SASKATOON — Shadow Minister for Advanced Education and Saskatoon University–Sutherland MLA Tajinder Grewal called on the provincial government for better funding for two institutions of higher learning in the city — something, NDP says, the Sask. Party majority neglected when preparing this year’s budget.
“The recent Sask. Party budget cut funding for advanced education by $6 million overall. It did increase operational funding for two schools by less than one per cent, and that's not nearly enough to keep up with inflation or rising costs,” said Grewal in a media availability on Tuesday, April 22, outside the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Kinesiology.
“The budget didn't lock in a new stable four-year funding agreement that so many in the post-[secondary] country had hoped for. The recent budget does not keep pace with the cost pressures facing campuses across our province. And now, as it is always the case with this government, students and frontline workers will pay the price.”
Grewal, a first-term MLA, added that it seems the government does not understand the value of investing in students — or willfully ignores it — as many have already pointed out that increasing funding for higher educational institutions, such as the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and Saskatchewan Polytechnic, would offset their reliance on international students.
Incoming USask Students’ Union president Emma Wintermute and the next USask student affairs head, Emily Hubich joined Grewal at the media conference, where the Opposition MLA briefly discussed the 27 frontline staff at Sask. Polytech who will be laid off as a result of the uncertainty of Donald Trump’s trade war and the decline of international student enrolment.
“For example, the Saskatchewan Polytechnic has said about 90 per cent of its graduates choose to work in Saskatchewan after completing school. We need a government focused on the future that will invest in post-secondary education because it is important for the bright future of Saskatchewan, and it will end the crisis in health care,” he said.
“We’ll see [students] like Emma forced to pay more for the tuition to attend [USask] this fall, and the tuition rate of 3.8 per cent comes as people in Saskatchewan report higher financial anxiety than anywhere else in the country.”
Grewal said recent figures released early this month showed the average rental cost in the province has increased by almost 34 per cent over the last five years — another hurdle that would affect Wintermute and other students like her, who will become part of the province’s workforce and its future leaders.
He added that the government's reduced funding contributed to the tuition increase, as inflation over the last six years rose by around 20 per cent, compared to the five per cent increase allocated to higher education institutions during the same period — or 0.8 per cent annually.
“Financially, post-secondary institutions are struggling because of the lack of government funding. Historically, 20 years ago, the government used to fund approximately 60 per cent of the operating budget; now, it is less than 50 per cent. There is a 10- to 15-per-cent gap, and these post-secondary institutions must fill that gap, which may stem from students’ varying interests and academic needs. That should not be the case; our institution should not depend on students’ interest for revenue. The government need to fund the institutions,” said Grewal.
USask students plan to stay in Saskatchewan
Wintermute stated that many homegrown and international students view the USask as an exceptional institution with a welcoming learning environment. That, and affordability of the province, are considered factors affecting their decision on whether to stay and work here or move to another city after graduation.
However, the 3.8 per cent tuition increase concerns current students and high school seniors who plan to attend USask to pursue their chosen careers.
“I sincerely believe that student success should not be inherently political. As students, we’re at a vulnerable stage in life and struggling with rent hikes. We cannot afford food and groceries, and there are job shortages. Increasing the cost of tuition only amplifies this vulnerability and creates even larger barriers to the accessibility of post-secondary education, thus impacting our future,” Wintermute said.
“Post-secondary education is one of the pillars of economic success, and students need to know that they can afford an education today and won’t be paying for it for years and years to come.”
She added that students deserve increasingly predictable tuition frameworks, more robust housing support, and government consultations to promote increased funds allocated to support their success by easing the financial burdens imposed by rising tuition rates.
“The biggest concern right now that I’m hearing from students is that we need to feel that we’re supported and that we have the ability to access education and still have a student experience while we’re on campus. And so students are working one job, two jobs, trying to make ends meet. We’re in a situation where housing is increasingly precarious, food costs are rising, and it’s challenging to manage your studies, to have a student life, to be a student and to feel that you’re supported,” Wintermute said.
Students were consulted on the tuition increase
USask deputy provost Dr. Patti McDougall said their decisions are always based on a set of principles — quality, comparability, affordability, accessibility, predictability, and transparency — that go through a cycle each year. They also look at other universities across the country to compare tuition and other fees.
“We have had a multi-year agreement with the province of Saskatchewan. That multi-year agreement has made it possible for the university to set tuition over four years so that students understand what they will be paying and what those tuition rate increases will look like,” said McDougall after Grewal and Wintermute spoke.
“We have a set of agreed-upon parameters that we have negotiated with the province that we find particularly work well, and are very reasonable. We reached the end of our four-year agreement this year, and for 2025–2026, we are in a one-year extension. So that called for an agreed-upon limit of four per cent weighted average tuition.”
She added that many students saw a four per cent increase, while some had less than four per cent, and a small number had more — related to areas where the university is below the national median.
McDougall said that conducting a tuition survey among all students is also part of the university’s decision-making process, which involves thousands of participants.
They ask students where they think the university should invest more or less money.
“We use that information to inform our decisions. This year, the top two items that students want, not surprisingly, are more investments into scholarships and bursaries and more investments into open educational resources,” said McDougall.
“In response, we have invested over $58 million a year into scholarships and bursaries. Millions of dollars are invested in employment opportunities for students on this campus. In addition, together and through a partnership with the province of Saskatchewan, we have been able to invest in open educational resources, saving students almost $2 million in textbooks and other ancillaries this year and probably up to $10 million over the last 10 years of the program.”
She added that they also received $1 million, which was used for a crisis aid program for international students this year.
