Ontario’s Post-Secondary System in Crisis: Saddling Students with More Debt Will Cost Ontario in the Long Run

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12 February 2026

TORONTO, ON – Today Tyler Watt, MPP for Nepean and Ontario Liberal Critic for Training, Colleges & Universities, issued a statement in response to the government’s announcement of a new funding model for Ontario’s post-secondary students and institutions.

“While it’s great to see this government finally acknowledging a crisis of their own making, time and time again they’ve failed students of this province; and today’s underfunding announcement continues this trend.

“Over the past few months, I have toured campuses across the province, meeting with post-secondary students, faculty, and staff. These conversations paint a clear and troubling picture: Ontario’s post-secondary education system is in crisis.

Even with the changes shared in today’s announcement, the proposed funding model continues to put financial pressure on students and makes higher education less affordable and less accessible for families across Ontario. At a time when students are struggling with rising rent and grocery bills, this government is shifting more of the burden onto their shoulders, instead of easing it.

“Under the previous Ontario Liberal government, OSAP was restructured to prioritize grants over loans, ensuring students graduated with less debt. That approach recognized that access to education should be based on ability and ambition, not the size of a family’s bank account.

“Doug Ford’s decision to cap OSAP grants at 25% fundamentally reverses that principle. This so-called “rebalancing” shifts support away from grants and back toward loans, meaning students will graduate carrying more debt at a time when the cost of living is already at historic highs.

“This does not just affect individual graduates. It affects Ontario’s future workforce, our economic growth, and our competitiveness. Saddling the next generation with more debt is not a sustainable economic strategy. It is short-sighted policy that will cost Ontario in the long run.

“Ontario provides the lowest per-student post-secondary funding in Canada, leaving colleges and universities stretched to the brink. The result has been 600+ program cuts and over 10,000 layoffs, undermining our ability to train the next generation. Ontario needs sustainable funding that keeps education affordable and protects jobs, programs, and economic growth.”