Marit Stiles, the leader of the Ontario Official Opposition, the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), and Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Davenport, visited UW this Monday, July 28, to speak with student leaders as part of her All in for Ontario tour. Stiles listened to student leaders from UW, Wilfrid Laurier, and Conestoga College, learning more about the issues and challenges facing students today and the concerns students are experiencing with employment and funding for education.

Why did Stiles visit UW and what was discussed?

On her All in for Ontario tour, Stiles is seeking to hear the concerns of individuals in cities across Ontario and bring those needs forward so meaningful change can be made in areas where citizens want to see progress. Stiles acknowledged rising unemployment and postsecondary student funding concerns, as the provincial government fails to fund postsecondary education amid growing financial deficits. 

Earlier on during her visit, Stiles spoke with students and learned more about areas where postsecondary education is languishing and the ongoing layoffs and cuts taking place. Stiles also spoke with students regarding Bill 33, The Supporting Children and Students Act, which she described as another power grab by the Ford government. Stiles acknowledged how ongoing budget cuts have led to postsecondary program cancellations and even talks of raising student tuition, despite no mention of additional government commitment for additional student financial assistance. She touched on the UW community specifically, when she mentioned that UW’s own “students and alumni have produced companies valued at more than 40 million US dollars.” Stiles believes it is clear that investing in postsecondary education is investing in our communities and the individuals driving them forward. Referencing the ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States, Stiles reiterated: “In the middle of a trade war, our economic future is more unclear than it’s ever been.” She emphasized that, “investing in postsecondary education means investing in a stronger workforce — and that is what [Ontario] needs right now.”

During her visit, she spoke extensively on the need for the Doug Ford government to invest in postsecondary education and recognize that chronic underfunding will only cause further damage to the economy and the livelihood of its citizens. Stiles described how co-op programs have been affected by the recession, with employers no longer seeking co-op students as often. To address this concern, the NDP would offer the possibility of introducing a tax credit program to encourage employers to continue their participation in student employment programs.

Stiles described the city of Waterloo as “home to some of our best postsecondary institutions, it is a proud hub of innovation and talent.” As part of that she highlighted the need for investment, “in a moment of serious economic uncertainty as a result of Donald Trump’s threats, it is more important than ever to invest in [the postsecondary sector].” She believes investing in postsecondary education is an investment in our future. 

Peggy Sattler, the NDP Shadow Minister for Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security and MPP for London West, was also present during the visit to UW. Sattler echoed Stiles’ calls for the Ford government to step up in support of students and mentioned the reality that ongoing years of underfunding have led many postsecondary institutions to overly rely on international students to generate income. The new caps on international students brought forth by the federal government have contributed to ongoing financial deficits affecting universities and colleges across the province.

Reflections from the WUSA President

Damian Mikhail, the current WUSA president, shared some of what was discussed during the roundtable with Stiles. They discussed several key issues affecting the postsecondary sector, some of which included food insecurity, layoffs, the demoralization of educators, and the importance of student democracy. Perhaps the standout fact that was emphasized by Mikhail and others is that on a per-student basis, Ontario invests less in postsecondary education than any other province across Canada. For reference, in 2019, the Ford government further cut public funding by declaring a 10 percent domestic tuition fee reduction and freeze (which continues today), as well as reducing funding towards the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Given that domestic tuition fees, provincial funding, and international tuition fees made up the main revenue sources for the postsecondary sector, the tuition freeze, provincial underfunding, and cap on international students have all contributed to the current deficits.

Further, Mikhail highlighted the need for students to remain primary decision makers and the importance of student associations being democratically elected by students to hold the government accountable. Although he admitted, “years of underfunding cannot be fixed overnight,” it is clear that Bill 33 and ongoing cuts will only aggravate ongoing issues in the postsecondary sector. Although the future of Ontario’s postsecondary institutions remains a concern, one truth Mikhail encouraged remains clear: “investing in students is investing in Ontario’s future.”