For the first time since 2019, tuition at Ontario colleges and universities is set to increase after the provincial government lifted its seven year freeze on domestic fees.
Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn announced the change as part of a broader overhaul of Ontario’s post-secondary funding model. Institutions will now be allowed to raise tuition by up to two per cent per year over the next three years.
The move comes amid mounting financial pressure across the sector. Colleges and universities have faced years of restrained provincial funding, frozen domestic tuition, and a sharp decline in international student enrolment. International students, who pay significantly higher fees, had become a key revenue stream for many institutions.
Alongside the tuition changes, the province is committing 6.4 billion dollars in additional funding over four years. The investment includes support for 70,000 new seats in high demand programs, enhanced per-student funding, and increased funding for programs that are more costly to deliver.
The government is also restructuring the Ontario Student Assistance Program. The proportion of non-repayable grants will decrease, with greater reliance on loans. Quinn said the adjustment is intended to keep the program financially sustainable as costs continue to rise.
The changes mark a significant shift in Ontario’s approach to post-secondary education funding and affordability.
