The Ontario government announced $6.4 billion in new funding for post-secondary education on February 12.
CAUT echoed the concerns of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union that the new investment, while welcome, still falls far short of what is needed to sustain a high-quality, public post-secondary system.
The province is allowing universities and colleges to raise tuition by up to 2% a year for the next three years, ending the seven‑year domestic tuition freeze. After that, increases will be tied to the three‑year average inflation rate or capped at 2%, whichever is lower.
At the same time, Ontario is overhauling its student assistance program to reduce the share of grants to no more than 25% of financial aid packages, with interest-bearing loans covering at least 75%.
CAUT warns these changes will increase financial pressure on low‑income students and families already struggling with affordability.
Ontario ranks last in Canada in per-student funding, and the new funding package is still likely to leave the province at the back of the pack.
“It’s a real missed opportunity that this new investment doesn’t move Ontario’s per-student funding at least up to the Canadian average,” said CAUT executive director David Robinson. “The government must do far more to ensure high‑quality, affordable public post‑secondary education after years of stagnant funding, rising costs, and declining international enrolment.” The province also signalled a shift to a long‑term funding model that prioritizes academic programs aligned with student and labour‑market demand.
