Ford’s college cuts are hurting Northern Ontario students and communities

SUDBURY and NICKEL BELT – Shadow Minister for Labour & Shadow Minister for Energy and Mines MPP Jamie West (Sudbury) and MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) are calling on the Ford government to stop the cuts and invest in public colleges as OPSEU college support staff push for a fair deal:

“College support staff are at the heart of our campuses,” said West. “They are the people who keep libraries running, make sure labs and shops are properly supplied, help students register, and provide the supports that make success possible. Their work touches every student and every program.”

“Ontario’s public colleges play a vital role in our communities. They prepare the next generation of workers, create opportunities here in the North, and help shape the future of our province,” said Gélinas. “At Cambrian College and Collège Boréal, students are already feeling the impact of Ford’s cuts.

“Students and staff alike are calling for stability and fairness,” added West. “That means investing in our public colleges and supporting the people who make them work. Ontario has the lowest per-student post-secondary funding in the country. This lack of funding is at the root of the crisis. It hurts colleges, it hurts employees, and ultimately it hurts students.”

“The Ontario NDP stands with OPSEU’s college support staff," said Gélinas. We know how important they are to Cambrian, to Collège Boréal, and to communities right across the North. Their commitment is about good jobs and quality education, the things that give young people in our region the chance to build their future here at home.”