Tuition fees will remain frozen at British Columbia's public post-secondary institutions for the sixth straight year, Premier Ujjal Dosanjh told students at the University of Victoria last month. "Education is the best investment a government can make," said Dosanjh. "It's good for young people, it's good for families, and it's good for our society." Dosanjh added that affordable education is important to ensure all qualified students have the opportunity to attend a college or university. "I believe every young person in this province — regardless of class or background, no matter where they live and no matter how much money their parents make — should have the same chance to succeed and make something of themselves on the basis of their learning and hard work." But university administrators sharply criticized the announcement. Don Avison, president of the University Presidents' Council of B.C., said the freeze will leave the province's universities with a combined revenue gap of $35 million when compared with universities in other province. Anita Zaenker, B.C. chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, blames the funding crunch on the federal government which has slashed billions from post-secondary education transfers to the provinces since the mid-1990s. Maureen Shaw, president of the College Institute Educators' Association of B.C., agrees. "The problem faced by B.C. universities is that we have a federal government providing the lowest level of investment in post-secondary education in more than 30 years. The B.C. government has led the country in meaningful access policies for students — with little federal support. We shouldn't let Ottawa off the hook so easily." With the continued freeze, average tuition fees in British Columbia will be $2,520 — $1,451 less than current fees in Ontario and $1,321 less than in Alberta.