Students from across the province braved the cooler temperatures Thursday to show their opposition to legislated tuition hikes in Manitoba.
Students form Brandon and Winnipeg marched to the Manitoba legislature to demonstrate their opposition to Bill 31.
The bill will allow universities to increase tuition fees by up to five per cent, plus inflation, as of September.
Protesters say the government is making post-secondary education less affordable and less accessible.
“Students in the province are already working two, three jobs in order for them to pay their post-secondary education right now,” said Dele Ojewole, the deputy chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students in Manitoba. “So an increase in tuition would signify that they would have to do more.”
Meanwhile, a provincial spokesperson provided this statement to CTV News:
“Manitoba’s universities have been clear on the challenges they face with the tuition cap. We are taking a balanced approach to keep tuition affordable, by providing flexibility for universities to make moderate adjustments to tuition so they can grow and enhance their programs for students. Bill 31 will ensure tuition in Manitoba stays the lowest in Western Canada.”
