Sask. NDP call for more support for post-secondary, despite gov’t funding

The Sask. NDP is calling on the government to support post-secondary schools facing staff cuts and low international enrollment. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

With post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan making staffing cuts due to Ottawa’s cap on international students, the NDP is demanding the provincial government provide more financial support.

The opposition’s call for action comes after Saskatchewan Polytechnic announced suspending its Health Information Management program – following its 23 staffing cuts made earlier this year.

“They are not going to take more students. They are only going to finish with the students they have,” NDP MLA Tajinder Grewal told reporters on Tuesday.

“If you are not having more students, the faculty is gone and you cannot continue the program.”

Last year, Sask. Polytech laid off 123 full‑time and part‑time employees in addition to 23 staff members this February, according to Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Advanced Education.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

Grewal said the job cuts are due to the lack of international students enrolled.

“Sask. Poly is tomorrow’s future, but we have heard of dozens of jobs cut at campuses across the province. That’s both faculty and non faculty,” Grewal said during question period.

“This minister has already failed the staff of Sask. Poly and he has failed the students. He should not make it worse. Will the minister commit to no more layoffs at Sask. Poly?”

Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff, said the issue is not unique to Saskatchewan since the federal government’s international student cap affects all provinces.

“What I tried to do in the house is put it in context of what’s happening across the country, 17,000 layoffs in regional colleges and universities across the country because the federal government decision to cap international students,” he explained.

The minister added the government has been aware of the loss of revenue institutions across the province have faced. In response, the province created a new multi-year funding agreement with Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions back in November 2025.

Under the agreement, post-secondary institutions will receive $250 million in additional operating funding over the next four years.

“In Saskatchewan we’re going in the other direction. We have multi-year funding increase of three per cent per year for our institutions for the next four years. That was announced in November. It really set a precedent across the country,” Cheveldayoff noted.

In addition, the agreement will also limit tuition increases to a range of zero to three per cent annually - a reduction from the current four per cent limit.

Cheveldayoff said the government plans to continue working with institutions across the province to help strengthen its long-term financial sustainability.

“It’s impacting every institution in the country. We are looking at it in different ways,” he said. “How we maintain what’s happening in Saskatchewan is modest and we’ll be there to work with institutions, but at the end of the day, it’s their decision.”