Ontario’s 24 colleges have been told to set up a fund to help students being hurt financially by the faculty strike that has left classes cancelled for a month.
Advanced Education Minister Deb Matthews says some students are concerned about how they’ll pay for unexpected costs due to the strike, such as extra rent payments or the cost of cancelling travel plans.
Matthews says the colleges will pay for the fund using their savings from unpaid wages and lower operating costs at the schools.
Striking faculty — represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union — are to vote on the College Employer Council’s final offer from November 14th to 16th.