiry and critical reflection?

We can begin to tackle these challenges by making college and university more affordable for all students, attracting international students to Ontario campuses by guaranteeing access to public health care and making our institutions of higher education leaders in preventing and addressing sexual assault and gender-based violence.

These recommendations cannot answer all the questions we need to ask about our current system of college and university education, but they can be a start. After nine years of stepping backward, let’s forge a new path by taking three bold, thoughtful, practical and moral steps forward together.

14 | Turning the Page: A New Chapter for Ontario’s Post-Secondary Students