Briefs and Submissions

Ontario’s universities are major economic drivers, producing highly skilled graduates with higher earnings and job resilience. They are also leading employers and research hubs. However, chronic underfunding threatens this role, risking access for 28,000 qualified domestic students. OCUFA calls for significant funding increases to ensure universities can continue to fuel economic growth, innovation, and a skilled workforce across all sectors.

Ontario universities are the worst-funded in Canada, receiving over $6,500 less per student than the national average. This forces heavy reliance on high international student tuition, which is now restricted. OCUFA proposes solutions including major annual funding increases, covering costs for 28,000 currently unfunded domestic students, and creating a new funding model to ensure quality education and access for qualified Ontarians.

Domestic enrolment at Ontario universities is at a record high, exceeding the historic 2003 “double cohort” levels. However, the provincial funding model caps the number of funded students, leaving 28,000 domestic students unfunded. With new federal restrictions on international students, universities can no longer use that revenue to subsidize domestic spots. OCUFA warns that without increased public funding, qualified Ontario students will be turned away, risking a provincial brain drain.

The Ontario government is increasing red tape and interfering with university autonomy through bills and ministerial directives. Bills 33 and 166, along with new Strategic Mandate Agreements, impose unnecessary and duplicative regulations on areas like admissions, fees, and research security that universities already manage. These measures bypass parliamentary scrutiny and create inefficient reporting burdens, diverting resources from education. OCUFA calls for eliminating this duplication and respecting institutional autonomy.