Ontario professors say new funding for universities a step towards stability, more work needed
Toronto, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) today responded to today’s funding announcement by Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES) Nolan Quinn.
Many elements of today’s announcement are steps in the right direction, according to OCUFA. OCUFA is glad to see new funding for grants to small, rural, Northern, and French-language institutions, a 6% increase in base operating per-student funding, supports for low-income students, and an increase in funded seats across the sector.
“Ontario’s universities drive economies and culture, and we are glad to see the government recognize the vital role our institutions have in all our communities,” said Rob Kristofferson, OCUFA President. OCUFA recommended many of these items in a submission to the government during the funding formula review process this winter.
While OCUFA welcomed the per-student funding increase noted today by the Minister, OCUFA’s 2026 pre-budget submission noted that annual compounding increases of 13.5% in total per-domestic student funding are needed for the next five years at universities alone to bring Ontario in line with the national average.
“Today’s announcement reminds us just how far behind the rest of the country Ontario is when it comes to per-student funding at universities,” said Kristofferson. “Even with a 6% increase to base operating funding, it appears Ontario’s universities will still have the lowest funding in the country so there is still more work to do to help the sector thrive.”
In 2023-24, the most recent year for which there is comprehensive data, Ontario provided $10,481 in total university funding per domestic full-time equivalent student, putting Ontario far behind the national average of $17,424. Ontario’s funding is entrenched in last place, so far behind that it would take more than a 45% increase to match the second-lowest funded province, Alberta.
It would take an additional $3 billion annually of government investment for just universities to meet the Canadian per-domestic student funding average in total funding. The $6.4 billion in revenue promised today is allotted over four years and is shared with colleges. As a result, universities will not reach this goal in the near future.
A tuition fee increase allowance announced today may affect affordability for students and families and OCUFA called on the government to convert student loans into grants to improve affordability for all students. Ontario students currently pay some of the highest tuition fees in the country and this is not likely to change following this announcement.
OCUFA also pointed out that selective funding in certain areas of study goes against established research that universities position students for good jobs, regardless of their program. All university programs are associated with tangible, transferrable, and in-demand skills.
“We appreciate Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy’s assertion that postsecondary education is one of Ontario’s most important long-term investments, and this promised funding is a critical step in the right direction towards continuing that investment,” said Jenny Ahn, OCUFA Executive Director. “University faculty have spent decades doing more with less, and we are able to do more with more. We look forward to more details about these announcements and working with the government to keep universities thriving for decades to come.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents more than 18,000 faculty, academic librarians, and other academic professionals in 30 member organizations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations media@ocufa.on.ca
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