VANCOUVER--With the US election over and BC's municipal E-Day less than two weeks away, the Canadian Federation of Students–BC is ramping up its campaign to get out the student vote and secure commitments from candidates to address students' concerns. The lack of affordable housing, rising cost and deteriorating quality of public transit, and lack of funding for public services are among the issues students are looking for action on in these municipal elections.

"Students are amongst the worst hit by the affordable housing crisis as tuition fees have doubled and the minimum wage has stagnated while housing prices have skyrocketed," said Shamus Reid, Chairperson of the CFS–BC. "Every year it's harder to afford to live and study in BC, and strong municipal governments can help change that."

The Canadian Federation of Students–BC has launched a comprehensive municipal elections website at www.StudentsVote.ca and sent out questionnaires to over 500 municipal candidates, probing their commitment to affordable housing and transit, better transit service, and protection of public services. Responses to the questionnaires are listed on the website as they are received. Beyond highlighting key student issues, the campaign educates students and the public about the power of municipal governments.

"Knowing that municipalities actually have the power to make positive changes on the issues we care about is all the motivation students need to take action and vote," said Reid. "Municipal candidates must be willing to address our issues at the local level and be powerful voices demanding adequate funding for public services from provincial and federal governments."

The Canadian Federation of Students–BC is BC's provincial students' union, representing 150,000 university and college students at all levels of post-secondary education in BC. It is a non-partisan organisation affiliated with Canada's largest national student organisation, the Canadian Federation of Students.