The Government of Ontario has scheduled the 2012 Provincial Budget on March 27, 2012. In advance of its release, OCUFA is pleased to announce its plan for accessible, affordable, and high quality university education.
Investing in Ontario’s Future: OCUFA’s 2012 Budget Brief argues that Ontario must reject the ‘austerity agenda’ that has followed in the wake of the Drummond Report and commit to creating a successful economy and vibrant society. It recommends that the Government of Ontario increase operating grants by $1.3 billion by 2020 to bring per-student net operating revenue (composed of net tuition and provincial funding) in line with the rest of Canada. This funding boost will go towards funding a tuition freeze and hiring 6,000 new full-time professors, simultaneously improving affordability and quality.
The brief also advocates for a restoration of research funding and new funds for renewing aging campus infrastructure. All told, the plan calls for $1.54 billion in new investment for Ontario’s universities and for the government to take a consultative and measured approach to university reform that builds upon the sector’s considerable strengths.
Stay tuned to the OCUFA website for detailed analysis of the Ontario Budget.