New funding of $6.4 billion will end the 8-year tuition freeze.
is increasing financial support for post-secondary institutions in Ontario while also ending the tuition freeze that has been effective since 2018.
Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn made the announcement today at Queen’s Park, revealing that the government will be allocating $6.4 billion as part of a new funding strategy.
This initiative aims to guarantee the sustainability of colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes while equipping graduates with essential skills needed for well-paying careers. The goal is to maintain educational access and keep costs manageable for students and their families.
The Province’s newly introduced long-term funding formula will distribute the $6.4 billion over four years, increasing annual operating funding to $7 billion-a 30 percent rise and the highest amount ever recorded in the province’s history. Additionally, it will create 70,000 more seats in high-demand programs while better serving small, rural, northern, French-language, and Indigenous Institutes.
is also permitting post-secondary schools to raise tuition by up to 2 percent each year for three years. After that period, they can increase it by up to 2 percent or based on the three-year average rate of inflation-whichever is lower. This results in an average daily tuition increase of about 18 cents for college students and 47 cents for university students.
This revised tuition structure aims to ensure long-term sustainability for the postsecondary sector while keeping one of Canada’s lowest rates of tuition increases.
St. Lawrence College President Glenn Vollebregt remarked that institutions like SLC have been producing job-ready graduates with top-notch skills for over six decades.
He stated that this represents the largest investment in the sector’s history and signals that the government recognizes their value along with the importance of students and graduates in boosting the provincial economy.
Story by Ken Hashizume
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