Laurentian faculty and students bear the cost of Ford's cuts

SUDBURY – This morning, the Laurentian University Faculty Association has gone on strike following years of underfunding to Ontario’s post-secondary sector. NDP Shadow Minister for Labour Jamie West (Sudbury) and Shadow Minister for Colleges and Universities Peggy Sattler (London West) released this joint statement:

“The Ontario NDP stands in full solidarity with the workers at Laurentian and across Ontario’s post-secondary institutions,” said West. “Sudbury cannot afford more of Doug Ford’s cuts to colleges and universities. Laurentian students, faculty, and workers know first-hand the cost of Conservative cuts to the sector and their failure to meet the needs of small, rural, and northern institutions. New Democrats will continue standing with them to demand stable, predictable funding that protects jobs and keeps post-secondary education accessible in the North.”

“Years of government cuts and frozen funding have created a crisis that is now hurting everyone,” said Sattler. “Students have fewer options; vital workers are losing their jobs, and across the province, employers are struggling to find skilled graduates. Our communities will feel these cuts for generations to come. Ontario cannot build a strong workforce or a resilient economy by starving post-secondary education. New Democrats are calling for real, sustainable investment so our colleges and universities can serve students, employers, and communities now and for decades to come.”