Program cuts and declining international student enrolment have taken a toll on colleges across Ontario.
However, some campuses might be getting their needs taken care of soon.
Minister of Universities, Colleges, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn announced a $242 million investment Tuesday, set to go towards equipment an facility upgrades at Ontario colleges and universities.
Despite this announcement, Colleges Ontario continues to call for sustainable investment from the province.
OPSEU Local 110 President Mark Feltham says the upgrades are welcomed, but a top priority of his is making sure the faculty are paid.
“Infrastructure is great, but education requires people as well… the problem is if you have classrooms without people to staff them, you have empty rooms, and empty rooms don’t have education happening in them”.
Feltham also pointed out some of the reasons behind the call for funding.
“Ontario has the lowest per student funding in Canada. The whole reason we had an international enrolment boom was to allow for the lost money to be made up. International tuition is unregulated, domestic student tuition is cap and regulated, and the pro student grant is the worst in Canada… the real underlying effect is systematic underfunding by the province of Ontario”.
Despite the $242 million investment, Ontario colleges have slashed $1.4 billion in costs, cutting 8,000 jobs and 600 programs, 40 of which were Fanshawe programs announced in April 2025.
$242 million is a lot, but it sure isn’t $1.4 billion. Fanshawe among other Ontario campuses will need significant funds, if they want to pull themselves out of the cuts.
