Ford government imposes moratorium on new public-private college partnerships but commits to no new funding

The Ford government is imposing a moratorium on new public college-private partnerships as part of a suite of measures aimed at protecting students and improving the integrity of Ontario’s postsecondary education.

The move comes in the wake of the federal government’s cap on the number of international students who will be allowed into Canada in 2024. The cap comes in response to a recent surge in international students and concerns that some institutions are relying on international enrolments to boost revenues, without offering necessary housing or a quality education.

“The challenges stemming from the recent spike in students coming to Canada, including predatory practices by bad-actor recruiters, misinformation regarding citizenship and permanent residency, false promises of guaranteed employment, and inadequate housing for students, require immediate attention and collaborative action,” Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop said in a statement.

“At the same time, we need to strengthen the links between Ontario’s labour market needs and the programs being offered to students so we can get even more people into rewarding careers in health care and the skilled trades.”

Among the measures announced is a review of programs offered by postsecondary institutions that have a sizeable amount of international students to ensure that program quality protects Ontario’s reputation as a world leader in education and meets Ontario’s labour market demands, ensure that programs being offered are meeting the needs of the labour market so that students can build a life in Ontario once their education is complete, require all colleges and universities to have a guarantee that housing options are available for incoming international students.

But Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner said that will do little.

“Housing doesn’t appear out of thin air,” he wrote in a statement.

“Mandating housing without a funding commitment to help Ontario’s universities and colleges pay for it is little more than smoke and mirrors.”

The government says it will also look at ways to further crack down on bad-actor recruiters who take advantage of international students and make dubious claims of employment and citizenship.

On Thursday, Colleges Ontario called on the federal government to rethink its cap on international students, noting it will have “potentially long-lasting negative repercussions” for many institutions, including possible closures. The group also called for a modest increase in annual tuition and a 10 per cent increase in provincial funding.

The Council of Ontario Universities said earlier this week at least 10 Ontario universities were already forecasting a combined operating deficit of $175 million this year, growing to $273 million next year.

The Ford government made public colleges and universities cut tuition by 10 per cent in 2019, then froze tuition at that level and did not provide a corresponding funding increase.

Post-secondary institutions, particularly colleges, began enrolling more and more international students in an effort to recoup lost revenue.

There was no mention of additional funding to colleges and universities in the government’s announcement on Friday. It says it is continuing to evaluate the recommendations on postsecondary financial stability that were submitted by the blue-ribbon panel last November.

“As this review process continues, the government will work closely with the sector to reach an outcome that provides stability and certainty for post-secondary institutions and students alike, with further details to be announced by the end of February,” the government said in a statement.

The NDP criticized the Progressive Conservatives for failing to respond to a government-commissioned report that last year recommended the province increase tuition fees and funding colleges and universities.

“It is abundantly clear that this government would rather see post-secondary institutions close than cough up the investments needed to keep them afloat,” NDP critic Jamie West wrote in a statement.

“They have been asleep at the wheel for the past five years while public colleges and universities languished, paving the way for a predatory private, for-profit education system that has only harmed students.”

The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said Friday’s announcement misses the mark by coming with no funding.

“Ontario needs international students, but universities need more funding from the government to provide the support that international —and domestic —students need to succeed inside and outside the classroom,” OCUFA president Nigmendra Narain wrote in a statement.

“The ministry has not provided any tools to do this with these proposals.”

Files from Richard Southern and The Canadian Press were used in this report