Funding for Ontario colleges and universities to be tied to 'performance outcomes'

The Ontario government is putting more conditions on post-secondary funding, saying money for the province's public colleges and universities will increasingly be tied to performance outcomes.

In its first budget, the Progressive Conservative government says it will negotiate new agreements with 45 post-secondary institutions by the end of next March to make the province a "national leader" in outcomes-based funding.

The province says only a small proportion of funding has been linked to institutional performance in recent years 1.4 per centfor universities and 1.2 per cent for colleges but that will go up to 60 per cent in the next five years.

The government could not specify what criteria will be used toevaluate post-secondary performance, saying it will work with institutions to develop the metrics. Graduation and employment rates are already used to gauge performance.

NDPslams cuts as tools to control schools

The budget unveiled Thursday says spending on post-secondary education and training is projected to decrease from $12.1 billionin 2018-19 to $11.7 billion at the end of the Tories' four-yearterm, for an average drop of one per cent annually.

New Democrats expressed concern about the funding changes, saying the government appeared to be using the threat of cuts to control schools.

You're going to see institutions cut off disciplines and faculties that aren'tperforming in the way that this government wants them to.- Ian McRae

"I think what Mr. Ford is signalling to colleges and universities is, 'if you don't teach what we want you to teach, then you're going to get your funding cut,"' NDP Leader Andrea Horwathsaid.

Ian McRae, government relations co-ordinator with the Canadian Federation of Students' Ontario chapter, said the move will disproportionately affect small and remote schools.

"When you move to performance-based outcomes, you're going to see institutions cut off disciplines and faculties that aren'tperforming in the way that this government wants them to," he said."That's going to have a negative impact on accessibility."

"Performance-based funding pits one university against another, it generates inequities across the university system ... and almost never succeeds in actually achieving the target improvements that itseeks to do and in fact often exacerbates problems in the system," said Gyllian Phillips, the group's president.

The government announced earlier this year it was scrapping free tuition for low-income students and replacing it with a mix of grants and loans, as well as cutting tuition for all students by 10 per cent.

Compliance with free speech policy could affect funding

Student fees for campus organizations such as clubs and newspapers have also been made optional, drawing backlash fromcritics who said it will undermine accountability withinpost-secondary institutions and jeopardize important student supports.

The government has also announced a new policy on free speech incolleges and universities, and said compliance with the policy could affect funding.

The budget also raises concerns about the rising retirement age for post-secondary faculty.

"This has cost implications, as these employees tend to be paid the highest salaries and benefits and, in some cases, are drawing salary and pension payments at the same time," the document says.

The government is proposing to introduce legislative amendments that would give it the power to address this issue, but said it would consult with the post-secondary sector before taking concrete action.