Published plans and annual reports 2021-2022: Ministry of Colleges and Universities

Ministry overview

Ministry’s vision

Ontario’s postsecondary system prepares students and job seekers with the high-quality education, skills and opportunities needed to get good jobs, providing Ontario’s businesses with the skilled workforce and talent they need to thrive and prosper.

The ministry provides operating funding to publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes, manages capital funding programs in the postsecondary sector, establishes provincial objectives for the use of public funds and designs frameworks for achieving these objectives. Private career colleges play an important role in Ontario’s postsecondary landscape, providing learners with the knowledge and skills they need to get a job in today’s workplace. The ministry also ensures that high-quality postsecondary education is accessible to all qualified candidates through tuition regulation, student assistance, targeted funding, accountability mechanisms and digital and experiential learning opportunities.

Ontario’s science and research sector fuels the province’s economic growth and will be a critical part of the province’s recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The ministry funds world-class research in Ontario universities, colleges and academic hospitals. Ontario’s competitive research funding programs and support for research institutes drive commercialization and innovation and help attract and retain world class talent. The ministry’s focus on Intellectual Property (IP) generation, protection and management helps ensure that Ontario and the people of Ontario benefit from the outcomes of research supported by the province.

Supporting postsecondary education, research and innovation will help the province compete and thrive in the global economy and are more important than ever as drivers of Ontario's community renewal and economic recovery from COVID-19.

COVID-19 response

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has taken immediate action in consultation with sector partners to support research and postsecondary education, and the front-line response to COVID-19, in a time of uncertainty including:

• Distributing $25 million in funding to publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes at the start of the pandemic to help address each institution's most pressing needs as a result of the immediate impacts of COVID-19.
• Suspending student loan payments for Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) borrowers at the start of the pandemic with a six-month interest-free moratorium on loans, resulting in the opportunity to defer approximately $100 million in principal payments and $30 million in interest charges.
• Investing $20 million in 35 peer-reviewed research projects that are advancing knowledge related to preventing, detecting and treating COVID-19 through the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.
• Working with eCampusOntario and Contact North|Nord to make virtual learning supports available, as needed, to help postsecondary institutions pivot to emergency remote teaching.
• Working with postsecondary and research sectors to solicit donations and loans of critically needed personal protective and medical equipment to support front-line response to COVID-19.
• Supporting the postsecondary sector with a summer reopening pilot that allowed students studying in critical healthcare related programs to graduate and join the workforce.
• Providing $50 million to launch a Virtual Learning Strategy that will support postsecondary institutions to provide learners with high-quality education as they gain the skills needed in today’s rapidly evolving labour market.
• Working with private career colleges to enable innovative solutions to help support students including flexibility to allow digital learning.
• Investing $26.25 million in 2020-21 in mental health supports for postsecondary students, $10.25 million more than previous years, to bolster mental health supports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Announcing an additional $7.5 million investments in a series of research initiatives to help stimulate the economy and support COVID-19 recovery efforts.
• Consulting research stakeholders, postsecondary education students, stakeholders and partners to support planning for the economic recovery phase of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19,including providing guidelines for 2020 Fall reopening of postsecondary institutions.
• In partnership with the Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ministry of Health, launched the accelerated personal support worker program with Colleges Ontario to support the training and graduation of 8,200 personal support workers.
• Providing $106.4 million for publicly assisted colleges and universities that need it the most to help address the financial impacts of COVID-19 in 2020–21.

Ministry programs

Ontario’s postsecondary education (PSE) and research sectors help make the province the economic engine of Canada with a highly educated workforce, a knowledge-intensive economy and world-class postsecondary education institutions.

Ontario’s postsecondary system prepares students and job seekers with the high-quality education, skills and opportunities needed to get good jobs, providing Ontario’s businesses with the skilled workforce and talent they need to thrive and prosper.

Ontario’s economic recovery and future prosperity is dependent on a workforce that can adapt and respond to an evolving labour market. People need to be able to quickly gain the skills and qualifications they need to get good jobs.

Supporting research in Ontario is foundational to commercialization and innovation and to attracting and retaining world class talent. It also helps create highly skilled jobs and boosts global competitiveness for Ontario’s companies and research institutions.

By supporting research and innovation, Ontario can compete and thrive in the global economy making the sector more important than ever in Ontario's COVID-19 recovery and economic growth.

Though Ontario's research and PSE sectors have quickly adapted to a new way of working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the full impacts of the pandemic on these sectors continue to unfold.

Helping students on the path to in-demand jobs

Ontario supports a postsecondary system where every student has a right to learn and develop in an environment that is accessible and inclusive.

Current and future students will play a critical role in Ontario’s economic recovery from COVID-19, and the government will continue to look for ways to reduce the barriers that exist for students to participate fully in the education and training they need to prepare for their careers.

Making postsecondary education accessible and affordable

Freezing tuition until 2021

The government remains committed to making postsecondary education affordable. In 2019–20, students at every publicly assisted college and university saw their tuition rates go down by 10%. For the 2020–21 academic year, tuition fees remain frozen at the 2019–20 levels. Reducing tuition and increasing the affordability of postsecondary education is part of the government’s plan to help people get the training they need to get good-paying jobs.

Ontario Student Assistance Program

OSAP continues to provide financial assistance to qualified students in postsecondary studies who need it most, including grant, loan, bursary, scholarship and other aid programs. Postsecondary education is a critical part of preparing Ontarians for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The government continues to work with sector partners on ways to make the postsecondary sector sustainable and forward thinking. The postsecondary options that OSAP supports has expanded. Students in eligible, independently delivered programs at Indigenous Institutes are eligible to apply for OSAP starting in the 2020–21 academic year, and students can also now apply for OSAP for hundreds of eligible micro-credential programs.

Indigenous Institutes

Indigenous Institutes provide a culturally holistic and safe learning environment where Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing are incorporated in all aspects of the learner experience. Ontario supports nine Indigenous Institutes to provide postsecondary education and training for over 1,350 Indigenous learners. Ontario has provided increased funding to support Indigenous Institutes operating costs.

French-language education

The government provides approximately $74 million to support over 30,000 postsecondary students enrolled in French-language and bilingual programs in Ontario. To support the historic establishment of the Université de l’Ontario français, Ontario has been working with the federal government to share start-up costs of this postsecondary education milestone for Ontario’s Francophone community.

Students with disabilities

The government provides financial support to publicly assisted colleges, universities and indigenous institutes so they can ensure that all students have the tools and resources to achieve their full potential.

This funding assists colleges, universities and indigenous institutes in meeting their legal requirements to provide academic accommodations and services to students with disabilities.

Healthy campuses

Supporting mental health

Ontario is working with the postsecondary sector to create the right conditions so students can access and succeed in getting a postsecondary education, including providing access to mental health supports. The government invested a total of $26.25  million in mental health supports for postsecondary students in 2020-21, an increase of $10.25 million over 2019–20.

This investment supports several new and ongoing initiatives including mental health grants to publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes; a mental health helpline for postsecondary students; and new investments to support innovative partnerships focusing on student needs arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leader in online education

Virtual learning

The Virtual Learning Strategy, informed by consultations with the postsecondary sector, emphasizes the importance of accessible and sustainable, and high-quality growth in virtual learning. The strategy supports Ontario's efforts to grow our digital footprint and builds the skilled workforce that will support Ontario’s economy as it recovers from the effects of COVID-19. During COVID-19, virtual learning has become a critical part of postsecondary education delivery for all institutions.

The Virtual Learning Strategy builds on and leverages Ontario’s existing digital learning organizations – Contact North|Nord and eCampusOntario – that will improve access and drive innovation in virtual teaching and learning.

Virtual learning can improve access to learning opportunities, in both French and English. The strategy aims to:

• ensure learners have high-quality education: anytime, from anywhere
• enable learners to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving labour market
• strengthen Ontario’s leadership domestically and globally and position Ontario as a global leader for virtual innovation in teaching and learning

The strategy was accompanied by an unprecedented one-time investment of $50 million to help expand the availability of high-quality, market-responsive, and globally competitive Ontario Made education. The move will strengthen the province's position as a global leader in virtual learning. To support the implementation of the strategy, Ontario will be providing an additional $21.4 million over two years, beginning in 2021–22.

Hands-on training

Micro-credentials

Micro-credentials are rapid training programs offered by postsecondary institutions across the province that can help learners get the skills that employers need. They help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment.

Micro-credentials are complementary to traditional learning and offer learners training focused on specific skillsets--providing a faster pathway to employment compared to diploma or degree programs. Micro-credentials can often be completed online and are designed to meet employers’ needs.

In Ontario’s 2020 Budget, the Province announced $59.5 million of funding over three years to support Ontario’s first micro-credentials strategy, which will help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment. The funding will:

• improve access to micro-credentials information and registration through the development of an online portal for micro-credentials in Ontario
• create a fund to incentivize the development of new micro-credentials that respond to regional labour market needs
• launch a public awareness campaign to promote micro-credentials
• expand OSAP eligibility to include students enrolled in ministry-approved, quality-assured micro-credentials programs

The strategy sets the foundation for life-long learning by normalizing micro-credentials as a permanent feature of the Ontario postsecondary education and training system and ensuring learners have access to a postsecondary education system that offers maximum flexibility to pursue learning opportunities and acquire the skills they need to be job-ready.

As part of the strategy, the government is providing additional one‐time funding of $2 million in 2021-22 for the development of a virtual skills passport that tracks learners’ credentials to set the foundation for lifelong learning and allows them to share credentials digitally with prospective employers.

Experiential learning

Experiential learning opportunities at Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes and private career colleges help give students the experience they need to get good jobs after graduation. Experiential and work-integrated learning are part of the future of learning and prosperity.

Ontario’s new Virtual Learning Strategy will help institutions and postsecondary partners develop high-quality made in Ontario virtual education including experiential learning opportunities for students.

The government’s made-in-Ontario performance-based funding model embedded in Strategic Mandate Agreements links a larger portion of provincial postsecondary operating funding to student and economic outcomes. Targets related to experiential learning are included in these metrics.

Partnering with Mitacs, the Ontario government is creating up to 8,000 paid innovative research internships and upskilling opportunities for postsecondary students, postdoctoral fellows and recent graduates.

Sector sustainability and accountability

Performance-based funding

In November 2020, the 2020–2025 Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMA3) were finalized. These are bilateral multi-year agreements with all 45 of the province’s publicly assisted colleges and universities.

Through SMA3, an increasing proportion of provincial funding for universities and colleges will be tied to performance on metrics aligned with government priorities and positive outcomes for students. The ministry designed a made-in-Ontario performance-based funding model with key elements from national and international jurisdictions to link a portion of postsecondary operating funding to outcomes.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has delayed the activation of performance-based funding for two years (2020–21 and 2021–22).

Capital funding

Ensuring a modern and sustainable environment for postsecondary students remains a key priority for the province in order to support colleges and universities that have been impacted by COVID-19. The government is investing $493 million in capital grants over three years starting in 2021-22 for Ontario’s universities and colleges to modernize classrooms, upgrade technology and improve their environmental sustainability, while continuing to deliver a safe experience for students on campuses.

Ontario will also continue to support postsecondary institutions by investing $90 million over three years to help colleges and universities renew and purchase modern, state‐of‐the‐art equipment. As part of this investment, Ontario is establishing a new training equipment renewal fund for universities. This funding will help students to obtain the skills they need for the in‐demand jobs of today and tomorrow. It will also support postsecondary institutions in delivering relevant, high‐quality training to ensure that graduates meet the needs of Ontario’s labour market, including increased access to micro‐credentials. These programs will partner with the private sector to meet evolving employer needs.

Major capacity expansion

In July 2020, the province announced its updated Major Capacity Expansion Policy Framework to encourage the responsible expansion of new postsecondary campuses. This updated framework will ensure that future campus expansions align with government priorities, including keeping taxpayer costs low, meeting local labour market needs, and aligning with regional economic, community support and industry partnerships.

Red tape reduction

The government is taking action to reduce administrative burden for private career colleges and to make sure they can continue to deliver valuable training to students by:

• modernizing internal policies and processes to enable institutions to deliver training virtually
• exploring opportunities to streamline the designation process for institutions seeking to enroll international students
• simplifying how colleges, private and out-of-province institutions receive consent to offer new degrees in Ontario and how publicly assisted institutions receive program funding approvals
• making it easier for private career colleges to do business in the province
• allowing institutions greater autonomy and flexibility over their programming

International students

International students contributed approximately $12.3 billion to the provincial economy in 2018 and are an important part of Ontario’s postsecondary sector. The government recognizes the benefits that international postsecondary education brings to students, campuses and communities, and will work with Ontario’s postsecondary institutions to create the conditions that make it easier for everyone to access a high-quality education in the province.

The ministry worked to support postsecondary institutions with meeting the federal requirements for welcoming international students on campuses during COVID-19.

Research and innovation

A thriving research sector is a central pillar of the province’s innovation system. By providing funding for research, the ministry is ensuring that Ontario’s research institutions have the tools they need to engage in world-class research, development and commercialization.

Ontario-funded research projects benefit Ontario’s economy, workers and researchers. Investing in research institutions helps to foster research innovation, to further raise Ontario’s profile, and train top students and research talent on leading-edge techniques and technologies.

The ministry is also investing in the creation of a collaboration platform to facilitate innovative partnerships and collaborations to help leverage the research capacity of Ontario colleges, universities and academic hospitals to solve pressing challenges.

Ontario Research Fund and Early Researcher Awards

Ontario funds research at Ontario’s colleges, universities and research hospitals through three research funding programs:

• Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence
• Ontario Research Fund – Research Infrastructure
• Early Researcher Awards

These are competitive programs that select projects through a peer review process that demonstrate research excellence and strategic value to the province.

These activities contribute to Ontario’s long-term economic success by:

• supporting Ontario’s research capacity (talent, infrastructure and operations)
• providing funding for basic and applied research across disciplines, with a focus on priority sectors
• filling the gaps created by industry and the federal government, while leveraging maximum partner dollars (institutional, federal, and industry)

Research institutes

As a further demonstration of the Ontario government’s commitment to research excellence and commercialization, the ministry provides funding support to several research institutes. These institutes are internationally recognized centres of excellence, each with a unique mandate. Collectively, these organizations conduct research of strategic importance to the province, support research collaborations, focus on building talent, and on commercialization.

In 2020-21, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities provided over $120 million in funding to support eight research institutes.

Intellectual property

To encourage a leading environment for innovation, and build on COVID-19 recovery efforts, the government is strengthening its focus on the generation, protection and commercialization of intellectual property.

IP is an important means to compete in the modern, intangibles economy. Firms with IP assets such as patents, copyrights and trademarks increasingly dominate the global economy.

To implement the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Intellectual Property, the government launched the IP Action Plan in July 2020 to strengthen the way Ontario generates, protects, and commercializes intellectual property. This plan will support all those involved in research, innovation and commercialization, and help ensure that any economic outcomes generated by Ontario research and innovation remain in Ontario.

To help implement the plan, the government has announced, and is working in partnership with, the Special Implementation Team on Intellectual Property.

Ontario Health Data Platform

In order to enlist the creativity and drive of Ontario’s research community to help find new solutions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the government created the Ontario Health Data Platform (OHDP) that will provide researchers with privacy-protected access to linked health data sets within a secure, high-performance user environment. The ministry is supporting this important initiative by leading the implementation of the IP Policy that will ensure that the people of Ontario, the Ontario health system and the Ontario economy benefit from the discoveries and innovations that are created through access to OHDP data.

2021-22 strategic plan

Ontario’s postsecondary system prepares students and job seekers with the high-quality education, skills and opportunities needed to get good jobs, providing Ontario’s businesses with the skilled workforce and talent they need to thrive and prosper.

Ontario is also committed to investing in research and innovation in order to compete and thrive in the global economy.

Both postsecondary education and research sectors will play a critical role in Ontario’s recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A changing landscape

The postsecondary education and research landscape is changing. Rapid improvements in technology and the spread of broadband internet access have enabled the growth of online learning and short-duration, skills-based online courses. Increasingly, students evaluate postsecondary education through a consumer lens, with expectations that their investment will provide a clear return by building a practical skill set and providing a pathway to well-paying employment. A rapidly shifting economy and the displacement of workers increasingly requires workers to upgrade and/or get new skills.

Increasing numbers of students seeking higher education outside their home countries has expanded the competition and playing field for top talent.

A competitive advantage

The postsecondary education and research sectors are the source of a number of key competitive advantages that make Ontario the economic engine of Canada: a highly educated workforce, a knowledge-intensive economy and top-ranked postsecondary education institutions. They connect the dots of a resilient economy by training sought-after graduates, future-proofing workers, driving innovation and cultivating a modern, knowledge-based economy.

The PSE and research sectors have been key drivers of Ontario’s economy, and the time is ripe to transform and grow to adapt to rapid changes in the labour market, economy, the field of higher education, research and innovation. The traditional model of PSE as the only stop on the education journey has been upended by a more fluid model whereby workers exit and re-enter PSE to pivot and/or continually upgrade their skillsets through life-long learning over the course of a career.

Additionally, a precarious labour market has created a push for the PSE system to adapt to learners’ needs by providing a clear value proposition as a pathway to well-paying jobs. The shift to a knowledge economy demands that we maximize the commercialization value of the research coming out of the PSE sector through the strategic development and management of intellectual property.

A path to recovery

Throughout summer 2020, the government hosted more than 50 consultations to hear from colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes, private career colleges, student groups, faculty, businesses, research institutes, research hospitals, digital learning organizations, international student recruiters, labour representatives, advocacy organizations, and municipal governments.

Consultations focused on:

• postsecondary education system sustainability and enhancements: enrolment, red tape, corridor funding and tuition
• community impact: international students and re-opening institutions
• student learning: micro-credentials and work-integrated learning
• virtual learning
• research, data, commercialization and innovation

A plan for the future

The financial impacts of COVID-19 have been significant and wide-ranging, including revenue losses, emergency expenditures, costs associated with the transition to online delivery, enrolment declines for some institutions and staff layoffs. The postsecondary and research sectors have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both as employers and as sources of Ontario’s future workforce.

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the timelines and urgency to transform in the face of broader economic and global changes. While Ontario’s PSE and research sectors have strong fundamentals, a dramatically changed short- and long-term outlook point to the need to transform the system to solidify its competitive advantages for today and tomorrow.

The ministry’s plan for postsecondary and research will help these sectors meet the needs of today and tomorrow by leveraging existing strengths and prioritizing economic resilience. It is the foundation for the future of learning and prosperity and ensures that:

• learners have the skills and knowledge they need for the present and tomorrow
• institutions are sustainable, relevant and responsive
• research and innovation continue to drive our economic growth and our well-being
• communities grow and thrive as they benefit from the continued strength of the postsecondary and research sectors

A world class postsecondary sector

The ministry will continue to work towards outcomes that benefit students, employers and the economy as the province moves to re-open the economy and starts on the road to economic recovery. Key performance indicators and data related to college and university enrolment, financial reporting by the sector, student graduation rates, uptake of OSAP and graduate employment rates will continue to be key data points for the ministry and sector to monitor progress.

Ministry programs (operating and capital expense – voted)

Post secondary education: 95.6%
Ministry administration: 0.2%
Research program: 4.2%

Highlights of 2020-21 results

• Provided $39.5 million to help build partnerships between education and industry and create up to 8,000 paid innovative research internships and upskilling opportunities for postsecondary students, postdoctoral fellows and recent graduates.
• Announced Ontario’s first virtual learning strategy for postsecondary education with an accompanying investment of $50 million to expand access to high-quality, market-responsive, and globally competitive "Ontario Made" education.
• In partnership with the Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ministry of Health, launched the accelerated personal support worker program with Colleges Ontario to support the training and graduation of 8,200 personal support workers.
• Announced $59.5 million of funding over three years to support Ontario’s first micro-credentials strategy, which will help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment.
• Invested $23.5 million over the next five years to support innovative research and programs to help seniors with brain health related issues.
• Invested $20 million to advance medical research and develop tools and resources to combat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases through the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.
• Supported colleges and universities to address critical maintenance, repairs, upgrades and renewals with capital funding of $466 million over three years, starting in 2020-21.
• Provided $106.4 million to help eligible publicly assisted colleges and universities address the financial impacts of COVID-19.
• Provided Ontario colleges with $20 million to purchase and renew instructional equipment and learning resources, including equipment to support student virtual learning during COVID-19.
• Kept college and university tuitions frozen at current levels for Ontario residents until 2021, building on Ontario’s historic 10% reduction in tuition in 2019-20.
• Expanded OSAP to include nearly 600 micro-credential programs, ensuring loans and grants will be available to more learners looking to rapidly upskill and reskill for the in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow. Expanded OSAP for eligible programs at Indigenous Institutes starting in the 2020-21 academic year.
• Provided financial assistance through OSAP to over 425,000 students in 2020-21.
• Eased financial burden on student loan borrowers by temporarily deferring payments and interest accrual on loans provided through OSAP.
• Invested $26.25 million into mental health supports for postsecondary students in 2020-21, an increase of $10.25 million over the previous year, to help address increased demand for services due to COVID-19.
• Made sure students could complete their studies during the COVID-19 outbreak by making online learning supports, including year-end exams, available to postsecondary institutions.
• Announced a made-in-Ontario Intellectual Property Action Plan to help ensure the tremendous social and economic benefits of taxpayer-funded research and innovation stays right here in the province.
• Updated the Major Capacity Expansion Policy Framework to encourage the responsible development of new postsecondary campuses, ensuring minimal cost to the taxpayer, a high-quality education that aligns with labour market needs, and expansion plans that align with community planning and industry partnerships.
• Announced support for York University's new Markham Centre Campus, the first publicly assisted university in York Region.
• Signed historic Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMAs) with the 45 publicly-assisted colleges and universities that will introduce a performance-based funding model that emphasizes student and economic outcomes – making Ontario a national leader in performance-based funding.
• Proposed changes to sexual violence and harassment policies at postsecondary institutions to ensure victims are not faced with irrelevant questions and will not face repercussions for violating an institution’s drug and alcohol policy at the time sexual violence took place, that may prevent them from reporting sexual violence or harassment.

Agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs)

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO)

Assists the Minister to improve all aspects of postsecondary education, including improving the quality of, and access to, postsecondary education, and enhancing the accountability of postsecondary education institutions.

The agency also recommends targets to be achieved and performance measures to be used to evaluate the postsecondary education sector, evaluates the postsecondary education sector, reports to the Minister and makes results public, conducts research on postsecondary education, researches, evaluates and reports on free speech across the postsecondary sector.

Training Completion Assurance Fund Advisory Board (TCAF)

Provides advice to the Superintendent of Private Career Colleges (PCC) on the administration of TCAF, including financial administration of the fund, criteria for assessing financial viability of PCCs, general guidelines for responding to PCC closures, and responses to specific PCCs closures. Legislative amendments to dissolve the TCAF Advisory Board have been passed and await Proclamation.

TCAF is a Special Purpose Account (SPA), authorized by the Ministry of Finance within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (liability account) and represents money received or collected by Ontario for a special purpose.

Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB)

Makes recommendations to the Minister on applications for the Minister's consent to offer degree programs and/or use the term university from new and existing private Ontario degree-granting institutions, out-of-province institutions, Ontario colleges and all others not authorized to award degrees by an Ontario statute.

Ontario Research Fund Advisory Board (ORFAB)

Reviews research proposals submitted to the Ontario Research Fund and Early Researcher Award program that have been assessed by a Review Panel and makes funding recommendations to the Minister. The board also provides strategic advice to the Minister on the research agenda to keep Ontario competitive and prosperous.

Ministry organization chart

• Minister: Ross Romano
  • Parliamentary Assistant: David Piccini
  • Deputy Minister: Shelley Tapp
    • Executive Assistant: Sarah Robb
    • Communication – Director: Nemone Smith
    • Data, Research and Innovation Division – Assistant Deputy Minister: Rachel Simeon
      • Executive Assistant: Isabella Di Cristofaro
      • Information Management and Data  Chelsea Hellings
      • Science and Research – Director: Katherine Kelly Gatten
    • Advanced Education Learner Supports Division – Assistant Deputy Minister: Tamara Gilbert
      • Executive Assistant: Michelle Stinson(A)
      • Private Career Colleges – Director: Travis Coulter (A)
      • Student Financial Assistance – Director: Maria Mellas
      • Digital Learning Policy – Director: Anna Boyden
    • Postsecondary Education Division – Assistant Deputy Minister: Kelly Shields
      • Executive Assistant: Annet Rex Christy (A)
      • Postsecondary Education Policy – Director: Paddy Buckley
      • Postsecondary Accountability – Director: Ivonne Mellozzi (A)
      • Indigenous Education – Director: Barry McCartan
      • Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board Secretariat – Director: James Brown
      • Postsecondary Finance & Information Management – Director: Lindsay Harold (A)
    • Corporate Management & Services Division – Assistant Deputy Minister: Susan Flanagan
      • Executive Assistant: Deborah Camacho(A)
      • Ontario Internal Audit Education Audit Team (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Michael Benn (A)
      • Corporate Finance & Services – Director: Konrad Stypka (A)
      • Strategic Human Resources – Director: Nadine Ramdial
      • Corporate Coordination (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Sarah Truscott
      • Legal Services (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Shannon Chace
    • French Language Teaching, Learning & Achievement Division – Assistant Deputy Minister: Denys Giguère
      • Executive Assistant: Sira Kanoute (A)
      • French Language Education, Policies & Programs* - Luc Davet
      • French Language Teaching & Learning - Veronique Simcos (A)
      • MCU French-Language Priorities – Director: Gilles Fortin
    • Community Services I&IT Cluster (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Chief Information Officer/ Assistant Deputy Minister: Soussan Tabari
      • Executive Assistant: Marie Dearlove
      • Case & Grant Management Solutions (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Sanaul Haque
      • Strategic Planning & Business Relationship Management (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Aleli Gulak (A)
      • Data Collection & Decision Support Solution (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Carm Scarfo
      • iACCESS Solution (Reports to Ministry of Education and Ministry of Colleges and Universities) – Director: Farshad Mahlooji (A)

Detailed financial information

* Estimates, Interim Actuals and Actuals for prior fiscal years are re-stated to reflect any changes in ministry organization and/or program structure. Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2021 Ontario Budget.

Historic trend table

Appendix: 2020-21 annual report

2020–21 results

Postsecondary education is a critical part of preparing Ontario students for the future. Ontario’s internationally acclaimed postsecondary sector plays a critical role in creating a pipeline of talented workers, making sure that people get the skills and education they need so they are qualified and ready to fill jobs, and address the skills gap.

The government is committed to bringing financial accountability and sustainability back to Ontario’s postsecondary education system to ensure postsecondary institutions are providing positive economic outcomes and the knowledge, skills and training students and people need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Supporting research in Ontario is foundational to commercialization and innovation and to securing that world class talent is attracted to, and remains in, the province. This activity creates highly skilled jobs and enhances the global competitiveness for Ontario’s companies and research institutions. That is why the government will continue to work with research institutions, research organizations and academic hospitals to ensure an innovative environment that builds capacity and creates jobs, opportunity and growth.

Supporting postsecondary education, research and innovation will help the province compete and thrive in the global economy and are more important than ever as drivers of Ontario's community renewal and economic recovery from COVID-19.

Key initiatives and results

The government is making life easier and more affordable for people to access a postsecondary education. Ontario’s internationally acclaimed postsecondary sector helps people get the skills and education they need so they are qualified to land the high-quality jobs of today and tomorrow, returning Ontario to its rightful place as Canada’s economic engine.

Ontario’s research programs are important to ensuring the advancement of technologies and practices within education and business.

Supporting students and institutions during the COVID-19 outbreak

Providing six months of OSAP loan and interest accrual relief for student loan borrowers

The government suspended OSAP loan payments between March 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, when borrowers were not required to make any loan payments and no interest accrued on their loans. The moratorium provided the opportunity for OSAP borrowers to defer approximately $100 million in principal payments and $30 million in interest charges, providing relief for borrowers in a time of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital solutions to help students complete their studies

To ensure students could successfully complete the academic year, Ontario worked with eCampusOntario to make digital learning supports available to postsecondary institutions. These interim digital learning supports, available in both French and English, gave publicly assisted colleges and universities access to the technology they needed to conduct secure online assessments, while preserving student privacy and the integrity of academic assessment. In addition, Contact North|Nord provided supports for postsecondary institutions, faculty, and students as teaching and learning rapidly pivoted online.

Supporting our institutions during the COVID-19 outbreak

The province distributed $25 million in additional funding to publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes to help address each institution’s most pressing needs in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak such as deep cleaning, purchasing medical supplies or offering mental health supports.

An additional $106.4 million was provided to eligible publicly assisted colleges and universities that need it the most to help address the financial impacts of COVID-19 in 2020–21.

Supporting COVID-19 research

Through the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund, the government committed $20 million in research and innovation funding to support COVID-19 research by leveraging the strengths of Ontario’s world-class research institutions, industry and non-profit scientific partners. This included funding to help commercialize the Rapid Research Fund projects to ensure that taxpayer-funded research benefits Ontarians first.

Ministry staff worked closely with stakeholders including Colleges Ontario, the Council of Ontario Universities and the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario to encourage the submission of research proposals via the Ontario Together portal for consideration under the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund program. More than 700 full applications were received and vetted through a rigorous peer review process.

The government awarded funding to 35 research projects. Through these efforts, researchers are working to find ways to prevent, detect and treat COVID-19. The projects focus on areas such as vaccine development, diagnostics, drug trials and development, social sciences and mental health. The government also created the Ontario Health Data Platform (OHDP), which provides researchers with privacy-protective access to linked health data sets within a secure, high-performance user environment.

Making tuition more affordable

Helping students who demonstrate financial need

OSAP provides financial assistance to qualified students in postsecondary studies. It continues to include grant, loan, bursary, scholarship and other aid programs.

Starting in the 2020–21 academic year, students in eligible, independently delivered programs at Indigenous Institutes are eligible to apply for OSAP for the first time.

Freezing tuition fees

The government is committed to making postsecondary education affordable. Reducing tuition and increasing the affordability of postsecondary education is part of the government’s plan to help people get the training they need to get good-paying jobs. In 2019–20, students at every publicly assisted college and university saw their tuition rates go down by 10%. For the 2020–21 academic year, tuition fees remain frozen at 2019–20 levels.

Setting incentives for success

Promoting better outcomes for students - Performance-based funding

For 2020–2025, the government has developed new, historic Strategic Mandate Agreements. These are individual agreements between the government and all 45 publicly assisted colleges and universities that will begin to link a larger portion of provincial postsecondary operating funding to student and economic outcomes, making the province a national leader in performance-based funding.

This ‘made-in-Ontario’ performance-based funding model will help ensure students get the education, skills and experience they need to find good jobs by ensuring these postsecondary institutions offer programs that align with labour market demands.

By tying a portion of government funding to performance, Ontario is encouraging institutions to focus on making sure students and graduates have the real-world skills they need for rewarding careers now and in the future.

Due to the challenges COVID-19 has created for all sectors, including postsecondary education, the government has decided to delay the activation of performance-based funding for two years (2020–21 and 2021–22) to help provide stability and predictability to Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges and universities.

Red tape reduction

The ministry continues to support the government-wide initiative to reduce regulatory burdens, which includes:

• supporting postsecondary development and expansion to support both postsecondary education institutions and students
• improving engagement and updating the virtual learning policy for private career colleges
• introducing legislative amendments to support private institutions
• undertaking reviews of a variety of programs and policies to reduce administrative burden and modernize existing programs

Maximizing commercialization opportunities

Intellectual property

In July 2020, the Ontario government announced a made-in-Ontario Intellectual Property Action Plan to help ensure the tremendous social and economic benefits of taxpayer-funded research and innovation stays in the province.

As Canada’s most patent-intensive province and largest producer of world-class research, it is important to ensure that Ontarians benefit from investments in research and development activities, including those related to COVID-19.

The government is strengthening Ontario's intellectual property position through the Intellectual Property Action Plan. The plan will drive the province's long-term economic competitiveness by prioritizing IP generation, protection, and commercialization.

Innovative entrepreneurial partnerships

The ministry introduced a new policy to establish innovative partnerships between publicly assisted colleges and private providers to help build Ontario’s workforce, create jobs and meet the growing demand for skilled workers in Ontario.

The policy will also help colleges be more financially sustainable and competitive, so they can invest that economic benefit back into their main campus and local communities. It will also give colleges more flexibility to meet the strong demand from international students for high-quality Ontario postsecondary education and support student diversity.

Ensuring dynamic postsecondary education workforce

Experiential learning

Experiential learning opportunities at Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes and private career colleges help give students the skills they need to get good jobs after graduation.

The government has supported the creation of more than 129,000 new experiential learning opportunities through investments of more than $50 million to help publicly assisted colleges and universities, employers and other organizations transform course design to benefit postsecondary students by developing their job-ready skills.

In 2020–21, the ministry provided $34 million to help Mitacs create thousands of paid innovative research internships and upskilling opportunities for postsecondary students and postdoctoral fellows.

Stand-alone nursing

In 2020, the Ontario government announced that colleges and universities would be permitted to offer baccalaureate nursing degree programs on a stand-alone basis, thus, offering more choice for students. This new policy allows institutions to have greater autonomy and flexibility over their programming, while maintaining excellence in nursing degree education. In March 2021, Humber College became the first college to offer independent nursing degrees.

Access to education

French language postsecondary education

To support over 30,000 postsecondary students enrolled in French-language and bilingual programs in Ontario, the government provides approximately $74 million, allowing Francophone and bilingual institutions to maintain or offer new programs and services in French for their students.

The establishment of the Université de l’Ontario français represents a historic milestone for Ontario’s Francophone community. To support the university, Ontario has been working with the federal government to share start-up costs of the institution. A new funding agreement, developed in early 2020, sets the stage for the Université de l’Ontario français to be able to welcome its first cohort of students at a new Toronto campus in September 2021.

The new university clearly shows the government’s commitment to strengthening the vitality of the Francophone community, to investing in its future and to ensuring it continues to actively contribute to Ontario’s prosperity.

Capital funding

The Ontario government helps colleges and universities upgrade their campuses and improve student learning experiences by providing annual funding through the Facilities Renewal Program (FRP), and the College Equipment and Renewal Fund (CERF).

In 2020–21, the Ontario government provided approximately $164 million to colleges and universities to help them upgrade and renew their campuses.

• Through the government’s FRP, in 2020–21 Ontario’s colleges and universities received a total of almost $144 million to help address the ongoing need for maintenance, repair, renovation and modernization of existing facilities. These funds will help institutions provide a safe learning environment for students, faculty and staff.
• In 2020–21, Ontario’s colleges also received a total of $20 million from CERF, to help them purchase and renew vital instructional equipment and learning resources. These funds will assist colleges in delivering relevant, high-quality education and training to meet evolving employer needs, and address the challenges of learning during COVID-19.

The Ontario government announced its support for York University’s Markham Centre Campus in July 2020 under the new Major Capacity Expansion (MCE) Policy Framework that encourages the responsible expansion of new postsecondary campuses. This new campus, which is expected to open in fall 2023, will provide students in Markham greater access to postsecondary education programs in technology and entrepreneurship at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, the Markham Campus is also projected to generate over $350 million in economic benefits and create an additional 2,000 jobs in the community.

Virtual Learning Strategy

On December 11, 2020, the Ontario government announced a $50 million investment in virtual learning and educational technologies to help expand access to high-quality, market-responsive, and globally competitive Ontario Made virtual education.

The Virtual Learning Strategy, informed by consultations with the postsecondary sector, emphasizes the importance of accessible and sustainable growth in virtual learning, supports Ontario's efforts to grow our digital footprint and builds the skilled workforce that will support Ontario’s economy as it recovers from the effects of COVID-19.

The Virtual Learning Strategy builds on and leverages Ontario’s existing digital learning organizations—Contact North|Nord and eCampusOntario—that improve access and drives innovation in virtual teaching and learning. Virtual learning has the ability to improve access to learning opportunities, in both French and English, through anytime, anywhere learning, providing all Ontarians a fair chance to compete in the labour market.

Healthy, safe campuses

Postsecondary education is a critical part of preparing Ontario students for the future. To ensure Ontario’s students are able to reach their potential, Ontario’s postsecondary institutions need to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.

Students with disabilities

The ministry in 2020-21 provided approximately $60M funding to colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes to support institutions in providing accommodations and services to ensure students with disabilities have access to the supports they need to help them succeed in their studies.

The funding can be used for a range of services including arranging accommodations, providing transitions supports and accommodation advice, arranging for diagnostic assessments advocacy, academic and social support for students with disabilities. The ministry will consult with institutions to determine the most appropriate guidelines for the funding.

Mental health supports

The mental health needs of postsecondary students have increased over the last decade, both in Ontario and nationwide. The ministry will continue to work with postsecondary sector partners to create the right conditions to help young people access and succeed in postsecondary education. This includes the provision of mental health supports. The ministry will also continue to work with the Ministry of Health towards the commitments of the multi-year mental health and addictions strategy, Roadmap to Wellness.

Campus Safety Grant

The ministry recognizes that colleges and universities understand the importance of providing a safe learning environment for their students and are doing everything possible to address the issues of sexual violence on campuses. Since 2019, the ministry has annually invested $6 million in the Campus Safety Grant. These funds assist and support publicly assisted colleges and universities with campus safety programs including campus sexual violence prevention programs and supports.

Research institutes and funding programs

Supporting growth through research and technology

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities provides funding to support research and innovation in Ontario to encourage the development and delivery of critical research activities at Ontario’s postsecondary institutions and in the broader innovation ecosystem. The ministry is accelerating Ontario’s innovation economy by supporting world-class research excellence.

Ontario funds research at Ontario’s colleges, universities and research hospitals through three research funding programs: Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence, Ontario Research Fund – Research Infrastructure and Early Researcher Awards. These are competitive programs that select projects through a peer review process that demonstrate research excellence and strategic value to the province.

These activities contribute to Ontario’s long-term economic success by:

• supporting Ontario’s research capacity (talent, infrastructure and operations)
• providing funding for basic and applied research across disciplines, with a focus on priority sectors
• filling the gaps created by industry and the federal government, while leveraging maximum partner dollars (institutional, federal, and industry)

The ministry’s support for research is designed to accelerate Ontario’s innovation economy by supporting world-class research excellence in Ontario to build a pipeline for tomorrow’s innovations, including research in priority areas that lead to commercialization, and the highly skilled jobs and talent needed to grow Ontario businesses.

Creating a competitive business environment

Ontario’s postsecondary institutions and academic hospitals conduct high‐quality research that contributes to the province’s innovation‐based economy. This research base is supported by a network of intermediaries designed to help entrepreneurs move from ideation through start-up growth.

Ontario’s research institutes

The Ontario government continues to work with postsecondary institutions, research organizations and industry to ensure an innovative environment that builds capacity and creates jobs, opportunity and growth.

The ministry funded research institutes, such as Perimeter and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, represent spikes of excellence in Ontario’s research landscape. Some have established themselves as centers of global research excellence. Their mandates vary—some undertake research, some fund research, some catalyze and/or coordinate Ontario-wide research communities and support commercialization of research discoveries.

Ontario’s research institutes are important to ensuring the advancement of technologies and practices within education and business.

In February 2020, research activities that were part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade were moved to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. As a result, MCU gained responsibility for PI, Fields, OG, and CO. Due to this change, Ontario’s ongoing mandate and commitment to research are now more closely aligned with the significant innovation happening in Ontario’s world class postsecondary education sector.

In 2020–21, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities provided over $120 million in funding to support eight research institutes:

• Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO)
• Compute Ontario (CO)
• Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences (Fields)
• Ontario Brain Institute (OBI)
• Ontario Genomics (OG)
• Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR)
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI)
• Centre for Aging and Brain Health Institute (CABHI)

In December 2020, the ministry also entered into a new transfer payment agreement with CABHI, which provides $23.5 million in funding over the next five years to help CABHI improve the quality of life for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This funding will support innovative research and programs to help seniors with brain health related issues live at home longer and reduce the cost of care delivery.

Acknowledging and rewarding innovation

Each year, the ministry acknowledges notable graduates, researchers and leaders from across the postsecondary sector for their innovative work that helps to grow the economy and improve lives.

• As colleges shifted their focus to managing the wide-ranging and ongoing challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Colleges Ontario made the difficult decision to cancel the Premier’s Awards for 2020.
• The John Charles Polanyi Prizes are awarded annually to researchers who are in the early stages of their careers, pursuing post-doctoral research at an Ontario university and represent the province's next generation of innovators. In December 2020, Ontario recognized five of the province's leading researchers for their contributions to the fields of chemistry, physiology/medicine, physics and economic science.

Remembrance scholarship

On January 8, 2020, a Ukrainian airliner crashed near Tehran killing all 176 passengers, 57 of them Canadians. It was reported that 34 of the victims were employed or studying at universities and colleges in Ontario. In memory of those lost, Ontario developed a scholarship fund for the 2020-21 academic year. The fund will disburse $10,000 scholarships to 57 students, one in memory of each victim.

*Interim actuals reflect the numbers presented in the 2021 Ontario Budget.
**Ontario Public Service Full-Time Equivalent positions.