Ontario Student Voices Statement on the 2025 Ontario Budget.

Welland ON – Ontario Student Voices (OSV) welcomes the release of the 2025 Ontario Budget and acknowledges the province’s continued focus on workforce development, training infrastructure, and healthcare education. OSV appreciates investments being made towards preparing Ontario’s students for future labour market needs and addressing sector-wide skill gaps amidst a time of growing concerns around the impacts of Tariffs. 

However, this Budget fails to address the needs of Ontario’s most important asset: its students. 

Students across Ontario have consistently called for action in key areas: mental health supports, strengthened work-integrated learning opportunities, and a more stable, resilient postsecondary system. Yet, the provincial government continues to ignore students' calls [in its 2025 Budget], failing to address nor provide adequate support for Ontario students pursuing higher education in this province. The 2025 Ontario Budget projects a continued decline in provincial post-secondary education spending from $14.2 billion in 2024–25 to $12.8 billion in 2027–28, a concerning outlook at a time when students, institutions, and the sector as a whole are facing unprecedented financial challenges. 

“Training programs are only as effective as the people behind them, and without meaningful investment in the individuals who will drive our high-demand sectors, we risk undermining the entire system,” said Olamipo Ogunnote, OSV Director of Advocacy & Partnerships. 

Investing in students goes beyond funding programs, it means providing the comprehensive, wraparound supports that allow students to complete their education and graduate prepared to contribute meaningfully to the workforce.

“Ontario’s students are the future of our economy and communities. Our students cannot continue to be left behind,” said Lynn Courville, OSV Executive Director.

OSV is disappointed that the budget does not address the precarious position of our post secondary system.  We remain committed to advocating to ensure an affordable, accessible, and high quality post-secondary system that supports both learners and the future of Ontario’s economy.

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About Ontario Student Voices

Ontario Student Voices is a provincial advocacy organization representing over 125,000 college and polytechnic students across Ontario. We are committed to ensuring that student voices shape the policies and decisions that affect their lives and education.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Lynn Courville

Executive Director

Ontario Student Voices

lynn.courville@ontariostudentvoices.ca