This fall has seen the largest number ever of first-year students enter Ontario universities, even more than the 2003 “double cohort”. More than 90,000 confirmed their registration, which follows upon a 3.5 per cent increase the previous year. College enrolments are also up.
Meantime, according to data from Statistics Canada, the number of Ontario’s postsecondary employees between July 2010 and June 2011 was barely half a per cent higher than 2009-2010. Worse, in the first six months of this year, their numbers are actually down, by a full 3.5 per cent from 2010-2011. With university and college staff stretched ever thinner, students will receive less attention.
The belt tightening does not stop there. The average salary or wage of Ontario’s post-secondary employees rose a modest 0.5 per cent for the latest year July to June. After inflation is taken into account, they are earning 2.5 per cent less.
Sources: Council of Ontario Universities; Colleges Ontario; Statistics Canada – Public sector employment, wages and salaries, Table 183-0002.
This article originally appeared in the OCUFA Report. To receive stories like this every week in your inbox, please subscribe.