Canada’s postsecondary funding model must be adjusted to preserve the affordability and quality of the country’s postsecondary education, writes University of Manitoba President Michael Benarroch. Benarroch explains that Canadian universities—and especially those in Manitoba—have been able to offer low tuition fees and high-quality education through constrained spending and a reliance on international student tuition. Now, institutions across Canada like UManitoba are facing a new reality due to international student policy changes. Benarroch calls for a gradual adjustment to tuition, paired with robust financial aid, to help maintain affordability while preserving Canadian educational quality. “If we fail to respond now — honestly, pragmatically, and with courage — we risk weakening Canada’s most powerful engines of growth, innovation, and social mobility,” writes Benarroch.
