This academic year, McGill students are faced with a desperate lack of dining options and study spaces on campus. 

With Gerts, Schulich, the Bronfman lobby, and the SSMU Cafeteria all closed for renovations or asbestos removal, many students who would otherwise break elsewhere find themselves in the McLennan-Redpath Library Complex. 

For commuter students who can find themselves on campus for over 12 hours in a single day, this lack of affordable options is more than a mere inconvenience. And for students on a tight budget, this usually means skipping meals for the sake of studying. 

A recent study from NPR estimated that one-third of college students are victims of food insecurity. Photo courtesy of NPR.
Tim Hortons was replaced by Premiere Moisson as the dining establishment in Cybertheque in 2014. The McGill Tribune reported that a majority of the students they surveyed said Premiere Moisson was overpriced. Following the announcement of the change in 2014, the Montreal Gazette interviewed McGill students who expressed dreadful premonitions of expensive food that didn’t meet students needs be their only accessible option on campus.

A 2014 map of McGill's Food and Dining Services across campus. The university touts 30 locations accessible to students. However, as of 2019, those areas highlighted in yellow are under construction. Areas in pink indicate a change in establishment since 2014; According to some students, many of the new establishments are too expensive for their budgets. Map courtesy of McGill Food and Dining Services.
While Premiere Moisson has since been replaced in 2019, many students argue that the new establishment, the Redpath Cafe, offers “the same options with a different name.” 

McGill’s hard-working student body deserves nourishment that is on campus, has accessible hours, is affordable, and provides options for drinks, snacks, and meals. 

The Canadian institution and former Redpath occupant, Tim Hortons or “Tims,” checks all the boxes that McGill students are looking for in their dining options. Tims is a 24 hour establishment that serves inexpensive coffee and pastries, breakfast wraps and sandwiches, and hot soups and salads for the perfect lunch or dinner. Tim Hortons would accommodate McGill students, faculty, guests, and employees, while preventing students from choosing not eating or overspending before studying. 

A Tim Horton's location which showcases their variety of menu options, many of which are offered at a very affordable price. Photo courtesy of CityNews Toronto.
We urge current and former McGill students to sign this petition immediately. After gaining 10,000 signatures, this petition will be taken directly to the office of Suzanne Fourtier to condemn McGill for their choices and to demand Tim Hortons, or another comparable establishment in price and quality, to occupy Cybertheque’s cafeteria.