Advocates call for more provincial funding for Ontario colleges to stop program cuts

Some experts and advocates say the next provincial government needs to dramatically increase funding for Ontario's colleges or risk even further cuts to programs, as schools grapple with steep drops in international student enrolment. 

Last month, Toronto's Centennial College announced it's putting 49 programs on hold as it deals with the financial fallout of the federal government's cap on international study permits. 

It's just the latest post-secondary institution in Ontario that's been forced to decrease its program offerings due to the financial challenges caused by Ottawa's crackdown on international study permits. 

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents thousands of staff at colleges provincewide, says $1.4 billion is needed to stabilize the college system in the province. 

The union's president, JP Hornick, says cuts to programs are being coupled with significant staffing cuts. 

"These are good jobs in the communities, but more than that, we are actually training the workers in these sectors that Ontario needs," Hornick said. 

Hornick said the union has been raising concerns over the lack of funding for Ontario's colleges, and their reliance on international student tuition, for years.

"The trick with this is that it could have been avoided."

The College Student Alliance is also calling on Ontario's political parties to prioritize post-secondary funding in their election platforms as colleges face "unprecedented" financial pressures, exacerbated by recent federal policy changes, the organization said in a letter addressed to party leaders last week. 

"Students are so concerned and rightfully so," said Azi Afousi, board director of the alliance.

"They continue to be the ones that really take the brunt of all the cuts and program closures and reduction in supports," Afousi said.

WATCH | The risk of cuts based on enrolments: 

Brock professor explains the risks of cutting college and university programs based on enrolment

25 days ago

Duration 1:34

Brock University professor Louis Volante says stagnant funding, tuition freezes, and an over-reliance on international student fees are pushing Ontario colleges and universities toward program cuts and layoffs and, potentially, impacting innovation.

AG report flagged funding issue in 2021

Ontario colleges' dependence on high international student tuition fees was raised in a 2021 auditor general report, which said it could jeopardize their long-term survival. 

Across 24 public colleges, 68 per cent of all tuition fee revenue comes from international students, who pay significantly higher tuition fees, the report said. 

The report also noted that Ontario provides the lowest amount of funding for full-time domestic students of all Canadian provinces.

The Ford government froze direct provincial funding to the post-secondary sector in 2019, while cutting tuition by 10 per cent and encouraging colleges to recruit international students.

Those colleges are now grappling with a significant financial hit because of these policies, said post-secondary researcher and consultant Alex Usher, who predicted that Ontario colleges are going to continue to lose programs. 

LISTEN | Colleges scaling back to balance budgets: 

Ontario Morning10:19Local Colleges scaling back to balance budgets

Ontario Colleges are cutting programs because they cant afford them after the international student cap came into affect, but Alex Usher, president Higher Education Strategy Associates says that financial troubles of Ontario Colleges didn't start or end there. He explains why this is a nuanced issue to host Nav Nanwa.

"There's going to be a lot less choice in our system because it's underfunded and the source that was keeping the whole thing floating is now gone," Usher said in an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning.

"I think it's going to be shocking to people how few programs are actually financially viable under with just provincial funding," Usher said.

What Ontario's political parties say

CBC News has reached out to each of Ontario's political parties for details on their plan for post-secondary education funding, specifically for colleges, if elected on Feb. 27.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said his party would immediately increase funding for Ontario's public post-secondary institutions by 20 per cent, scrap the performance-based funding model in favour of one based on enrolment and commit to ongoing annual increases that match inflation. 

The Ontario NDP would permanently increase base funding for Ontario's post-secondary sector while working with colleges, universities, faculty and students "to ensure reliable funding," a spokesperson for the party said via email. 

The party would also reverse cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP), retroactively wipe out student loan interest and convert loans to grants to enable more domestic students to enrol in programs. 

A spokesperson for the Ontario Liberal Party blamed the financial crisis colleges are facing on Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford's policies.

"Instead of funding education Doug Ford let our colleges and universities starve, while corrupt puppy mill institutions and degree factories thrive in Ontario," the spokesperson said. 

"As Premier, Bonnie will change that. It starts with getting our schools the support they need." 

A spokesperson for the Progressive Conservatives said if the party is re-elected, they would continue to work with the post-secondary sector to ensure universities and colleges "can keep providing Ontario students with the education and skills they need for good-paying, in-demand jobs and careers." 

They pointed out that the Progressive Conservative government had committed to provide $1.3 billion in funding last year to "stabilize the sector" last year, while maintaining the tuition freeze "to keep costs down for Ontario students and parents."

"Unlike Bonnie Crombie and Marit Stiles, we won't put the burden on hard-working families with higher tuition," the spokesperson said.