Sattler: Our colleges and universities need to be a top priority

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP critic for Colleges and Universities MPP Peggy Sattler (London West) released the following statement in response to reports of colleges being forced to make $752 million in cuts:

“Investing in our colleges is investing in our future. After decades of chronic underfunding, made worse by six years of Ford, our colleges and universities are languishing while the government spends more on beer and vanity projects than on postsecondary education. A well-educated workforce is critical to set our economy up for the future. But under this government’s watch, Ontario’s workforce is falling further and further behind, putting our economy and the well-being of our province at risk.

“Without proper funding, more college campuses and programs will close, making it harder to meet labor market demands, leaving employers without the skilled workers they need, and preventing young people from pursuing the careers they want.

Now is not the time to ignore our colleges and universities. A stable and sustainable postsecondary sector is essential to the health and well-being of our economy and our communities."