Pre-Budget Submission: Partnering to Drive Jobs and Growth

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Pre-Budget Submission: Partnering to Drive Jobs and Growth

Ontario’s success is founded on the capacity of its people to work together to innovate, create jobs and bolster economic growth. This collaboration across sectors will be critical to addressing some of the province’s biggest challenges, such as meeting labour force needs, rebuilding a strained health-care system and fostering innovation and economic growth.

By supporting students, leading ground-breaking research and innovation and building strong community partnerships, Ontario’s universities are playing a key role in helping find solutions to these challenges and leading the province to a more competitive economy.

Read the 2023
Pre-Budget Report

In Partnering to Drive Jobs and Growth, we outline how Ontario’s universities have a vital role to play in helping our province find solutions to big challenges. Universities will continue to support student success; drive a competitive economy; fuel regional economic development; rebuild the health-care system; and transform to meet the changing needs of students, communities and the province. Through strong partnerships with government and stakeholders, universities will help build the better and brighter future for our province that we all want to see.

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Key Facts

579,000+ full-time and part-time students were enrolled in Ontario’s universities in 2021-221

101,165 international students enrolled at Ontario’s universities during the 2021-22 academic year 2

59,600+ total residence spaces at Ontario’s universities. It is projected that more than 9,000 new spaces will be added over the next five years, with several universities developing plans for expansion beyond 20283

$1.4B+ is the amount Ontario’s universities spent on student services, such as counselling, career guidance, student mental health, athletics and more, in 2021-22 4

$1.2B+ is the annual amount provided in scholarships, bursaries and grants by Ontario’s universities to those facing the greatest finance need5

65.6% increase in STEM enrolment at Ontario’s universities and just over 35% increase in health programs since 20106

92.7% is the employment rate of Ontario university graduates two years after graduation. In addition, more than 90% of those with full-time employment worked in jobs that either closely or somewhat related to the skills they developed at university7

$45B is the contribution of Ontario’s universities to Ontario’s GDP in 2018 due to activities stemming from institutions, students, visitors and alumni8

  1. Ontario universities’ enrolment data

  2. Ministry of Colleges and Universities

  3. Council of Senior Administrative Officers

  4. Council of Ontario Finance Officers

  5. Council of Ontario Finance Officers

  6. Ontario universities’ enrolment data

  7. Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ 2020 Graduate Survey

  8. Conference Board of Canada

At the Forefront of Building a Stronger Ontario

Supporting International Student Success

Universities continue to provide international students with the tailored resources and supports they need throughout…

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Driving a Competitive Economy

By working with industry and community partners, universities are helping build strong talent pipelines, fostering…

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Fueling Regional Economic Development

As large employers, purchasers and community hubs, universities continue to invest in their communities and…

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Rebuilding Ontario’s Health-Care System

By training the health-care workers needed to support patient care and developing health innovations that…

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A University Sector in Transformation

As universities continue to transform to meet the needs of students and a changing world,…

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