A Stronger Canada Needs a Healthy Post-Secondary Sector – So Why Are Governments Across the Country Abandoning Institutions?

By Sarah Watts-Rynard

The newly elected federal Liberal government has no shortage of ambition, outlining the ingredients for a robust economic transformation, with investments in artificial intelligence (AI), national defence and housing. In this vision, Canada will become an energy superpower and, by removing internal trade barriers, a robust single economy less reliant on trade with a fickle southern neighbour.

The prospect is compelling. But it relies, first and foremost on a skilled and ready workforce. The kind of workforce that Canada’s post-secondary institutions develop in spades.

So, why are governments across the country standing on the sidelines as higher education in Canada is eroded?

In stark contrast to the aspirations of a more prosperous, productive Canada, governments at all levels have abandoned the post-secondary sector to campus closures and shuttered programs. Highly qualified personnel are being displaced at an unprecedented rate.

Changes to policies on international study have been disruptive and chaotic, with little attention given to reasonable levels of public funding, leaving no room for institutions to adapt. A recent report from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union speaks to the suspension of more than 600 programs and 10,000 job losses in Ontario colleges alone.

To achieve any vision for a more productive Canada, the essential role of post-secondary institutions cannot be overlooked. Here are just a few ways institutions hold the key to creating a stronger Canada.

AI

It’s one thing to be a global leader in AI development and quite another to broadly access its benefits across the business community. The latter requires an AI-enabled workforce to apply the technology to boost productivity regardless of the sector or region. Rather than focusing on AI to streamline the delivery of government programs, emphasis should be on empowering the next generation with AI skills. A skilled workforce is the secret sauce for technology adoption.

At Seneca Polytechnic, AI is being integrated in operations, student support and across programs. The school is awaiting ministry approval of an applied Master of AI Design and Development for fall 2025.

Defence

Post-secondary institutions have long supported veterans transitioning from the military to civilian workforce, helping them find new ways to apply their skills. As government looks to recruit an expanded military, polytechnics are positioned to make substantive contributions to training the next generation of Canadian military in fields as diverse as marine technicians, signal operators, engineers and skilled tradespeople.

With a new emphasis on defence procurement come opportunities to engage institutions like the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, which has expertise in drone and aerospace technology, not to mention capacity as a NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator.

Housing and infrastructure

It’s hard to imagine that Canada will reach its residential housing targets or its desire to build a new cross-country energy infrastructure without skilled tradespeople. Apprenticeship technical training remains heavily reliant on the spaces, equipment and expertise resident at polytechnic institutions across Canada.

Despite a move among governments across the country to boost capacity at union training centres, nearly 64 per cent of apprentices work for non-union employers. It isn’t a matter of either/or: according to BuildForce Canada, the construction sector will require more than 380,000 new workers by 2034. To meet requirements, Canada needs its entire training system to be turning out qualified tradespeople at maximum capacity.

Conestoga College hosts one of the country’s largest skilled trades training centres, boasting a modern, light-filled campus that delivers apprenticeship and post-secondary programs in industrial, manufacturing and construction trades.

One economy

Removing trade barriers and enabling labour mobility across the country sounds easier than it is. Many occupations have region-specific training requirements, regulations and exams. Institutions that offer industry-aligned training programs are ideally positioned to evaluate and assess competency against local labour market needs. Where gaps exist, the same institutions can point learners to full-time, part-time and continuing education options.

At Saskatchewan Polytechnic, for example, learners can apply for equivalency, prior learning assessment and transfer credits. The institution has one of the country’s leading programs for preparing internationally trained nurses to work in Canada.

While many believe Canada’s post-secondary institutions have become too reliant on international students to pay the bills, the haphazard handling of study visa policy is actively undermining programs local businesses and domestic students need most.

Any grand vision for Canada requires a skilled workforce and a ready supply of talent. A weakened public post-secondary sector is a risk we cannot afford.

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About Sarah Watts-Rynard

Sarah Watts-Rynard is CEO of Polytechnics Canada, a national association of the country’s leading polytechnic institutions.

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This post was previously published on Quoimedia.com and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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