NDP would freeze tuition

Alberta’s NDP pledged Monday to freeze post-secondary tuition and fees in the province.

“We’re calling for a real freeze, not a cap based on inflationary increases, but a real freeze on tuition fees to promote accessibility,” said Brian Mason, the NDP candidate in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, speaking outside the MacEwan University campus Tuesday.

“We’ve costed that in our proposed budget,” Mason said.

“There’s no sense starving the institutions of money and then telling them they can’t increase tuition fees; that’s not the answer. The answer is stable and predictable funding for post-secondary institutions.”

Mason said the NDP’s budget would compensate institutions for the loss of revenue with an investment of $33 million.