The University of Waterloo is waiving tuition fees for students from two First Nations whose traditional territory the institution is located on.
The university says the new waiver will apply to current and incoming full-time undergraduate or graduate students who are members of the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations, starting in September.
The school says it will also offer Ontario domestic tuition fee rates for Indigenous students from elsewhere in Canada and the United States, and it will continue to waive application fees for First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants.
University President Vivek Goel says the new initiative is part of the school's efforts on reconciliation.
He says waiving tuition fees will reduce barriers First Nations students face and allow them to pursue post-secondary studies at the university.
The school held a ceremony last fall to acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples continue to suffer losses and cultural disconnects in Canada as a result of colonialism, and committed to working toward a better understanding of Indigenous history.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2023.
