Ontario professors say budget short-changes universities
Toronto, March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2026 Provincial Budget has neglected Ontario’s universities, faculty, students, and families, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) said today. The budget, tabled today at Queen’s Park, doesn’t provide the adequate, stable funding for universities required to serve Ontarians now and in the future.
“Demand for an Ontario university education has never been higher, but our funding levels are not keeping up with the national average by a considerable margin,” said Rob Kristofferson, OCUFA President. “The government must commit to sustaining our universities for generations, not a few years at a time. The health of our incredibly valuable, public postsecondary education system depends on it.”
Ontario currently sits last in the nation for total per-domestic student funding, almost $7,000 behind the national average. Kristofferson noted that recent short-term funds announced by the province and included in the budget won’t move Ontario out of last place.
OCUFA also expressed strong concern about the government’s recent decision to change student lending rules so that more students will receive more loans, not grants. OCUFA research shows that cuts to OSAP grants announced last month will account for 69% of the new funds for postsecondary education.
OCUFA has long advocated for the conversion of student loans into grants to improve students’ economic outcomes and participation after graduation. OCUFA regrets that the province has chosen to do the opposite.
“The government appears to be relying on increased student debt to fund universities, which is hardly an investment,” said Jenny Ahn, OCUFA Executive Director. “The government’s policy change has alarming implications for families’ access to postsecondary education across the province. This government has turned its back on students and their families who deserve accessible, affordable, and high-quality public postsecondary education.”
OCUFA calculated that it would take an extra $3 billion annually in total domestic per-student funding over the next five years to bring Ontario’s universities up to the national average. The province previously announced an infusion of $1.6 billion per year for the next four years, shared with colleges. This leaves universities far short of the Canadian funding average.
“Ontario universities are vital economic and cultural engines of our communities, and those communities will suffer when universities are not properly funded,” said Ahn. “We need sustainable government funding to ensure that our universities can keep educating Ontario’s students and driving our economy.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents more than 18,000 faculty, academic librarians, and other academic professionals in 30 member organizations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca
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Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations media@ocufa.on.ca
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