NEWS RELEASE
January 19, 2026
OUSA Releases 2026 Pre-Budget Submission
TORONTO - Today, OUSA is releasing student-centred recommendations to the provincial government as a part of the 2026 pre-budget consultations. As we enter another fiscal year with competing priorities across all industries and sectors, it is critical that post-secondary education remains top of mind for the government. The economic benefits that universities generate, including skilled graduates, push our communities and local industries forward; however, this cannot be achieved unless the provincial government makes meaningful financial commitments to comprehensively support students.
“Post-secondary students are essential to Ontario’s growth and competitiveness,” said Sayak Sneddon-Ghosal, OUSA President. “Increasing access to work-integrated learning opportunities helps students further develop their skills, contribute meaningfully to Ontario’s economy, and strengthen Ontario’s workforce. An investment in work-integrated learning is an investment in Ontario’s future.”
OUSA’s submission focuses on incentivizing work-integrated learning opportunities and strengthening student financial aid. These financial commitments from the government of Ontario would address the needs of students and institutions, while supporting policies that make Ontario’s post-secondary system competitive.
Ontario’s post-secondary sector is navigating a period of profound change. Like many Ontarians, students worry about their livelihoods and futures in this precarious climate. Long-term underfunding, rising unemployment, and the cost-of-living crisis are just a few of the issues affecting the post-secondary sector and undergraduate students’ success. Ontario needs to reposition itself as a top destination for higher education by actively making post-secondary education more accessible and affordable for current and prospective students. This comes from investments in the sector that enable students to thrive in their studies, graduate highly skilled members of the workforce, and become leaders who can tackle today’s challenges.
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About: OUSA represents the interests of 160,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students at nine student associations across Ontario. Our vision is for an accessible, affordable, accountable, high-quality, and equitable post-secondary education in Ontario.
Contact:
Tobi Olumurewa
Manager of Communications
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance