MEDIA ADVISORY - Thousands of Ontario students to participate in National Day of Action for post-secondary education

TORONTO, Nov. 1, 2016 /CNW/ - Students across Ontario will be participating in a National Day of Action organized by the Canadian Federation of Students calling for free education, increased funding for colleges and universities, honouring our commitments to Indigenous learners and bold immediate action on student debt.

On campuses across the province, students will engage in a variety actions designed to bring attention to the financial burdens shouldered by college and university students. In Toronto, two marches – one at Ryerson University, another at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus – will converge at King's College Circle in the University of Toronto before marching to Queen's Park.

DATE:	Wednesday, November 2, 2016
TIME:	11:00AM (Ryerson); 12:00PM (University of Toronto); 1:00PM (convergence and march to Queen's Park.)
PLACE:	Ryerson University (Ryerson Student Centre, 55 Gould Street); University of Toronto (Sidney Smith Building, 100 St. George Street); various college and university campuses across Ontario
WHO:	Ontario college and university students

JUST THE FACTS:

• Tuition fees in Ontario are the highest in Canada. In 2011, data collected by Statistics Canada showed 53 per cent of university enrolments and 42 per cent of college enrolments came from students in the highest income quartile of families, highlighting a socio-economic divide on campuses across the province.
• The average debt for a student who must take on financial assistance to go to school is $26,800 after a four-year bachelors degree and $15,700 after a two-year college diploma. Collectively, students in Canada owe over $28 billion in public student debt.
• Despite positive changes to OSAP on the horizon, students are concerned that increasing tuition fees disproportionally affect those most marginalized on our campus, including international students and part-time students who cannot access the new Ontario Student Grant.

The Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario unites more than 350,000 college and university students in all regions of the province.

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario

For further information: Rajean Hoilett, Chairperson, at 289-923-3534 (cellphone) or [e-mail]. Gayle McFadden, Ontario National Executive Representative, at 416-885-5488 (cellphone) or [e-mail]. Alastair Woods, Government & Media Relations Coordinator at 647-378-8942 (cellphone) or [e-mail].