The Big Story
The crisis facing colleges and universities that no one is talking about
Feb 18, 2025
Elizabeth Buckner, an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, sheds light on a pressing crisis in Canada's post-secondary education. With slashed international student permits, many institutions are grappling with severe budget shortfalls, leading to program cuts and layoffs. Buckner discusses the adverse effects of recent immigration policy changes and the cycle of underfunding that threatens institutional viability. She emphasizes the urgent need for a sustainable funding model to protect educational excellence.
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Quick takeaways
- The Canadian post-secondary education sector is facing a significant crisis due to slashed international student permits leading to severe budget shortfalls.
- The reliance on international student tuition fees has created financial instability, prompting institutions to cut programs and lay off staff to survive.
Deep dives
Crisis in Funding for Post-Secondary Education
Post-secondary education in Canada is facing an unprecedented funding crisis characterized by chronic underfunding from federal and provincial governments. Colleges and universities are struggling to balance their budgets as they encounter significant cuts to revenues, leading to the slashing of programs and layoffs of staff. The dramatic reduction in international student permits by the federal government has intensified this issue, as many institutions relied on the higher tuition fees paid by these students to offset funding shortfalls. The situation is dire, with estimates suggesting that Ontario's public universities could lose up to a billion dollars and colleges could lose around three billion dollars over the next two years.
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