Quinte West City Council approved a resolution giving their support to Loyalist College, as well as advocating against recent reforms to the international student program and reduced tuition fees.
The resolution, broken down into six categories:
- Strongly supports Loyalist College and its commitment to providing high-quality education and training to students, including international students in the region;
- Expresses concern over the provincial funding for post-secondary institutions, which threatens the sustainability of essential programs and services at Loyalist College, and the additional challenges these cuts pose on all students;
- Calls on the provincial government to reconsider Ontario’s funding model and to work collaboratively with Loyalist College and other institutions to ensure that all students continue to have access to the resources and opportunities necessary for success;
- Reaffirms its commitment to advocating for post-secondary education funding that supports the growth and success of both institutions and students in the Municipality of Quinte West and the surrounding region;
- Urges the federal government to recognize the significant contributions of international students to the Canadian economy and society and to support policies that ensure they are able to thrive academically, socially, and financially;
- Urges the provincial government to review operating grants and average tuition fees reflective of today’s inflation rates and operating costs
The resolution would be forwarded to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Colleges and Universities, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Bay of Quinte MP, Ryan Williams, Bay of Quinte MPP, Tyler Allsopp, the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and the Board of Governors at Loyalist College.
