Stiles brings All in for Ontario tour to Waterloo, urges province to stop the cuts on post-secondary education and fund the future

WATERLOO – Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition NDP, brought her All in for Ontario tour to Waterloo. Stiles joined Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade Catherine Fife (Waterloo), and Shadow Minister for Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Peggy Sattler (London West) for a roundtable with students, workers, and advocates about the issues impacting post-secondary education in Ontario.

“We are in a moment of serious economic uncertainty from Donald Trump’s threats, and it is more important than ever to invest in the next generation of talent," said Stiles. "t

“Nearly 10,000 post-secondary faculty and staff have lost their jobs across Ontario because the government refused to fund this important sector properly,” added Fife. “This marks one of the largest mass layoffs in the province’s history, with thousands of good, stable jobs on the line. These jobs are essential to supporting students and providing employers with skilled graduates. During an aggressive trade war, the last thing we need is more layoffs and a weaker workforce.”

"Ontario already provides the lowest per-student post-secondary education funding in the country, and the Ford government has made things worse by cutting even more in the latest budget. Chronic underfunding has forced colleges and universities to rely heavily on international students, pushing the system to a breaking point. We’ve heard it from students firsthand; they are being left behind in a time of grave economic uncertainty. They deserve a government that is all in for them and their future,” said Sattler.