Queen’s pleased with provincial budget

Principal Daniel Woolf says yesterday’s provincial budget demonstrates Queen’s Park’s commitment to post-secondary education.

“The budget initiatives that will benefit universities, including Queen’s, reflect the fact that the McGuinty government sees post-secondary education as a priority in these difficult financial times,” says Principal Woolf. “The budget contains much welcome news and I am grateful to the government for its recognition of the role universities can and will play in growing Ontario for future generations.”

The budget includes commitments to:

• $310 million for 20,000 student spaces in the province’s university and colleges this September
• Continued investments in capital projects at universities
• Financial support for a credit transfer system to allow students to combine the academic rigour of universities with the applied training of colleges
• Aggressive promotion of the province’s post-secondary institutions abroad to encourage the world’s best students to study and settle in Ontario

“Queen’s is well positioned to take advantage of these new provincial programs and investments,” says Principal Woolf. “We look forward to being involved in their development.”

Dr. Woolf says he will continue to work with the government and other university presidents in these areas, and others, including the sustainability of university pension plans. A provincial announcement on a new tuition framework is expected early next week.