College of Ontario

(TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2007) – Ontario’s 24 colleges will work with the provincial government to review the legislation governing collective bargaining for the colleges.

“We support the right of all college employees to associate as they see fit,” said Barbara Taylor, chair of the colleges’ committee of presidents. “We intend to work with the provincial government on this matter to develop solutions that are in the best interests of students, staff, faculty, colleges and our communities.”

The reaction from colleges follows the announcement today that the province will establish a process to review the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act.

It is the Government of Ontario that has responsibility over the legislation governing collective bargaining for Ontario colleges. The government announced today that Kevin Whitaker, chair of the College Relations Commission, will lead the province’s review of the legislation and will provide recommendations by February 2008.

Taylor said the colleges will work with Whitaker to develop the best solutions. At the same time, the colleges will continue to remind the Ontario government that colleges receive the lowest per-student revenues in Canada, and that colleges need additional resources to meet the demands of students, employers and colleges.

“Colleges are great places to work and great places to learn,” Taylor said. “The Ontario government must work with the colleges to ensure we are producing greater numbers of graduates to meet the challenge of the approaching skills shortage.”

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For more information, contact:

Darrell Neufeld
Senior Communications Officer
Colleges Ontario
(416) 596-0744, ext. 242