The Ontario Liberal Party updated their platform, building on their promises from the 2018 Budget. Many new items are included, and the platform touches on important topics like OSAP, training and apprenticeship opportunities, and mental health support.
Similar to the 2018 Budget, leader Kathleen Wynne again commits to putting money into training and apprenticeship opportunities by not only increasing the number of paid opportunities, but also committing to making sure students, institutions, local partners, and employers work together to make sure student are learning the correct information in the classroom, and applying that information directly into the workplace. Bringing in partners such as local libraries provide another level of training. We hope these conversations will include students and student leaders, and be done through both the Office of Apprenticeship Opportunity and the Ontario Training Bank, so all voices that need to be at the table are included.
In terms of OSAP reform, we urge the Liberal Party to continue to review and improve the entire process around loans and grants to better serve the needs of students. This includes reducing the minimum parental contribution, but also including the reduction of spousal contributions.
Other major investments include strategies to fix campuses, like $20 million per year to buy and renew college equipment and $500 million for general repairs to college and university campuses.
We would like to see something about international students and operational funding for institutions increased. Per student funding for college students in Ontario is astonishingly low, and institutions have been making up for this gap through the recruitment and misuse of international students’ tuition fees. We hope the Ontario Liberal Party will continue with investments made in the 2018 Budget, including the implementation of an International Post-Secondary Education Strategy.
Students can refer to our breakdown of the 2018 Budget for further information. Below are items directly from their platform for your information:
Plan for Care - Affordable, High-Quality Postsecondary Education:
Provide students from middle-income families with thousands of dollars more in aid from the Ontario Student Assistance Program by reducing the minimum parental contribution required
Invest $132 million over the next three years in innovative college and university programming that strengthens partnerships with employers and gives students more experiential learning opportunities
Use the expertise of our new Chief Scientist, develop a plan to increase the number of graduates in science, technology, engineering and math by 25 per cent and ensure they represent the diversity of our province
Invest in hands-on learning opportunities for more than 98,000 students
Create new postsecondary campuses in Markham, Brampton and Milton
Invest $500 million, starting in 2020-21, to help renew college and university campuses
Increase funding of the College Equipment and Renewal Fund over the next three years from $8 million annually to $20 million a year, to ensure college students have access to modern equipment and technologies
More Apprenticeships and Training:
Support regional, local and sector-specific apprenticeship pilot projects as part of a $170 million investment over three years in the new Ontario Apprenticeship Strategy
Create an Office of Apprenticeship Opportunity to open the door to skilled trades for visible minorities, Indigenous people, women and people with disabilities
Create a Graduated Apprenticeship Grant for employers to hire new apprentices, with additional incentives to hire underrepresented groups
Invest $63 million to create the first Ontario Training Bank, which will develop new, short-term training options for workers who want to upgrade their skills and help ensure training options meet employer needs
Increase investments in the Ontario Bridge Training Program, which will help 14,000 more skilled newcomers
Increase operating funding to public libraries by $51 million over three years, which will help to enhance their role as providers of training programs and access to the technology that job seekers need to identify and apply for job opportunities
Invest $132 million over the next three years in innovative college and university programming that strengthens partnerships with employers and gives students more experiential learning opportunities
While respecting the autonomy of self-governing professions, task Ontario’s Fairness Commissioner with identifying ways that self-governing professions can better assign fair value to credentials and work experience acquired outside of Ontario
Establish Ontario’s Fairness Commissioner as an appeal body in cases where the existing rules of a self-governing profession around recognition of experience and credentials have not been properly followed; if a finding is made in favour of an applicant, the case would be referred back to the self-governing body for review
Help newcomers succeed, through employment supports, language training and settlement services
Expanding Access to Mental Health Care:
Create a 24/7 provincial help line to provide fast access to help and crisis counselling
Double the provincial network of Youth Wellness Hubs, which provide one-stop access to mental health services and smooth the transition from the child and youth system to the adult one
Meet the specific needs of LGBTQ2S, racialized, immigrant and Indigenous children, youth and adults
Fund more mental health promotion workers on college and university campuses and improve connections between campuses and mental health services
Partner with municipalities to tackle local mental health issues such as homelessness or youth suicide by bringing partners together to better coordinate care and integrate local services
Reducing Drug and Dental Costs:
Reimburses people for 80 per cent of prescription drug and dental costs, up to $400 for single people, $600 for couples and $700 for a family of four with two children
Plan for Northern Ontario - Northern Infrastructure Investments:
Increases investments in northern hospitals, schools and transportation
Reduces wait times for mental health and addiction services
Improves access to mental health care services for Indigenous youth and those in remote communities
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples - Supporting Indigenous Children and Youth:
Supports Indigenous children and youth wellness through coordinated services
Invests more than $80 million over four years to expand mental health care for Indigenous children and youth at risk
Promoting Economic Development:
Invests $30 million over two years to expand and enhance the SkillsAdvance Ontario program, which provides training for Indigenous peoples and other underrepresented groups
Plan for Francophone Ontario - Investing in French-Language Education:
Create new programs at existing bilingual and French postsecondary institutions View the full platform here: https://platform.ontarioliberal.ca/
