More buildings, more student services and more student aid—that’s what the provincial Tories are promising post-secondary students this year.
The Ontario government is planning to increase capital and operational funding for universities in anticipation of the double cohort, which arrives this fall. Finance Minister Janet Ecker made the announcement last Thursday in a proposed budget televised from an auto parts factory before an invitation-only audience. The balanced budget also includes more money for health care, education and seniors as well as tax cuts, in what many see as a pre-election offering. An election is widely expected for either June or this fall.
The decision to announce the budget outside the Legislature goes against parliamentary convention, leading some to label the move unconstitutional. The Tory government has faced a storm of controversy since announcing its plan two weeks ago, drawing vehement objections from opposition MPPs, political scientists, the media and even some members of the Tory party.
Most notable has been the opposition of the Speaker of the House, Tory backbencher Gary Carr. Carr commissioned an independent opinion from a constitutional legal expert who strongly criticized the government’s decision.
The proposals made by Ecker will not have legal effect until after the house reconvenes on April 30 and the budget is tabled and voted on. Premier Ernie Eves promised an election would not be called before then. The House has not met since December, a six-month Christmas break. It was supposed to resume in March but was prorogued by Eves, meaning the break was extended and the house will begin a new legislative session with a throne speech. Proroguing the Legislature caught the premier in a bind because he promised to release a budget before the end of March.
His advisers concluded announcing the budget outside the Legislature was his only solution. It is the first time such an event has occurred in the history of a British parliamentary system anywhere in the world.
Ecker announced that through SuperBuild, the province’s construction agency, the government would provide space for 20,000 additional post-secondary students. No dollar amount was committed. This brings the total number of new places created since 1997 to 135,000. Eves reiterated the vague government promise that “there will be a place for every willing and qualified student in the province of Ontario.”
The government also hopes to help universities deal with the double cohort through a $75 million “Quality Assurance Fund.” The money will be used to hire more instructors and improve libraries and counselling. The amount will rise each year until it reaches $200 million in 2006-07. A similar fund with less money was also announced for Ontario colleges. “The government will work with post-secondary institutions, faculty and students to develop a performance measurement framework that will govern these funds,” Ecker said.
There will also be more money for university operating budgets, an extra $75 million this year. That amount will increase by 21 per cent by 2005-06.
Ecker also said students should not be limited from pursuing post-secondary education for financial reasons. She committed $400 million for the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund, a form of financial aid. There was no mention of more money for OSAP or tuition freezes.
Josh Morgan, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said the budget contained encouraging initiatives, particularly the Quality Assurance Fund. He expressed concern over how money would be allocated. Financial assistance for students was, in Morgan’s opinion, not given nearly enough attention. “Student aid was really the most disappointing aspect of the budget. Nothing was said about OSAP or interest relief, both of which require reforming.”
Regarding capital project funding, Morgan’s view was, “too little, too late.” He would like to see more money spent on improving facilities for senior students, saying the government has not made enough preparation for the double cohort throughout the education system, instead concentrating only on university admission. Morgan fears “the quality of the learning environment will deteriorate” as seminars and labs double in size as the cohort proceeds through university. “Students already are being crammed into universities,” he said.
U of T president Robert Birgeneau reacted positively. “This budget will help us guarantee a high quality of education for the next generation of students,” he said. “We can now begin to plan for the future with much greater confidence in our resource base.” He expects U of T will receive 20 per cent of the Quality Assurance Fund, which translates into an extra $15 million for 2003-04. Prior to the Tory budget announcement, U of T predicted a $22.2 million deficit for this year.
Andrew Bennett, an aide to Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Dianne Cunningham, said the provisions in the proposed budget represent “the final step in funding the double cohort” and the government was pleased with the response from Ontario’s 17 universities. “The Ontario government is delivering the resources. Ontario’s universities can now deliver the places,” said Dr. Mordechai Rozanski, chair of the Council of Ontario Universities and president of the University of Guelph.
