Ontario students are deeply concerned and disappointed with the 2022 Ontario budget. For four years, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government has been making devastating cuts to Post-Secondary Education with each budget. Budget 2022 includes over a $1 billion cut to OSAP and student financial assistance than what was available to students in 2018-2019. It shows that on top of previous cuts, the government will spend $685 million less on Post-Secondary Education in 2021-22 than it had planned in previous budgets. It shows an astounding lack of care for students, faculty, and staff in colleges and universities across Ontario.
“Make no mistake, this budget will further diminish the quality and accessibility of Post-Secondary Education in Ontario. Students are outraged that after struggling for years with the pandemic this government is making even more cuts to their education while giving handouts to private corporations,” Kayla Weiler, National Executive Representative for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario.
Budgets are about priorities and students do not feel their concerns are represented in this budget. Students need tangible, meaningful action, and they need it now. This budget once again fails students who are the cornerstone of Ontario’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is time to invest in students and public institutions instead of election gimmicks and giveaways to corporate interests. The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario strongly condemns the unsettling and negligent trend of eroding PSE through underfunding and the increased privatization of public education.
The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the oldest and largest student organization in Ontario, representing over 350,000 college and university students in every region of the province.
For further information: or to set up an interview contact: Michael Butler, Government Relations and Policy Coordinator, at m.butler@cfsontario.ca or 437-771-2129