These concerns are compounded by the fact Ministry officials have recently suggested that college administrators may be given a freer hand in determining ancillary fees in the future, with less government intervention.
The Federation has voiced its opposition to the deregulation of ancillary fees and any further dilution of the government's ancillary fee policy.
Funding
The backdrop to Ontario's skyrocketing tuition and ancillary fees at colleges and universities is chronic underfunding. Ontario colleges suffer from the second lowest per-capita funding rate in all of Canada.
Universities are the third lowest funded. The Ontario government must address the problem of underfunding of post-secondary education now, and put a stop to the unfair practice of downloading the consequences of government underfunding onto students in the form of user fees and burgeoning student debt. It is hoped that this class action will compel the government to substantially increase funding for post-secondary education in Ontario.
More Responsible Oversight from the Ministry
The Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities has been aware of the problem of improper ancillary fees collection at post-secondary institutions in Ontario but has not always enforced the law. The Ministry must pay closer attention to the actions of post-secondary institutions and intervene when necessary.
The Federation expects the government of Ontario to protect the interests of the public and of students by ensuring that public institutions conduct themselves in an honest, transparent, and accountable way.
Furthermore, as part of its commitment to the full and fair regulation of user fees at public post-secondary institutions, the Federation expects the government to take immediate action to ensure that every public college and university in Ontario is in full compliance with government policies, as well as institutional protocols, for fee creation and collection. Where institutional protocols are inadequate or directly contravene government policy, or are otherwise lacking in democratic accountability to students, the government must enforce stricter compliance.