Canadian universities are calling for research funding and student aid to be shielded from potential cuts as Mark Carney prepares to announce his first budget as prime minister – and say if the federal government wants to raise funds, it should look again at its international student caps.
The Liberal leader, who has led Canada since March, recently outlined his plan to build a stronger economy ahead of the budget on 4 November – referencing a “new talent strategy for the next generation of scientists and innovators” and praising the country’s universities and scientists as among the best in the world.
Thomas Bailey, executive director of the advocacy group Support Our Science, said this indicates that Carney understands Canada’s research strengths.
Bailey said he is hopeful that the federal government will build on the work that the Trudeau administration started in 2024 by putting science and research training on “firmer footing after years of stagnation”.
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“In short, there are reasons for cautious optimism heading into the federal budget,” he told 探花视频.?
Support Our Science wants research grants, scholarships and fellowships excluded from any spending review, and warned that cuts would undermine the talent pipeline Carney has talked about.
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“The USA’s deep cuts to science funding have created a rare opportunity for Canada to establish itself as a global leader in strategic research areas through bold, strategic investment,” added Bailey.
Christine Neill, associate professor of economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, said?Canada can take the lead in key areas that deliver long term benefits to the economy?– as Denmark has shown by developing the Ozempic weight loss drug.
She said funding basic science will be absolutely critical to the types of economic changes the government envisages, and that it is particularly important to fund higher education when the job market is weak or changing rapidly.
“This is a time when we might expect demand for education to increase. It would be great if governments could accommodate that demand.”
Finance minister Fran?ois-Philippe Champagne has said the budget will reduce the size of the public service to “something more sustainable”, suggesting that cuts could be on the way.
If there are cuts to student financial aid, Neill said it would be better for them to come from the repayment assistance programme for graduates than by reducing upfront aid to current students.
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And with no control over domestic student fees, she said the budget could raise funds by?adjusting the country’s international student caps?and by ensuring that visas requests are processed in a timely manner.
“International student caps aren’t really a budget matter, but ensuring proper funding for visa processing is. When top researchers from around the world can’t get to Canada for a conference because they can’t get their visas processed, then it damages our reputation.”
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Federal budgets are treated as confidence votes in Ottawa, meaning the minority Liberal government will need at least three additional votes from other parties to pass it.
Bill Flanagan, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta,?said?the caps are concerning?because they are impacting the ability to recruit graduate students.
“What the federal government is doing, particularly around graduate students, is inconsistent with the vision articulated by the prime minister about drawing the best and the brightest to Canada.”
Because of Carney’s ambitious agenda for Canada’s economic growth, Flanagan said he was optimistic that there will be some movement on the caps – and for the introduction of a targeted fund to assist in drawing talent from around the world to Canada.
But Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, warned that the sector was not going to return to the years of an “absurdly favourable student visa system, or the cuddly national image of the 2010s”.
“The situation we are in right now requires a lot more genuine engagement overseas, understanding individual city and regional markets, developing relationships…we’re in the world series now, toe to toe with global competitors.”
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