New MOU with universities will see tuition fees rise even further

HALIFAX - The new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the provincial government and Nova Scotia’s universities will do nothing to address skyrocketing tuition fees.

“Tution fees in Nova Scotia are already some of the highest in the country,” said Tammy Martin, NDP Labour and Advanced Education spokesperson. “There is nothing in this new MOU that will reduce tuition fees, meaning that students will graduate with even higher levels of debt.”

According to Statistics Canada, average undergraduate tuition fees in Nova Scotia this year will be about $8,368. This is almost $1900 more than the Canadian average of $6,463. The new MOU will allow tuition fee increases of up to 3% a year. Over the five year course of the MOU, this could result in tuition fee increase of over $1,250.

“Some students are graduating with debts the size of a mortgage,” said Martin. “The Liberals should be working to reduce tuition fees to make things easier for students, not forcing them deeper into debt”

Recent polling shows that 88% of Nova Scotians want to see tuition fees reduced. 1/3 of Nova Scotians said that in the past year, they or someone in their family did not attend university because it would mean taking on too much debt.

The NDP is committed to making tuition free at the NSCC and to working with universities to reduce fees for students.