A Prosperous Canada Requires Post-secondary Funding

If we want to invest in the future of a prosperous, and more self-reliant Canada, we need to invest in post-secondary education.

By Stuart Cullum, President of RDP
February 6, 2025

Political and industry leaders, academics, journalists, business experts and everyday Canadians are actively engaged in the necessary – and frankly overdue – exchange of ideas on the tools and tactics needed to secure our national economic and social interest in the face of external threats.

Nothing focuses our minds like a crisis.

Lagging productivity, rising inflation, and deteriorating access to housing and essential public services have set Canada’s economic and social progress back in comparison to other developed countries.

This time of uncertainty, is the perfect time for governments to take decisive action and bolster the one sector most critical to developing the talent, technology, and highly skilled innovators that will drive Canada’s future success. If governments want to invest in the future of a strong, prosperous, and more self-reliant Canada, they need to invest in post-secondary education.

In recent weeks, our Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) community and stakeholders came together to discuss the deepening impact our institution, its students, faculty, researchers, and staff have within our region and across Alberta. 2024 was a very successful year for RDP - with growth in enrollment, applied research, partnerships, programs, donations and investments - all while our key metrics of student success --like graduate satisfaction, employer satisfaction, and program-related employment after graduation – stayed strong. I encourage readers to check out our 2024 Impact Report, available on our website. It is an inspiring read and reflects the dedication of RDP’s staff and faculty to not only our students, but to our institution as we strive to become a leading Canadian polytechnic.

Along with our successes, however, we also discussed the financial headwinds the Canadian post-secondary sector is facing. The nation’s higher education system has been hit hard in recent years and there are three main factors in play:

• Inflationary pressures that are increasing the costs of human resources, materials, supplies, utilities, and other essential items
• Provincial funding that has not kept up with growth and the cost of inflation
• A significant reduction in revenue from international student tuition (resulting from student visa caps and the federal government’s changes to Post Graduate Work Permit eligibility)

Across Canada, the impacts are already being felt. According to Alex Usher, a global expert on post-secondary education and the President of Higher Education Strategy Associates, it is anticipated that the Canadian college and polytechnic sector could see a $4 billion cut to its budgets. In Ontario alone, it is expected that up to 1,000 programs will be suspended. The impact on programming in Alberta has yet to be fully realized; however, program suspensions have already started.

We also discussed the headwinds created by shifting global political and economic forces - in particular, the recent threat of tariffs, and the pressure that puts on Canada to become more self-reliant and competitive. Perhaps this is the moment when our country will see a material reduction in regulation and intra-provincial trade barriers, and we will start seeing the growth in the infrastructure, innovation and investment capacity needed to improve our country’s productivity.

This precarious time poses an opportunity for governments and organizations astute enough to take advantage of it and Canada’s post-secondaries could play a leading role in lifting Canada’s lagging productivity out of the mire. Averting further program reductions at our institutions – especially in critical fields like skilled trades, technology, and healthcare -- is more important than ever. Our sector’s contribution toward increasing skilled talent through education and training programs, and the development and adoption of innovative technology, tools and practice through applied research, is as critical as it has ever been to support growth and diversifications within our key industries.

In the months ahead, difficult choices will need to be made at RDP. With a projected $10 million deficit, we will need to sunset programs and lay off some faculty and staff.

However, our intent is to control what we can to maintain our trajectory, articulated within our Strategic Plan. Our choices will be to maintain the quality learner experience that RDP is known for and expand the partnerships and external investment needed to support our growth. We will also continue to develop new programs, targeted toward Alberta’s key industries.

Despite the challenges ahead, RDP remains purpose-built for positive impact in Alberta – bolstered by the commitment of our talented staff and faculty and supported by an incredible community of partners and champions. Guided by our 2030 Strategic Plan: Productivity and Social Impact, RDP will continue to do its part alongside industry, community, and government partners, to position central Alberta as an engine of productivity for our province and country.