SATTLER: Ontarians are overwhelmingly worried about the province’s future due to cuts to colleges and opportunities

LONDON – Shadow Minister for College, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security, MPP Peggy Sattler (London West) released the following statement in response to new research from Abacus Data and Colleges Ontario:

“Ontario is facing a jobs disaster, and increasingly more people are worried about the future of work here in our province. Thanks to Doug Ford’s massive cuts to post-secondary education, people are worried about losing out on future opportunities and the skills we need to build a strong and resilient economy.

“Ontarians also know where that opportunity comes from. They overwhelmingly see our colleges as essential to preparing workers for the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. Colleges train the health care workers, skilled tradespeople, technicians, and innovators who keep our economy strong. Without renewed investment, Ontario risks falling behind, with fewer training options, fewer skilled workers, and fewer opportunities for young people to build a stable future here at home.

“Protecting the future means investing in people. It means modernizing programs, expanding access to training, and giving colleges the resources they need to help workers adapt in a rapidly changing economy.

“The Ontario NDP will continue to push for a real plan to build a future-ready workforce, support Ontario’s world-class colleges, and make sure every worker has a fair shot at the opportunities ahead.”

BACKGROUND:

• Three in four Ontarians believe the province will see major job losses in the next five years.
• More than half of the respondents fear for their own job security
• Almost two-thirds expect they will need to retrain to stay competitive.