July 9 2025
OTTAWA – The National Union of Public and General Employees is calling on the federal government to take immediate action to support our post-secondary institutions.
In Ontario, new figures confirm that more than 10,000 faculty and staff have been laid off and more than 600 programs cancelled or suspended at Ontario’s 24 public colleges in the past year, according to an arbitrated faculty contract award released last week.
In Nova Scotia, 27 food service workers at NSCC have lost their jobs after the college awarded a contract to a private American company, without a transparent bidding process.
This wave of cuts is devastating students, workers, and communities alike.
“Colleges across the country need assistance. The federal government should step in,” said Bert Blundon, President of NUPGE. “Our post-secondary system is collapsing under the weight of underfunding, precarious work, and broken immigration policies, and the future of Canada’s workforce is at risk.”
The collapse in international student enrolment, driven by sudden federal policy changes, has exposed how fragile public college funding has become. Public funding once made up 67 per cent of college revenues in 2008. Today, it covers less than half. Institutions have filled the gap with student tuition, particularly from international students now being unfairly scapegoated for the housing and health care crises.
“This isn’t just about students, it’s about the future of our health care, our skilled trades, and our economy,” said Blundon. “We must keep college doors open and protect jobs in every region of the country.”
We need the federal government to assist the provinces by:
- Providing emergency funding for public colleges and universities to stop the cuts and stabilize services and jobs.
- Expand Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility to include more public college programs that align with local labour market needs.
- Support and permanent immigration pathways for international students and workers already in Canada.
- Establish a dedicated post-secondary education transfer and new federal legislation to ensure long-term, sustainable, and equitable funding.
Our public post-secondary institutions, and the workers who keep them running, are invaluable to our communities, our economy, and Canada’s future. We need to build a stronger, more sustainable post-secondary education system for generations to come.