A study released last month by Statistics Canada shows that big hikes in tuition fees have meant far fewer students from middle class families are attending medical, law or dentistry programs.

The report provides one of the most definitive assessments of the impact of high fees on the participation rates of students from different socio-economic backgrounds, CAUT president Loretta Czernis said.

"The argument we hear from some politicians that fees should continue to rise because there’s no impact on participation has been put to rest," Czernis said. "The study confirms what everyone knows: when governments cut funding, and universities and colleges raise fees, qualified Canadians who can’t afford to pay the cost simply don’t go on. That’s unfair and it’s unacceptable."

In those provinces where tuition for professional programs rose between the academic years 1995–1996 to 2001–2002, students from upper socio-economic groups were much more likely to pursue professional degrees, the study says. There was a modest increase in participation from the lowest socio-economic class over the same time period, as more bursaries and grants were made available, but participation from the middle socio-economic group fell sharply.

"It is possible that some students in this group either could not afford or chose not to pay the higher fees, and did not qualify for as much student aid as students from less educated families," the study suggests.

According to Statistics Canada, these changes in enrolment patterns in professional programs by socio-economic background were most evident in Ontario, where the largest fee increases were observed. Provinces such as Quebec and British Columbia froze tuition fees during the period, and saw no change in enrolment by socio-economic background.

"This study confirms that the massive fee hikes in professional programs have compromised access," said George Soule, national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. "While professional programs have been largely out of reach for most families, we now see participation rates at an all time low for modest income families."