The Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers (ANSUT) stands in solidarity with the national Canadian Federation of Students, and with CFS-NS locals across the province who are participating in the weeklong students’ strike taking place March 15–21, 2026.
Students and faculty share a common goal: a strong, accessible, and publicly funded post-secondary education system in Nova Scotia. Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions. When tuition rises, when international students face disproportionate financial barriers, and when public funding does not keep pace with institutional needs, the strain is felt in our classrooms, our laboratories, and our communities.
Students are calling for a 20% reduction in tuition, supported by increased public investment, the removal of differential fees for international and out-of-province students, the lifting of the federal cap on international students, and greater institutional accountability in investment practices, including divestment from industries and activities that conflict with principles of human rights, environmental sustainability, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Faculty understand that affordability and stability are an important part of academic success. Over the past several years, Nova Scotia has seen rising tuition and increasing student debt burdens. These trends are not sustainable. A publicly funded system must be structured in a way that does not balance its books on the backs of students—domestic or international.
We also recognize that international students are members of our academic communities. They enrich our campuses intellectually, culturally, and economically. Policies that treat them primarily as revenue sources undermine both educational integrity and Nova Scotia’s broader social and economic goals.
Student unions are democratically elected bodies that represent the collective voice of their members. Their role in advocating for affordability, equity, and institutional accountability is both legitimate and essential to a healthy post-secondary system. Respecting student unions as partners in dialogue strengthens campus governance and reinforces the democratic values universities are meant to uphold.
ANSUT encourages faculty associations and individual faculty members across the province to support students during this week of action in ways that are consistent with collective agreements and institutional policies. That may include open discussion in classrooms, flexibility around missed academic activities, and public expressions of solidarity. Respectful engagement strengthens our shared academic community.