Higher education in Ontario
Encyclopedia
Higher education in Ontario includes postsecondary education and skills training regulated by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities
and provided by universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, and private career colleges. The current minister is Glen Murray who assumed the role October 19, 2011 from the previous minister John Milloy. The ministry administers laws covering 22 public universities, 24 public colleges (21 Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATs) and three Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITALs)), seventeen privately-funded religious universities, and over 500 private career colleges. The Canadian constitution provides each province with the responsibility for higher education
and there is no corresponding national federal ministry of higher education. Within Canadian federalism
the division of responsibilities and taxing powers between the Ontario and Canadian governments creates the need for cooperation to fund and deliver higher education to students. Each higher education system aims to improve participation, access, and mobility for students. There are two central organizations that assist with the process of applying to Ontario universities and colleges: the Ontario Universities' Application Centre
and Ontario College Application Service
. While application services are centralized, admission and selection processes vary and are the purview of each institution independently. Admission to many Ontario postsecondary institutions can be highly competitive. Upon admission, students may get involved with regional student representation with the Canadian Federation of Students
, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
, or through the College Student Alliance
in Ontario.
The Constitutional Act of 1791
by the British House of Commons
divided the old province of Quebec into two British colonies. The western colony became Upper Canada
with John Graves Simcoe
as its first head of state by fulfilling the role of Lieutenant Governor
. Governor Simcoe was the first advocate for establishing educational institutions in the new colony to increase citizens' connection to Britain and prevent the incursion of influence from post-revolutionary schools in the United States. In 1797, the Duke of Portland
agreed, on behalf of the British King
, to the request from the Legislative Council
and House of Assembly
of Upper Canada for a portion of Crown Land to support the foundation of grammar schools and a college or university. Higher education preceded Canadian confederation
with the establishment of private and sectarian universities in Ontario during the early 19th century. Initially, Ontario's first three universities were formed with religious affiliations. Established in 1827, King's College was associated with the Church of England
through its first president John Strachan
. The Presbyterian Church established Queen's University
in 1841. In addition, the Roman Catholic Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
established the College of Bytown in 1848. In 1849, the government of Upper Canada
decided to secularize King's College and the institution became the University of Toronto
. In 1866, the College of Bytown completed its conversion to the University of Ottawa
through incorporation by Royal charter
from the government in London
, England
.
In 1867, section 91 of the Canadian constitution established that the government of Canada has responsibility for trade and commerce whereas section 93 conferred to each province responsibility for education. Higher education in Canada
reflects this division of powers in Canadian federalism
through the overlapping of interests and responsibilities between the provinces and the federal presence in higher education in Canada. In 1868, the province of Ontario withdrew financial support for religious universities. In 1874, the Canadian government established the first federal institution of higher education in Kingston, Ontario, the Royal Military College of Canada
. In 1876, the Ontario Society of Artists founded the forerunner to the Ontario College of Art & Design
at the Toronto Normal School
. In 1878, Bishop Isaac Hellmuth
founded the "Western University of London" with religious affiliation to the Anglican Diocese of Huron
and later the institution became the non-denominational University of Western Ontario
. In 1887, William McMaster
founded McMaster University
by merging Toronto Baptist College and Woodstock College. By 1899, there were seven higher education institutions established in Ontario.
In 1900, the Dominican Order
established the Dominican College of Philosophy and Theology that later became the Dominican University College
. In 1906, controversy over the role of the Ontario government and the leadership of the University of Toronto
led to the Flavelle Commission that articulated a separation of powers, resulting in the widespread adoption of the bicameral
model for university governance
in Canada. In 1911, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
founded the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
that was associated with the development of the University of Waterloo
and Wilfrid Laurier University
. Higher education was a low-priority under the provincial government of Mitchell Hepburn
due to the effects of the Depression
but universities supported the national war effort through funding from the government of Canada. In 1942, the Ottawa Association for the Advancement of Learning established the non-denominational Carleton College that later became Carleton University
. By 1945, there were three publicly supported secular universities, six denominational private colleges, and several vocational institutes.
. In 1948, Howard Hillen Kerr
persuaded the government of Ontario to turn the Training and Re-Establishment Institute for veterans into the Ryerson Institute of Technology. Over the following forty-five years, the institute expanded its vocational focus to become Ryerson University
. In 1951, the provincial government hired a part-time consultant on higher education policy matters to support the Minister of Education given that no office in the government or agency had ever had full responsibility for the sector. In 1956, Premier Leslie Frost
replaced the consultant with a committee of senior government officials who served two years before being replaced by civil servants from the government departments of economics, education and treasury who made up the University Committee. In 1957, Gerry Hagey
, Ira Needles, and Rev. Cornelius Siegfried founded the Waterloo College Associate Faculties that later became the University of Waterloo
. In 1959, the government of Ontario established York University
and Murray Ross served as the founding president. By 1960, there were five publicly supported secular universities. In 1960, the government of Ontario forms Laurentian University
as a bilingual federation representing Roman Catholic, United, and Anglican religious affiliations. In 1961, the government expanded and changed the University Committee into an Advisory Committee on University Affairs consisting of civil servants and non-government members. In 1962, the government of Ontario formed the University of Windsor
as part of turning Assumption University into a federated institution. In 1964, the government introduced a Department of University Affairs within the Ministry of Education under Minister Bill Davis. In the same year, the provincial government founded Brock University
named after Sir Isaac Brock, the University of Guelph
through integrating three institutions, and Trent University
. In the mid-1960s, the government of Ontario passed legislation to establish a new category of post-secondary institutions called Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATS) with an emphasis on vocational, technological, and general education. In 1966, the provincial government began to establish a applied arts college
system with the Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology as the first college. In 1967, the government of Ontario established twenty-three more CAATs. The universities retained a monopoly over the right to grant degrees and the government defined clear non-degree granting mandates for the CAATs thereby creating a binary system of higher education within Ontario. Also in 1967, the government of Ontario responded to citizens' interest to form Algoma College which became a university in 2008. In addition, the government formed Nipissing College
in affiliation with Laurentian University
. In 1992, the provincial government converted Nipissing College into Nipissing University
. The 1995 Ontario general election
provided a large majority for the new Mike Harris
government. After 1995, the provincial government undertook actions that led to increased privatization within higher education, blurred boundaries in the binary structure, institutional differentiation, and the overall system's expansion. In 1996, the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training released the first review of higher education as a system.
to increase supply and address a change in the Ontario Academic Credit
system that created a double cohort of students entering post-secondary education. In 2005, the Honourable Bob Rae
released a comprehensive review of postsecondary education entitled Ontario: A leader in learning, more commonly known as the Rae Report
or Rae Review. Within four months of its release, the provincial government of Premier Dalton McGuinty
implemented an investment plan for postsecondary education called "Reaching Higher" outlining its strategy until 2010. As part of this plan, the provincial government accepted a recommendation of the Rae Report to establish the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
as an independent advisory agency. On June 18, 2008, the provincial government converted Algoma University College into Algoma University.
The higher education system in Ontario includes the interaction among government, external advisory bodies, educational institutions, and associations. The Canadian constitution allocates final authority for higher education in Ontario to the provincial government. In practice, the responsibility lies with the Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities who is a member of the Executive Council of Ontario
(or cabinet) reporting to the Premier
and held accountable by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
. The deputy minister manages the operations of the ministry that includes five main divisions. As a whole, the ministry has responsibility for administration of laws relating to postsecondary education and skills training in Ontario. The divisions cover employment and training, postsecondary education, strategic policy and programs, corporate management and services, and French-language education and educational operations. The divisions report to the deputy minister who then reports to the minister. The Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities works with several external advisory bodies to assist the governance of the higher education system in Ontario.
Governance within Ontario universities generally follows a bicameral approach with separation of authority between a board and senate.
enables students to search for career colleges providing vocational training in their field of interest.
There are eight associations in Ontario that provide representation for faculty, staff, institutions, and students by interacting within the structure of higher education in Ontario.
The public funding of higher education in Ontario primarily relies on cooperation between the government of Canada
and the government of Ontario
. Public funding of higher education involves direct public funding of institutions for instruction
, investment
, and research
combined with funding of students. To fund public higher education institutions, the government of Ontario
can use funds from the Canada Health Transfer
, Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing programs for financing instruction and investment. Funding of research is supported by the
Canada Foundation for Innovation
, Canada Research Chairs
program, the Indirect Costs of Research program, and through Networks of Centres of Excellence. Both governments of Canada and Ontario provide funding and support for post-secondary students.
Ontario boasts the highest postsecondary participation and attainment rates among Canadian provinces, ranking high in international comparisons as well. A 2010 report from Statistics Canada
, Education Indicators in Canada: An International Perspective, indicates that 63% of Ontario's population aged 25-34 have educational attainment to at least the tertiary level as compared to the national average of 56% and the average across OECD countries of 37%.
Despite these comparatively strong participation and attainment rates, under-represented groups in Ontario face access issues that are common around the world. The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
(HEQCO) illustrates that issues such as geography and disability have negative impacts on participation that may largely relate back to family income and the cost of postsecondary education, but the two most significant factors affecting postsecondary participation in Ontario are parents' level of education and Aboriginal status, factors that relate more to the perception of higher education rather than the actual costs.
Ontario's Liberal government and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (Ontario) embarked on the Reaching Higher plan for postsecondary education in the province beginning in 2005. The plan calls for a $6.2 Billion investment in postsecondary education to address such issues as capacity, access, financial assistance and more, including a target postsecondary attainment rate of 70%.
Reaching Higher follows the 2005 report by the Honourable Bob Rae
, Ontario: A Leader in Learning (a.k.a. the Rae Report
), which also sparked the creation of the HEQCO. While current government efforts are intended to address issues of access, the HEQCO warns that a lack of reliable system-wide data will make it difficult to monitor the effects of these efforts and the state of access and participation in the future. One current source of data, Stats Canada's Youth in Transitions Survey (YITS)
, will soon end while another Stats Canada source, the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID), provides less comprehensive data with respect to higher education transitions specifically.
In 1996, the provincial government initiated the College and University Consortium Council (CUCC) in order to foster closer collaboration between colleges and universities in Ontario. Three years later, in 1999, the Council of Ontario Universities
(COU) and the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO) jointly endorsed a set of principles governing mobility and transfer that has become known as the Port Hope Accord.
In the decade following, a collection of laddering and degree-completion agreements had begun to accumulate on the Ontario College University Transfer Guide (OCUTG). The agreements tend to be very specific between one university and one college. This style of transfer agreement differs from articulated systems such as those in British Columbia (see: British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer
) and Alberta (see: Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer
).
The Honourable Bob Rae
's 2005 report, Ontario: A Leader in Learning, makes the most recent call for improvements to student mobility and institutional cooperation. Following government endorsment of the Rae Report
, in 2011 the CUCC evolved into the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), which has assumed jurisdiction over the OCUTG; now known as the Ontario Postsecondary Transfer Guide (OPTG).
In a recent study of student perspectives of postsecondary mobility in Ontario published in the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Professional File, PhD. candidate Christine Arnold writes, "Transfer pathways have progressed significantly in the province over the last five years (College-University Consortium Council, 2007); resources and sources for transfer currently do not match this level of care."
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (Ontario)'s Reaching Higher plan for postsecondary education in the province, initiated in 2005, includes a $6.2 Billion commitment to postsecondary education to address such issues as capacity, access, financial assistance and more. The plan calls for, among other deliverables, a target postsecondary attainment rate of 70%. Following the October 2011 provincial election which resulted in a Liberal minority, the government re-affirmed its commitment to the reaching higher plan by announcing that 3 new undergraduate campuses will be established to serve increasing demand.
Academic Reform: Policy Options for Improving the Quality and Cost-Effectiveness of Undergraduate Education in Ontario
, written by Ian D. Clark
, David Trick
and Richard J. Van Loon
, provides recommendations on the way forward for Ontario higher education.
Ministry of Education (Ontario)
The Ministry of Education is the agency of the Ontario government in the Canadian province of Ontario responsible for government policy, funding, curriculum planning and direction in all levels of public education, including elementary and secondary schools.This Ministry is responsible for...
and provided by universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, and private career colleges. The current minister is Glen Murray who assumed the role October 19, 2011 from the previous minister John Milloy. The ministry administers laws covering 22 public universities, 24 public colleges (21 Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATs) and three Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITALs)), seventeen privately-funded religious universities, and over 500 private career colleges. The Canadian constitution provides each province with the responsibility for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
and there is no corresponding national federal ministry of higher education. Within Canadian federalism
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
the division of responsibilities and taxing powers between the Ontario and Canadian governments creates the need for cooperation to fund and deliver higher education to students. Each higher education system aims to improve participation, access, and mobility for students. There are two central organizations that assist with the process of applying to Ontario universities and colleges: the Ontario Universities' Application Centre
Ontario Universities' Application Centre
The Ontario Universities' Application Centre is a non-profit organization that acts as a central bureau for managing the processing of applications to universities in the Canadian province of Ontario...
and Ontario College Application Service
Ontario College Application Service
The Ontario College Application Service is a non-profit corporation created by the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology and Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning in the province of Ontario, Canada....
. While application services are centralized, admission and selection processes vary and are the purview of each institution independently. Admission to many Ontario postsecondary institutions can be highly competitive. Upon admission, students may get involved with regional student representation with the Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Federation of Students
The Canadian Federation of Students is the largest student organization in Canada. Founded in 1981, the stated goal of the CFS is to work at the federal level for high quality, accessible post-secondary education.-Structure:...
, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
Canadian Alliance of Student Associations
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was formed in 1995 by several post-secondary institutions' student unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students and previously unaffiliated student unions...
, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is an alliance of university student governments from across Ontario, Canada. Their common objective is to protect the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students, and to provide research and...
, or through the College Student Alliance
College Student Alliance
The College Student Alliance represents students in Ontario community colleges. They currently represent 17 colleges and 25 student associations with over 135,000 student members....
in Ontario.
Pre-confederation, 1791 - 1866
Constitutional Act of 1791
The Constitutional Act of 1791, formally The Clergy Endowments Act, 1791 , is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain...
by the British House of Commons
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
divided the old province of Quebec into two British colonies. The western colony became Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
with John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
as its first head of state by fulfilling the role of Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
. Governor Simcoe was the first advocate for establishing educational institutions in the new colony to increase citizens' connection to Britain and prevent the incursion of influence from post-revolutionary schools in the United States. In 1797, the Duke of Portland
William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland PC, FRS, FSA , styled Marquess of Titchfield until 1809, was a British politician who served in various positions in the governments of George Canning and Lord Goderich.-Background and education:Portland was the eldest son of...
agreed, on behalf of the British King
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, to the request from the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
and House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
of Upper Canada for a portion of Crown Land to support the foundation of grammar schools and a college or university. Higher education preceded Canadian confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
with the establishment of private and sectarian universities in Ontario during the early 19th century. Initially, Ontario's first three universities were formed with religious affiliations. Established in 1827, King's College was associated with the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
through its first president John Strachan
John Strachan
John Strachan was an influential figure in Upper Canada and the first Anglican Bishop of Toronto.-Early life:Strachan was the youngest of six children born to a quarry worker in Aberdeen, Scotland. He graduated from King's College, Aberdeen in 1797...
. The Presbyterian Church established Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in 1841. In addition, the Roman Catholic Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
established the College of Bytown in 1848. In 1849, the government of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
decided to secularize King's College and the institution became the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. In 1866, the College of Bytown completed its conversion to the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
through incorporation by Royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
from the government in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Post-confederation, 1867 - 1899
Higher education in Canada
Higher education in Canada describes the constellation of provincial higher education systems in Canada and their relationships with the federal government, provinces, and territories.-Higher education systems in Canada:...
reflects this division of powers in Canadian federalism
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
through the overlapping of interests and responsibilities between the provinces and the federal presence in higher education in Canada. In 1868, the province of Ontario withdrew financial support for religious universities. In 1874, the Canadian government established the first federal institution of higher education in Kingston, Ontario, the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
. In 1876, the Ontario Society of Artists founded the forerunner to the Ontario College of Art & Design
Ontario College of Art & Design
OCAD University is Canada's largest and oldest educational institution for art and design. It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on McCaul Street beside the Art Gallery of Ontario...
at the Toronto Normal School
Toronto Normal School
The Toronto Normal School was a teachers college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1847, the Normal School was located at Church and Gould streets in central Toronto, and was a predecessor to the current Ontario Institute for Studies in Education...
. In 1878, Bishop Isaac Hellmuth
Isaac Hellmuth
Isaac Hellmuth , second Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Huron, was the founder of Huron University College and the University of Western Ontario, one of Canada's leading universities...
founded the "Western University of London" with religious affiliation to the Anglican Diocese of Huron
Anglican Diocese of Huron
The Diocese of Huron is a diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario of the Anglican Church of Canada. The diocese comprises just over 31,000 square kilometres of the extreme south-western portion of the civil province of Ontario, sandwiched between Lake Huron and Lake Erie...
and later the institution became the non-denominational University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
. In 1887, William McMaster
William McMaster
William McMaster was a wholesaler, Senator and banker in the 19th century. A director of the Bank of Montreal from 1864–1867, he was a driving force behind the creation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce of which he served as the founding president from 1867 to his death in 1887.He served in the...
founded McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
by merging Toronto Baptist College and Woodstock College. By 1899, there were seven higher education institutions established in Ontario.
Early 20th century, 1900 - 1945
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
established the Dominican College of Philosophy and Theology that later became the Dominican University College
Dominican University College
The Dominican University College is a bilingual Roman Catholic university in Ottawa, Ontario, offering civil and pontifical bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in philosophy and theology...
. In 1906, controversy over the role of the Ontario government and the leadership of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
led to the Flavelle Commission that articulated a separation of powers, resulting in the widespread adoption of the bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
model for university governance
Governance in higher education
Governance in higher education refers to the means by which higher educational institutions are formally organized and managed, though often there is a distinction between definitions of management and governance. Simply, university governance is the way in which universities are operated...
in Canada. In 1911, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination, with 152,788 baptized members in 624 congregations, with the second largest, the Lutheran Church–Canada, having 72,116 baptized members...
founded the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada affiliated with the nondenominational Wilfrid Laurier University, located in Waterloo, Ontario.-History:...
that was associated with the development of the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
and Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
. Higher education was a low-priority under the provincial government of Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
due to the effects of the Depression
Great Depression in Canada
Canada was hit hard by the Great Depression. Between 1929 and 1939, the gross national product dropped 40% . Unemployment reached 27% at the depth of the Depression in 1933...
but universities supported the national war effort through funding from the government of Canada. In 1942, the Ottawa Association for the Advancement of Learning established the non-denominational Carleton College that later became Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
. By 1945, there were three publicly supported secular universities, six denominational private colleges, and several vocational institutes.
| Percentage of population aged 20 to 24 enrolled in school | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 7.1 | 12.6 |
Late 20th century, 1946 - 1999
In 1946, the government of Ontario established the Lakehead Technical Institute in Thunder Bay that later became Lakehead UniversityLakehead University
Lakehead University is a public research university in Thunder Bay, and Orillia, Ontario, Canada.Lakehead University, shortened to 'Lakehead U', or 'LU', is non-denominational and provincially supported. It has undergraduate and graduate programs and a medical school.The school has more than 45,000...
. In 1948, Howard Hillen Kerr
Howard Hillen Kerr
Howard Hillen Kerr was the first principal of what was then Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.Kerr was born on a farm near Seaforth, Ontario. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1926 with degrees in education and engineering and became an administrator in the public school system...
persuaded the government of Ontario to turn the Training and Re-Establishment Institute for veterans into the Ryerson Institute of Technology. Over the following forty-five years, the institute expanded its vocational focus to become Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
. In 1951, the provincial government hired a part-time consultant on higher education policy matters to support the Minister of Education given that no office in the government or agency had ever had full responsibility for the sector. In 1956, Premier Leslie Frost
Leslie Frost
Leslie Miscampbell Frost, was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the 16th Premier from May 4, 1949 to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man Ontario".-Early years:...
replaced the consultant with a committee of senior government officials who served two years before being replaced by civil servants from the government departments of economics, education and treasury who made up the University Committee. In 1957, Gerry Hagey
Gerry Hagey
Joseph Gerald "Gerry" Hagey was a Canadian businessman, academic, and a founder and first president of the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario....
, Ira Needles, and Rev. Cornelius Siegfried founded the Waterloo College Associate Faculties that later became the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
. In 1959, the government of Ontario established York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
and Murray Ross served as the founding president. By 1960, there were five publicly supported secular universities. In 1960, the government of Ontario forms Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
as a bilingual federation representing Roman Catholic, United, and Anglican religious affiliations. In 1961, the government expanded and changed the University Committee into an Advisory Committee on University Affairs consisting of civil servants and non-government members. In 1962, the government of Ontario formed the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
as part of turning Assumption University into a federated institution. In 1964, the government introduced a Department of University Affairs within the Ministry of Education under Minister Bill Davis. In the same year, the provincial government founded Brock University
Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
named after Sir Isaac Brock, the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
through integrating three institutions, and Trent University
Trent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
. In the mid-1960s, the government of Ontario passed legislation to establish a new category of post-secondary institutions called Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATS) with an emphasis on vocational, technological, and general education. In 1966, the provincial government began to establish a applied arts college
College (Canada)
In Canadian English, the term college usually refers to a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are post-secondary institutions granting certificates, diplomas, associate's degree, and bachelor's degrees.-Terminology:...
system with the Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology as the first college. In 1967, the government of Ontario established twenty-three more CAATs. The universities retained a monopoly over the right to grant degrees and the government defined clear non-degree granting mandates for the CAATs thereby creating a binary system of higher education within Ontario. Also in 1967, the government of Ontario responded to citizens' interest to form Algoma College which became a university in 2008. In addition, the government formed Nipissing College
Nipissing University
Nipissing University is a public liberal arts university located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, on a site overlooking Lake Nipissing. The university's unique character is defined by its location in Northern Ontario, and a large and highly respected faculty of education...
in affiliation with Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
. In 1992, the provincial government converted Nipissing College into Nipissing University
Nipissing University
Nipissing University is a public liberal arts university located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, on a site overlooking Lake Nipissing. The university's unique character is defined by its location in Northern Ontario, and a large and highly respected faculty of education...
. The 1995 Ontario general election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
provided a large majority for the new Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
government. After 1995, the provincial government undertook actions that led to increased privatization within higher education, blurred boundaries in the binary structure, institutional differentiation, and the overall system's expansion. In 1996, the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training released the first review of higher education as a system.
Early twenty-first century, 2000 - present
By 2000, there were a total of twenty public universities established in Ontario. In 2002, the government of Ontario created the University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Ontario Institute of Technology
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The university shares its campus with Durham College. The university was founded in 2002 and accepted its first students in 2003, making it one of Canada's newest universities...
to increase supply and address a change in the Ontario Academic Credit
Ontario Academic Credit
The Ontario Academic Credit or OAC was part of the curriculum codified by the Ontario Ministry of Education in Ontario Schools: Intermediate and Senior and its revisions. In common parlance, the term is used to describe the fifth high school year that used to exist in the province of...
system that created a double cohort of students entering post-secondary education. In 2005, the Honourable Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
released a comprehensive review of postsecondary education entitled Ontario: A leader in learning, more commonly known as the Rae Report
Rae Report
The Rae Report was the result of a provincial review of post-secondary education led by former Ontario Premier Bob Rae. After the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty brought in a fully funded tuition fee freeze at public colleges and universities in April 2004, it announced a sweeping review of...
or Rae Review. Within four months of its release, the provincial government of Premier Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
implemented an investment plan for postsecondary education called "Reaching Higher" outlining its strategy until 2010. As part of this plan, the provincial government accepted a recommendation of the Rae Report to establish the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario is an independent advisory agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities to provide recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, inter-institutional transfer, system planning, and effectiveness in higher...
as an independent advisory agency. On June 18, 2008, the provincial government converted Algoma University College into Algoma University.
Ontario Provincial Government and Postsecondary education, 1943 - present
| Timeframe | Duration | Political Party | Party Leader(s) | Major Reports on Higher education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 - 1985 | 42 years | Conservative | George Drew, Leslie Frost Leslie Frost Leslie Miscampbell Frost, was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the 16th Premier from May 4, 1949 to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man Ontario".-Early years:... , John Robarts John Robarts John Parmenter Robarts, PC, CC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and statesman, and the 17th Premier of Ontario.-Early life:... , William Davis Bill Davis William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education... |
The Learning Society. Report of the Commission on Post-Secondary Education in Ontario, 1972 |
| Growth in Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. Report of the Minister's Taskforce on College Growth, 1981 | ||||
| Report of the Committee on the Future Role of Universities in Ontario. Ministry of Colleges and Universities, 1981 | ||||
| Ontario Universities: Options and Futures. Commission on the Future Development of the Universities of Ontario, 1984 | ||||
| 1985 - 1990 | 5 years | Liberal | David Peterson David Peterson David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years.... |
Report of the Advisor to the Minister of Colleges and Universities on the Governance of the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. Walter Pitman, 1986 |
| 1990 - 1995 | 5 years | NDP | Bob Rae Bob Rae Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.... |
Vision 2000: Quality and Opportunity. Ontario Council of Regents for Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, 1990 |
| University Accountability: A Strengthened Framework. Task Force on University Accountability, 1993 | ||||
| For the Love of Learning. Royal Commission on Learning, 1994 | ||||
| 1995 - 2003 | 8 years | Conservative | Mike Harris Mike Harris Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government... |
Excellence Accessibility Responsibility. Report of the Advisory Panel on Future Directions for Postsecondary Education, 1996 |
| 2003 - present | 8 years to date | Liberal | Dalton McGuinty Dalton McGuinty Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario.... |
Ontario: A Leader in Learning (The Rae Report Rae Report The Rae Report was the result of a provincial review of post-secondary education led by former Ontario Premier Bob Rae. After the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty brought in a fully funded tuition fee freeze at public colleges and universities in April 2004, it announced a sweeping review of... ). Bob Rae Bob Rae Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.... , 2005 |
Governance
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
(or cabinet) reporting to the Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
and held accountable by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
. The deputy minister manages the operations of the ministry that includes five main divisions. As a whole, the ministry has responsibility for administration of laws relating to postsecondary education and skills training in Ontario. The divisions cover employment and training, postsecondary education, strategic policy and programs, corporate management and services, and French-language education and educational operations. The divisions report to the deputy minister who then reports to the minister. The Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities works with several external advisory bodies to assist the governance of the higher education system in Ontario.
Governance within Ontario universities generally follows a bicameral approach with separation of authority between a board and senate.
Structure
Ontario has a binary public postsecondary education structure consisting of parallel college and university systems. The public college system is comprised of twenty-one colleges of appied arts and technology and three institutes of technology and advanced learning. The public university system is comprised of twenty-two universities. Some universities have federated and/or affiliated colleges which are considered part of the public university system. In addition, there are seventeen private religious universities and over 500 private career colleges that are not classified as universities. Ontario's private career colleges provide specific skills training for employment and must be registered with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. A program run by ServiceOntarioServiceOntario
ServiceOntario is part of a Government of Ontario initiative created out of a desire to give Ontarians an easy, cost effective way to access government services...
enables students to search for career colleges providing vocational training in their field of interest.
Associations and Organizations
Institutional associations
- Established in 1962, the Council of Ontario UniversitiesCouncil of Ontario UniversitiesThe Council of Ontario Universities builds awareness of the university sector’s contributions to the social, economic and cultural well-being of the province and the country, as well as the issues that impact the sector’s ability to maximize these contributions...
(COU) represents twenty degree granting institutions through a committee consisting of one executive and one academic from each member institution. The COU supports a wide range of activities regarding issues to enhance the role of universities (e.g., Council & Committees) and collaboration between institutions to increase effectiveness (e.g., sharing information through Common University Data Ontario). - Colleges Ontario is the advocacy and outreach association of Ontario’s 21 Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology and three College Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning.
Faculty associations
- Established in 1964, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty AssociationsOntario Confederation of University Faculty AssociationsThe Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations is a Canadian non-profit organization that represents 16,000 teachers, researchers, and librarians through its interaction with the Ontario government, opposition parties, related agencies, and associations...
(OCUFA) represents 15,000 teachers, researchers, and librarians through its interaction with the Ontario government, opposition parties, related agencies, and associations. OCUFA allows its twenty-three member faculty associations to coordinate media relations and research for collective bargaining. In addition, OCUFA publishes the quarterly journal Academic MattersAcademic MattersAcademic Matters: The Journal of Higher Education is a Canadian magazine which publishes articles on issues of relevance to postsecondary education in Canada and internationally, as well as literature and film reviews, original fiction, research notes and commentaries...
, the monthly electronic newsletter Ontario University Report, and provides research briefs and reports on its website. For advocacy, OCUFA has a separate website entitled Quality Matters. - Established in 1974, the Confederation of Ontario University Staff Associations & Unions (COUSA) represents non-union and union non-academic staff by providing a forum to share information, workshops, a common lobbying voice, and a method for collective action. In addition, COUSA participates in a Coalition for Post-Secondary Education that includes the Ontario Public Service Employees UnionOntario Public Service Employees UnionThe Ontario Public Service Employees Union is a trade union that represents about 120,000 employees in the broader public service of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The current president of OPSEU is Warren "Smokey" Thomas. Prior to Thomas OPSEU was headed by Leah Casselman. Casselman was the...
and related higher education associations.
Student associations
- Established in 1975, the College Student AllianceCollege Student AllianceThe College Student Alliance represents students in Ontario community colleges. They currently represent 17 colleges and 25 student associations with over 135,000 student members....
(CSA) represents 109,000 students across twenty-three student associations at colleges in Ontario. The CSA focuses on developing its members and advocacy on issues for students at college and college-university institutions. - Established in 1981, the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario represents 300,000 students across thirty student unions in Ontario. The federation focuses on advocacy through effective research, lobbying, and student mobilization.
- Established in 1992, the Ontario Undergraduate Student AllianceOntario Undergraduate Student AllianceThe Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance is an alliance of university student governments from across Ontario, Canada. Their common objective is to protect the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students, and to provide research and...
represents 140,000 students at seven Ontario higher education institutions. The alliance focuses on higher education issues related to accessibility, affordability, accountability and quality. - Established in 1995, the Canadian Alliance of Student AssociationsCanadian Alliance of Student AssociationsThe Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was formed in 1995 by several post-secondary institutions' student unions who had withdrawn from the Canadian Federation of Students and previously unaffiliated student unions...
(CASA) represents 275,000 students across Canada and five student associations in Ontario.
Centralized Organizations
- Founded in 2005 the Higher Education Quality Council of OntarioHigher Education Quality Council of OntarioThe Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario is an independent advisory agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities to provide recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, inter-institutional transfer, system planning, and effectiveness in higher...
(HEQCO) is an independent agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and provides recommendations to enhance access, quality and accountability of Ontario's colleges and universities. - Founded in 1971 the Ontario Universities' Application CentreOntario Universities' Application CentreThe Ontario Universities' Application Centre is a non-profit organization that acts as a central bureau for managing the processing of applications to universities in the Canadian province of Ontario...
(OUAC) is an organization acting as a bureau managing applications to universities in Ontario. - Ontario College Application ServiceOntario College Application ServiceThe Ontario College Application Service is a non-profit corporation created by the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology and Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning in the province of Ontario, Canada....
(OCAS) is a corporation created by the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario. It provides a centralized application system for prospective students. - Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) traces its roots to the College University Consortium Council (CUCC) which was established in 1996. ONCAT was founded in 2011. It is a coordinating body to develop and maintain a new transfer portal and transfer guide. The purpose is to assist students to transfer between institutions and research and report on credit transfer activity and results. .
Funding
The public funding of higher education in Ontario primarily relies on cooperation between the government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
and the government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. Public funding of higher education involves direct public funding of institutions for instruction
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
, and research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
combined with funding of students. To fund public higher education institutions, the government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
can use funds from the Canada Health Transfer
Canada Health Transfer
The Canada Health Transfer is the Canadian government's transfer payment program in support of the health systems of the provinces and territories of Canada...
, Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing programs for financing instruction and investment. Funding of research is supported by the
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Created by the Government of Canada in 1997, the Canada Foundation for Innovation strives to build our nation’s capacity to undertake world-class research and technology development to benefit Canadians...
, Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs are Canadian university research professorships created through the Canada Research Chairs Program.- Program goals :...
program, the Indirect Costs of Research program, and through Networks of Centres of Excellence. Both governments of Canada and Ontario provide funding and support for post-secondary students.
- Parents receive funding from the government of Canada to save money for the post-secondary education of their children. The Registered Education Savings PlanRegistered Education Savings PlanA Registered Education Savings Plan, or RESP, is an investment vehicle used by parents to save for their children's post-secondary education in Canada. The principal advantages of RESPs are the access to the Canada Education Savings Grant and a source of tax-deferred income.-Tax Benefits:An RESP...
(RESP) is a financial instrument that acts as a tax shelter. The Canada Education Savings GrantCanada Education Savings GrantThe Canada Education Savings Grant is a Government of Canada program, administered through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, to assist with savings for Canadian children's higher education...
provides funds to eligible parents to deposit into a RESP account. The Canada Learning BondCanada Learning BondThe Canada Learning Bond is a grant paid by the government of Canada to assist low-income families with saving money for their children's post-secondary education...
targets assistance to parents less likely to have funds available to contribute to a RESP account. - Students may receive funding through Canadian student loansStudent loans in CanadaStudent loans in Canada help post-secondary students pay for their education in Canada. The federal government funds the Canada Student Loan Program and the provinces may fund their own programs or run in parallel with the CSLP...
from the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan program, grants or targeted bursaries available through the Ontario Student Assistance ProgramOntario Student Assistance ProgramThe Ontario Student Assistance Program is a financial aid program delivered by the government of Ontario, Canada, for post-secondary education students...
, or funds available from the Canada Millennium Scholarship FoundationCanada Millennium Scholarship FoundationThe Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation was a private, independent organization created by an act of the Parliament of Canada in 1998. It received an initial endowment of $2.5 billion from the federal government to provide awards annually for ten years...
. In addition, students with earnings who have previously contributed to a Canadian retirement tax shelter (i.e., the Registered Retirement Savings PlanRegistered Retirement Savings PlanA Registered Retirement Savings Plan or RRSP is a type of Canadian account for holding savings and investment assets. Introduced in 1957, the RRSP's purpose is to promote savings for retirement by employees. It must comply with a variety of restrictions stipulated in the Canadian Income Tax Act...
) may make tax-free withdrawals under the Canadian tax system using the Lifelong Learning Plan as long as the funds are repaid within a ten year period. Graduate students may also be eligible for funding through the Ontario Graduate ScholarshipOntario Graduate ScholarshipThe Ontario Graduate Scholarship program offers 2,000 annual scholarships to eligible students who will pursue graduate studies in order to complete a Master's degree, PhD or Doctorate at a university in Ontario, Canada ....
program or by applying for funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research CouncilSocial Sciences and Humanities Research CouncilThe Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada is an arm of the Canadian federal funding agency. SSHRC supports a wide range of research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities. The current president of the Council is Chad Gaffield.- History :SSHRC was formally...
.
Access and Participation
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
, Education Indicators in Canada: An International Perspective, indicates that 63% of Ontario's population aged 25-34 have educational attainment to at least the tertiary level as compared to the national average of 56% and the average across OECD countries of 37%.
Despite these comparatively strong participation and attainment rates, under-represented groups in Ontario face access issues that are common around the world. The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario is an independent advisory agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities to provide recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, inter-institutional transfer, system planning, and effectiveness in higher...
(HEQCO) illustrates that issues such as geography and disability have negative impacts on participation that may largely relate back to family income and the cost of postsecondary education, but the two most significant factors affecting postsecondary participation in Ontario are parents' level of education and Aboriginal status, factors that relate more to the perception of higher education rather than the actual costs.
Ontario's Liberal government and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (Ontario) embarked on the Reaching Higher plan for postsecondary education in the province beginning in 2005. The plan calls for a $6.2 Billion investment in postsecondary education to address such issues as capacity, access, financial assistance and more, including a target postsecondary attainment rate of 70%.
Reaching Higher follows the 2005 report by the Honourable Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, Ontario: A Leader in Learning (a.k.a. the Rae Report
Rae Report
The Rae Report was the result of a provincial review of post-secondary education led by former Ontario Premier Bob Rae. After the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty brought in a fully funded tuition fee freeze at public colleges and universities in April 2004, it announced a sweeping review of...
), which also sparked the creation of the HEQCO. While current government efforts are intended to address issues of access, the HEQCO warns that a lack of reliable system-wide data will make it difficult to monitor the effects of these efforts and the state of access and participation in the future. One current source of data, Stats Canada's Youth in Transitions Survey (YITS)
, will soon end while another Stats Canada source, the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID), provides less comprehensive data with respect to higher education transitions specifically.
Mobility and Transfer
Ontario has a binary postsecondary education system consisting essentially of universities on one hand and colleges on the other. (see Structure for details) This binary structure has been long-standing and intentional with little mobility between the two sides; a characteristic that has been maintained through formidable resistance from universities to develop a more articulated system. Only in recent years have pathways begun to emerge between these two otherwise distinct types of institutions.In 1996, the provincial government initiated the College and University Consortium Council (CUCC) in order to foster closer collaboration between colleges and universities in Ontario. Three years later, in 1999, the Council of Ontario Universities
Council of Ontario Universities
The Council of Ontario Universities builds awareness of the university sector’s contributions to the social, economic and cultural well-being of the province and the country, as well as the issues that impact the sector’s ability to maximize these contributions...
(COU) and the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO) jointly endorsed a set of principles governing mobility and transfer that has become known as the Port Hope Accord.
In the decade following, a collection of laddering and degree-completion agreements had begun to accumulate on the Ontario College University Transfer Guide (OCUTG). The agreements tend to be very specific between one university and one college. This style of transfer agreement differs from articulated systems such as those in British Columbia (see: British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer
British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer
The British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer governs the credit-transfer agreements between post-secondary institutions in British Columbia, Canada.-External links:*http://www.bccat.bc.ca - official website...
) and Alberta (see: Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer
Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer
The Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer is an independent body created in 1974 to facilitate transfer agreements between the various post secondary institutions in Alberta. The vision of ACAT is to "develop a nationally and internationally recognized transfer system" by facilitating the...
).
The Honourable Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's 2005 report, Ontario: A Leader in Learning, makes the most recent call for improvements to student mobility and institutional cooperation. Following government endorsment of the Rae Report
Rae Report
The Rae Report was the result of a provincial review of post-secondary education led by former Ontario Premier Bob Rae. After the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty brought in a fully funded tuition fee freeze at public colleges and universities in April 2004, it announced a sweeping review of...
, in 2011 the CUCC evolved into the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), which has assumed jurisdiction over the OCUTG; now known as the Ontario Postsecondary Transfer Guide (OPTG).
In a recent study of student perspectives of postsecondary mobility in Ontario published in the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Professional File, PhD. candidate Christine Arnold writes, "Transfer pathways have progressed significantly in the province over the last five years (College-University Consortium Council, 2007); resources and sources for transfer currently do not match this level of care."
Future
The future of Higher Education in Ontario will face gradual economic constraint, increasing integration with business and industry, and an extensive use of technology. The rapid increase (60% from in the last decade) in student enrollment in Ontario universities has not been met in similar increase of university professors (28% increase in the same time span) resulting in a student-to-faculty ratio of 26-1, which is much higher than the national average. Internationalization of higher education is also on the rise. The number of domestic students studying abroad and international students studying in Canada is increasing rapidly.. Students who are involved in higher education programs in western developed economies may have a gross rate of return to a year's additional education ranging between 5 and 10 per cent. The World Bank, amongst other development specialists, has recognized that low levels of education are often key risk factors for poverty. A TD Economics paper reports that a university-educated worker's weekly earnings are on average 61 per cent higher than their counterparts with just a high school education. However, in combining the revenues for peer state private and public universities, Ontario invested 44 per cent less annually in its university system compared with the system in the peer states. Continuous under funding of education can be linked to Ontario's prosperity gap. Studies reflect that under funding in education is one of the contributing factors of a $6,000 per person prosperity gap between Ontario and the jurisdictional average.The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (Ontario)'s Reaching Higher plan for postsecondary education in the province, initiated in 2005, includes a $6.2 Billion commitment to postsecondary education to address such issues as capacity, access, financial assistance and more. The plan calls for, among other deliverables, a target postsecondary attainment rate of 70%. Following the October 2011 provincial election which resulted in a Liberal minority, the government re-affirmed its commitment to the reaching higher plan by announcing that 3 new undergraduate campuses will be established to serve increasing demand.
Academic Reform: Policy Options for Improving the Quality and Cost-Effectiveness of Undergraduate Education in Ontario
Academic Reform
Academic Reform: Policy Options for Improving the Quality and Cost-Effectiveness of Undergraduate Education in Ontario is an upcoming book co-authored by Ian D. Clark, David Trick and Richard J...
, written by Ian D. Clark
Ian D. Clark
Ian D. Clark, CM is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Toronto, a former Canadian civil servant and former president of the Council of Ontario Universities....
, David Trick
David Trick
David Trick is a former Ontario civil servant and university administrator.Trick’s career in the Ontario Public Service included Assistant Deputy Minister-level positions in Postsecondary Education and Finance. He also worked in the fields of intergovernmental affairs, economic development, labour...
and Richard J. Van Loon
Richard J. Van Loon
Richard Van Loon is a former Canadian civil servant and ex-president of Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.Van Loon was the first president of Carleton who was also a Carleton alumnus. He got his bachelor of science in chemistry there in 1961, as well as an MA in 1965...
, provides recommendations on the way forward for Ontario higher education.
See also
- Education in OntarioEducation in OntarioEducation in Ontario falls under provincial jurisdiction. Publicly funded elementary and secondary schools are administered by the Ontario Ministry of Education, while colleges and universities are administered by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.The current Minister of...
- Higher education in CanadaHigher education in CanadaHigher education in Canada describes the constellation of provincial higher education systems in Canada and their relationships with the federal government, provinces, and territories.-Higher education systems in Canada:...
- Ministry of Education (Ontario)Ministry of Education (Ontario)The Ministry of Education is the agency of the Ontario government in the Canadian province of Ontario responsible for government policy, funding, curriculum planning and direction in all levels of public education, including elementary and secondary schools.This Ministry is responsible for...
- List of colleges in Ontario
- List of universities in Ontario
- List of Ontario students' associations
Further reading
- Arnold, C.H. (2011). Following the Ontario Transfer Student: From College to University Inception. http://www.csshe-scees.ca/pf/PF_31_Arnold.pdf
- Bissell, C. (1966). Ontario. In R. S. Harris (Ed.), Changing patterns of higher education in Canada (pp. 87 – 106). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
- Cameron, D.M & Royce, D.M. (1996) Appendix B: Prologue to Change: An Abbreviated History of Public Policy and Postsecondary Education in Ontario. Report of the Advisory Panel on Future Directions for Postsecondary Education. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/futuree.html#appendixB
- Harris, R. S. (1976). A history of higher education in Canada, 1663 - 1960. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
- Jones, G. (2005). On complex intersections: Ontario universities and governments. In F. Iacobucci & C. Tuohy (Eds.), Taking public universities seriously (pp. 174 – 187). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.* McKillop, A. B. (1994). Matters of mind: The university in Ontario, 1791 - 1951. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
- Milway, J. (2005). Post-secondary education and Ontario's prosperity. In F. Iacobucci & C. Tuohy (Eds.), Taking public universities seriously (pp. 341 – 359). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
- Rae, B. (2005). Ontario: A Leader in Learning – Report & Recommendations. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/postsec.pdf
- Skolnik, M. L. (2005). The Rae Review and the structure of postsecondary education in Ontario. In C. M. Beach (Ed.), A challenge for higher education in Ontario (pp. 7 – 26). Kingston, ON: John Deutsch Institute for the Study of Economic Policy.
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