Has Ontario lost its way with colleges?

The Big Story investigates whether Ontario's college system has lost its way amid sweeping changes to funding, policy, and priorities. Host Maria Kastain speaks with Emilda Thavaratnam, educator and author, about the original vision of Ontario's colleges—established in 1965 under William G. Davis to provide accessible, locally focused vocational education in response to a shifting industrial economy. Over decades, federal and provincial funding cuts, including the 1977 shift to block transfers, the 1995 Common Sense Revolution, and the 2019 tuition freeze, have eroded public support. Colleges now rely heavily on international student fees, which are under threat due to federal visa caps introduced in 2024. This dependency has led to a crisis: projected $1.5 billion in deficits, 8,000 layoffs, and 600 program closures. The episode critiques the current outcomes-driven model that prioritizes job placement and economic returns over community development, lifelong learning, and regional equity. Thavaratnam calls for a return to the original mission through increased public funding, federal-provincial coordination, and grassroots advocacy to ensure colleges serve all Ontarians—not just the economy’s immediate needs.