In Ontario’s 2025 budget, post-secondary education funding is being cut by $1.2 billion. This massive cut is exacerbating the already considerable funding pressures faced by colleges and universities as a result of the government’s freeze on tuition (which we support), along with significant cuts to international student enrollment, which generated revenue for the post-secondary education sector.
Here is what these funding cuts mean to local colleges and universities:
- York University is facing a $132 million budget gap and is no longer taking new admissions for 18 programs.
- Centennial College is suspending 49 programs, as well as combining their existing campuses and closing a whole building.
- Niagara College’s Toronto campus has seen their revenue drop $70 million in the last year.
Right now, there are 28,000 domestic students enrolled without proper funding.
By 2030, up to 100,000 qualified students could be shut out because this government refuses to invest in post-secondary education.
I fear that many qualified Ontario high school students will not be able to go to college or university and succeed in their chosen field because of these funding cuts to post-secondary education.