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Sheridan College Students' Public Transit Program Killed

Oakville News
Oakville News

Sheridan College is a world-renowned institution, and its students across Oakville, Mississauga, and Brampton are at the heart of our communities.

We know that students – like those at Sheridan – are the future of our province. We should be supporting them and their education, not making it more difficult for them to afford to go to school.

“This was an initiative that began 12 years ago, and was something that I championed when on Oakville Town Council. I was so pleased when students voted to implement the Sheridan U-Pass, and am deeply concerned about the ability of Sheridan College students to access affordable transit," stated MP Pam Damoff.

The provincial government’s unfair policies around optional student fees are causing Sheridan College students to lose their public transit passes.

While Sheridan students voted overwhelmingly in favour to bring in U-Passes across all three campuses in last year’s student referendum, the Ontario government is ignoring their voice, and jeopardizing the future of an important tool to make life more affordable for young people. It is impossible to implement a transit system for students without mandatory enrollment, something the provincial government recognized by allowing existing post-secondary education institutes like Brock University and Western University to maintain mandatory fees for their transit pass.

We must focus on growing the economy for all Ontarians and all Canadians. This cannot be done without talented, educated graduates from our colleges, universities and trades programs.

In order to finance postsecondary education and training programs, our students need to be supported, not saddled with debt. We know that affordable transit is the make-or-break reason that allows some students to afford an education at all. If they forced to use their own vehicles, it will further clog our already busy GTA roads.

"The ability of our students to access affordable transit to meet their educational needs is imperative and must be supported," stated MP John Oliver.

Unlike the provincial government, our federal government is working with municipalities and focusing on public transit. The federal government continues to make historic investments to enhance public transportation in our communities, while the provincial government refuses to pick up the slack.

The U-Pass would have built local transit ridership while relieving traffic congestion on arterial roads and supported our students.

We call on our local MPPs (Stephen Crawford - Oakville and Effie Triantafilopoulos - Oakville North Burlington) to fight to keep this sustainable, affordable option for their students. It is impossible to run a transit network for students with optional-only fees – something the provincial government respected with existing transit system passes, but not with Sheridan’s U-Pass.

We urge all Sheridan students who voted democratically to implement U-Passes across their three campuses to contact their provincial MPPs and tell them to stand up for Sheridan students.

Approved by:

MP Pam Damoff - Oakville North-Burlington

MP John Oliver - Oakville


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