Sustainable
Simcoe North

by Madeleine Fournier of Green Orillia

Post-secondary education in Ontario is in crisis. From chronic underfunding to program cuts to student protests, several factors are colliding to create this crisis. As a current graduate student who has seen the benefits of education—in my own life and in the lives of others—in countless ways, this issue hits close to home. 

Some of you might think of this Sustainable Simcoe North column as being only about environmental sustainability, but let me remind you that sustainability is much more than just the environment. Most definitions refer to the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social; and education touches all three. With that in mind, it’s worth taking a closer look. 

You might recall that in 2024, the federal government announced a two-year cap on international student permits. As a result, by 2026 the number of international students Ontario could host dropped by about 42 per cent. Ontario was hit especially hard by this cap. But to understand why, we need to look at how the system was structured beforehand. 

Ontario colleges were already facing declining revenues from domestic enrolment. To make matters worse, Ontario spends significantly less on post-secondary education than other provinces. In fact, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario’s 2025 report found that Ontario spends $5,092 less per full-time domestic college student than the Canadian average, and $6,510 less per full-time domestic university student. 

So, to fill this gap, colleges and universities in Ontario came to rely heavily on international tuition. International students pay four times more than domestic students, making them a major revenue source across the province. This raises an uncomfortable question: why have we built a system that depends on charging some of the highest fees in the world to international students just to keep public institutions running?

For years this model has shifted the financial burden onto students coming from abroad, many of whom arrive with the expectation of opportunity, only to find themselves effectively subsidizing an underfunded system. When that revenue stream is reduced, we suddenly call it a “crisis.” But the real issue is not the cap itself, it’s the fragile and inequitable funding model that made colleges so dependent on it in the first place. 

Many argue that this crisis has been manufactured by Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government as part of a broader push toward privatizing our public education. While provincial funding for Ontario colleges has been repeatedly cut, funding for private companies through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) has increased dramatically, rising by roughly 800 per cent since 2020 with another $1 billion committed over the next three years.

It’s also important to recognize the role of local leadership in these decisions. Our own MPP, Jill Dunlop, served as Minister of Colleges and Universities from 2021 to 2024 and as Minister of Education from 2024 to 2025, placing her directly within the cabinet during a period when many of these policies and funding decisions were shaped. In fact, MPP Dunlop was issued multiple reports (here and here) warning about dependence on international student fees. 

Because of these funding pressures, colleges across Ontario have cancelled or paused hundreds of programs. More recently, entire campuses have begun shutting down. Last fall it was announced that Georgian College will close both its Orillia and Muskoka campuses in August 2026. This is a devastating blow to our local community, both economically and socially.

The Orillia campus alone serves about 1,600 full-time students and employs more than 200 people. The campus offers diplomas and degrees in programs such as developmental services worker, early childhood education, social service work, mental health and addictions, autism and behavioural sciences, pre-service firefighter education and training, and community and justice services. The importance of a rural community being able to keep young people at home and provide local educational opportunities cannot be overstated, and this loss will be felt by many.

Most recently in February, major changes to OSAP were announced by Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities. Starting this fall, the amount of money eligible students can receive in the form of OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent. For many students, attending college or university without OSAP would mean taking on massive amounts of debt, or not attending at all. These changes will disproportionately affect students who already face significant barriers to higher education.

In response to criticism, Ford told students not to choose “basket-weaving courses” and instead pursue education that leads to in-demand jobs. Major backlash has sparked, with hundreds of students rallying outside Queen’s Park in Toronto in early March, and more rallies scheduled. High school students have even begun organizing walkouts in response to these cuts, and I felt proud to see students as close to home as Barrie taking part. 

The Canadian Federation of Students have launched the “Hands Off Our Education” campaign, offering petitions and resources for those who want to get involved. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has also been mobilizing around these issues. 

Ontario’s post-secondary system is being pushed toward a breaking point. Chronic underfunding, financial mismanagement, and a privatization agenda are eroding what should be one of the strongest pillars of a sustainable society. If education is indeed at the heart of our economic, social, and environmental future, then protecting it should be a priority for all of us. 

Green Orillia is a grassroots organization focused on climate action, social justice, advocacy, education, democracy, and community resilience in Orillia and area. We operate on Anishinaabeg Williams Treaty Territory. Follow Green Orillia on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, join the Facebook Discussion Group, sign up for the e-newsletter, or check out the website. Get in touch at greenorillia@gmail.com.