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The NDP introduced a bill Monday to cap post-secondary tuition and prevent international students from being saddled with unexpected tuition hikes.

It was the culmination of a review launched in 2016 that included a survey and focus groups, though the province hasn’t released the findings.

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Bill 19, which amends the Post-Secondary Learning Act, was the first piece of legislation introduced during the fall sitting of the legislature.

If passed, post-secondary institutions will face a cap on the average tuition across all programs. The cap will be tied to the consumer price index. Individual programs will be able to increase tuition up to 10 per cent annually.

The NDP implemented a tuition freeze in 2015. The province plans to roll out the tuition cap in fall 2020, extending the current freeze for the 2019-20 academic year.

International students won’t see a tuition cap, however post-secondary institutions will have to give them a tuition guarantee at the time of admission. The move would stop tuition for international students from rising unexpectedly during their programs.