Latest news with #Hornick
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Business Standard
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Canada: 10,000 staff laid off, 600+ courses cut after foreign student cap
Canada's colleges have been sinking into debt and losses since the federal government announced a cap on international student intake early last year. Nearly 10,000 college staff—faculty and support workers—have either already lost their jobs or are expected to be laid off in the coming months. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents 55,000 college workers, said the cuts mark 'one of the largest mass layoffs in Ontario's history.' 'This is bigger than the Hudson's Bay liquidation, which laid off 8,000 employees across Canada,' said JP Hornick, OPSEU's president, during a press conference outside the Story Arts Centre campus of Centennial College in Toronto. The campus is due to shut later this year. Hornick said about 1.5 million people—nearly one in ten Ontarians—have witnessed a campus closure in their communities. The union also released a press statement in which Hornick said, 'The fallout from the college funding crisis falls squarely at Doug Ford's feet. Workers are united to fight for a future where students, no matter their background, can afford to access the education they need to get a good job.' 'This government has picked a fight with not only the 55,000 workers in our college system but with all of OPSEU/SEFPO, and we will not relent until we see the funding and policy changes needed to save our college system. The layoffs follow a 41% drop in Indian student enrolment in Canadian colleges and universities compared to 2023. The sharp decline has dealt a major blow to tuition revenue, which many colleges rely on to stay afloat. According to a new faculty contract between OPSEU and the College Employer Council, more than 600 college programmes have been suspended or cancelled since the student cap was introduced. The agreement noted that 23 out of Ontario's 24 colleges reported a 48% drop in first-semester international student enrolment between September 2023 and September 2024. Nineteen colleges also reported more than 8,000 job losses—either already implemented or planned. The union said the real figure is likely higher, as some colleges had not submitted layoff data by June. Government defends the cap In response to questions from Business Standard, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the cap was necessary to bring down the number of temporary residents in Canada. 'The annual growth in the number of international students couldn't be sustained while ensuring students receive the support they need,' said Mary Rose Sabater, IRCC's communications adviser. She said the cap was based on a zero-net growth model in 2024, with a further reduction introduced to meet the federal government's target of reducing the temporary resident population to 5% of the total population by the end of 2026. 'With this in mind, the national cap for 2025 is set at 437,000 study permits issued based on a 10% reduction from 2024 targets,' Sabater said. Colleges feeling the pressure Centennial College, where OPSEU held its press conference, disputed the union's claim that over 100 programmes had been cut. 'Centennial is facing significant financial pressures due to external factors, including the federal policy shifts related to international students,' the college said in a statement, adding that it had suspended 54 programmes in 2025. The college said it was working with sector partners to address the crisis and to continue serving Ontario's economic needs. Hornick pushed back, saying the impact went far beyond international student-heavy programmes. 'It's also programmes we domestically need, like nursing, child and youth care, environmental technologies, and specialised art training,' she said. One such case is the culinary management course at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, the only programme of its kind within 1,000 kilometres, which the union said had supported food security in northern Ontario. Hornick also accused both the provincial government and colleges of trying to keep the full scale of the cuts under wraps. 'They never intended to tell the public about the full scope of job and programme cuts,' she said. Universities say the crisis is limited to colleges Andrew Carroll of Queen's University told Business Standard that most Canadian universities had not experienced the same surge in international student numbers as colleges. 'While in countries like the US, colleges and universities are very similar, in Canada there is a big difference,' said Carroll. 'Community colleges – such as Conestoga, Seneca, and Humber – here in Ontario are the most involved.' Indian students still keen, but numbers drop India continues to be the biggest source of international students in Canada. In 2025, there were 137,608 Indian students enrolled—down 41% from the year before. 'Interest in studying in Canada, including from Indian nationals, remains strong,' Sabater told Business Standard. 'Following the new student requirements, Indian nationals can continue to apply to study in Canada, and Canadian designated learning institutions continue to welcome students from India.' Sabater added that IRCC would work with provincial governments and institutions to build a more sustainable model. 'These changes will help the education sector align its capacity and allow the population growth at a sustainable pace,' she said. In January, Business Standard had reported that Canadian colleges could face losses of around ₹8,000 crore due to the student cap. 'There is already a considerable financial impact, and several colleges have announced plans to discontinue many courses,' Canada-based immigration analyst Darshan Maharaja told Business Standard at the time.
Global News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ontario offers $3 per hour pay increase, new title for forest firefighters
For years, forest firefighters in Ontario have been calling on the provincial government to reclassify their jobs to recognize them as an emergency service in a bid to stem recruitment and retention issues. It's a change the Ford government promised it would take on after sustained pressure from front-line staff and union officials. The province now says work to reclassify forest firefighters — officially called resource technicians — has been 'completed,' and is blaming the Ontario Public Service Employees Union for a delay in announcing the move. Whether the terms the government has put forward address the substantive changes called for by forest firefighters is contested. Draft information seen by Global News shows the reclassification involves renaming positions within the existing union structure — and moving people one category further up the grid, for a raise of roughly $3 per hour. Story continues below advertisement For example, those currently categorized as Resource Technicians will be moved up to Resource Technician 2. Their job title will then be changed from Resource Technician to 'Wildland Firefighter 2.' If signed by the union, the change would be backdated. According to the information seen by Global News, the changes will lead to an hourly pay increase of roughly $3 per hour, which will be backdated. More senior crew members, whose pay is calculated on a weekly basis, will see an increase closer to $5 per hour. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It will not majorly change working conditions, rights or benefits. The government said it was 'ready to implement changes immediately,' but the union isn't happy with the terms. OPSEU President JP Hornick said they were concerned the new deal would not guarantee the number of years someone has worked will be copied over from the previous deal. 'What's actually really bad about this current offer is that it will not recognize the years of service in the implementation of a new wage grid,' they said. The risk of excluding years of service means long-term employees who have built up better terms and pay within a certain union bracket over time could find themselves back at the same point as much newer colleagues who have less experience. Story continues below advertisement 'Without that guarantee, it's not worth the paper it's written on,' Hornick said. Ontario Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon chided the government for not meeting the union's request. 'Wildland fire rangers risk their lives to successfully fight fires that are larger, and longer, with fewer resources, and lower wages. They are absolutely essential to our province's survival, especially as the frequency, and unpredictability of wildland fires grow due to the climate crisis' extreme weather conditions,' she said in a written statement. 'Their compensation must reflect their immeasurable worth to our society, and their singular experience. To propose anything less is a dismissal of the invaluable work of wildland fire rangers, and a demonstration of willingness to risk the safety of our province.' Reclassification is something forest firefighters have pushed on the government amidst crew shortages and front-line inexperience. They have argued that being reclassified as firefighters should give them better job security, pay and benefits. Internally, the government acknowledged Ontario has an issue with the recruitment and retention of forest firefighters through a series of reports and communications. In July 2022, for example, the director of Ontario's Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services issued a memo saying he had 'noticed both a decline in the number of people applying for positions' as well as an increase in the number of people leaving. Story continues below advertisement Hornick said $3 an hour would do little to address the recruitment and retention issues. OPSEU says the new deal would take Ontario from the lowest to the second-lowest paid firefighters in the country. Last year, the province also offered a one-time $5,000 bonus to attract forest firefighters. Hornick said the reclassification demand, which the union feels hasn't been met, is a minimal request. 'They're not asking for the moon — we're not looking for these people to be jumping into the stratosphere on wages,' they said. 'But we do need these other things if we're going to actually make it a viable option for people to stay as wildland firefighters in Ontario.'
Business Upturn
04-06-2025
- General
- Business Upturn
Bill 33 attacks local democracy, public education and Ontario's most vulnerable kids
Toronto, ON, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Last week, the Ontario government introduced Bill 33, a sweeping piece of legislation that hands more control over education to the premier's office at the direct expense of school boards, post-secondary institutions, and the communities that depend on them. 'Bill 33 is a power grab, and a dangerous one,' said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. 'This government is using isolated examples of financial mismanagement to justify sweeping changes to multiple levels of our public education system, instead of addressing the real issue—underfunding.' If passed, Bill 33 would: make it easier for the province to take control of democratically elected local school boards; mandate School Resource Officers (i.e., police) in schools (even though such programs have previously been ended for their discriminatory and harmful impacts and do not offer the solutions needed to address increasing violence in schools); regulate which fees post-secondary students can pay (opening the door to defunding crucial student supports); and threaten access to education with new admissions policies at the province's colleges and universities, among other measures. 'These moves represent an unwarranted expansion of provincial authority. Instead of fixing the funding crisis it created, the Ford government is seizing control and calling it reform,' said Hornick. 'Our colleges, our schools, and our students deserve better.' Public educational institutions are meant to be built on equitable access and student success, but Bill 33 will undercut these principles while failing to address the systemic issues that face Ontario's education system. 'The mandated placement of SROs outlined in this bill does nothing to support the students and staff that are dealing with unprecedented levels of violence in Ontario schools,' said Kelly Martin, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 330, representing workers at Simcoe County District School Board. 'We need solutions that give children access to the wrap around supports that they need to thrive – like more education workers, smaller class sizes, increased mental health supports and special education supports that meet the needs of students.' 'It is unconscionable that this government is considering mandating police in schools when the Ontario Human Rights Commission and mountains of evidence have already found that a police presence not only introduces unnecessary surveillance but also significantly impacts the mental health and education of Indigenous, black and racialized kids,' said Hornick. The legislation reaches into post-secondary education as well. Requiring colleges and universities to adopt rigid and restrictive admissions policies – defined by the province – ignores decades of work done to widen access for underrepresented groups. Stripping away access-focused admissions pathways threatens the socio-economic mobility of entire communities. 'They want to surveil and criminalize our kids from a young age and then make it even harder to access post-secondary education later on in their academic careers. Ontario's future depends on an inclusive education system, not one that intentionally keeps people out,' said Hornick. The province's colleges system is already in crisis, receiving the lowest level of provincial funding per student in the country. Bill 33 threatens to further destabilize campuses by adding more ministerial oversight over ancillary fees that fund student-led services like mental health supports, food banks, and student career services. 'This legislation would not only strip students of their ability to democratically decide which of these services matter to them,' said Hornick. 'It is clearly intended to defund these services in our colleges.' Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Bill 33 attacks local democracy, public education and Ontario's most vulnerable kids
Toronto, ON, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Last week, the Ontario government introduced Bill 33, a sweeping piece of legislation that hands more control over education to the premier's office at the direct expense of school boards, post-secondary institutions, and the communities that depend on them. 'Bill 33 is a power grab, and a dangerous one,' said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. 'This government is using isolated examples of financial mismanagement to justify sweeping changes to multiple levels of our public education system, instead of addressing the real issue—underfunding.' If passed, Bill 33 would: make it easier for the province to take control of democratically elected local school boards; mandate School Resource Officers (i.e., police) in schools (even though such programs have previously been ended for their discriminatory and harmful impacts and do not offer the solutions needed to address increasing violence in schools); regulate which fees post-secondary students can pay (opening the door to defunding crucial student supports); and threaten access to education with new admissions policies at the province's colleges and universities, among other measures. 'These moves represent an unwarranted expansion of provincial authority. Instead of fixing the funding crisis it created, the Ford government is seizing control and calling it reform,' said Hornick. 'Our colleges, our schools, and our students deserve better.' Public educational institutions are meant to be built on equitable access and student success, but Bill 33 will undercut these principles while failing to address the systemic issues that face Ontario's education system. 'The mandated placement of SROs outlined in this bill does nothing to support the students and staff that are dealing with unprecedented levels of violence in Ontario schools,' said Kelly Martin, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 330, representing workers at Simcoe County District School Board. 'We need solutions that give children access to the wrap around supports that they need to thrive – like more education workers, smaller class sizes, increased mental health supports and special education supports that meet the needs of students.' 'It is unconscionable that this government is considering mandating police in schools when the Ontario Human Rights Commission and mountains of evidence have already found that a police presence not only introduces unnecessary surveillance but also significantly impacts the mental health and education of Indigenous, black and racialized kids,' said Hornick. The legislation reaches into post-secondary education as well. Requiring colleges and universities to adopt rigid and restrictive admissions policies - defined by the province - ignores decades of work done to widen access for underrepresented groups. Stripping away access-focused admissions pathways threatens the socio-economic mobility of entire communities. 'They want to surveil and criminalize our kids from a young age and then make it even harder to access post-secondary education later on in their academic careers. Ontario's future depends on an inclusive education system, not one that intentionally keeps people out,' said Hornick. The province's colleges system is already in crisis, receiving the lowest level of provincial funding per student in the country. Bill 33 threatens to further destabilize campuses by adding more ministerial oversight over ancillary fees that fund student-led services like mental health supports, food banks, and student career services. 'This legislation would not only strip students of their ability to democratically decide which of these services matter to them,' said Hornick. 'It is clearly intended to defund these services in our colleges.'
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill 33 attacks local democracy, public education and Ontario's most vulnerable kids
Toronto, ON, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last week, the Ontario government introduced Bill 33, a sweeping piece of legislation that hands more control over education to the premier's office at the direct expense of school boards, post-secondary institutions, and the communities that depend on them. 'Bill 33 is a power grab, and a dangerous one,' said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. 'This government is using isolated examples of financial mismanagement to justify sweeping changes to multiple levels of our public education system, instead of addressing the real issue—underfunding.' If passed, Bill 33 would: make it easier for the province to take control of democratically elected local school boards; mandate School Resource Officers (i.e., police) in schools (even though such programs have previously been ended for their discriminatory and harmful impacts and do not offer the solutions needed to address increasing violence in schools); regulate which fees post-secondary students can pay (opening the door to defunding crucial student supports); and threaten access to education with new admissions policies at the province's colleges and universities, among other measures. 'These moves represent an unwarranted expansion of provincial authority. Instead of fixing the funding crisis it created, the Ford government is seizing control and calling it reform,' said Hornick. 'Our colleges, our schools, and our students deserve better.' Public educational institutions are meant to be built on equitable access and student success, but Bill 33 will undercut these principles while failing to address the systemic issues that face Ontario's education system. 'The mandated placement of SROs outlined in this bill does nothing to support the students and staff that are dealing with unprecedented levels of violence in Ontario schools,' said Kelly Martin, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 330, representing workers at Simcoe County District School Board. 'We need solutions that give children access to the wrap around supports that they need to thrive – like more education workers, smaller class sizes, increased mental health supports and special education supports that meet the needs of students.' 'It is unconscionable that this government is considering mandating police in schools when the Ontario Human Rights Commission and mountains of evidence have already found that a police presence not only introduces unnecessary surveillance but also significantly impacts the mental health and education of Indigenous, black and racialized kids,' said Hornick. The legislation reaches into post-secondary education as well. Requiring colleges and universities to adopt rigid and restrictive admissions policies - defined by the province - ignores decades of work done to widen access for underrepresented groups. Stripping away access-focused admissions pathways threatens the socio-economic mobility of entire communities. 'They want to surveil and criminalize our kids from a young age and then make it even harder to access post-secondary education later on in their academic careers. Ontario's future depends on an inclusive education system, not one that intentionally keeps people out,' said Hornick. The province's colleges system is already in crisis, receiving the lowest level of provincial funding per student in the country. Bill 33 threatens to further destabilize campuses by adding more ministerial oversight over ancillary fees that fund student-led services like mental health supports, food banks, and student career services. 'This legislation would not only strip students of their ability to democratically decide which of these services matter to them,' said Hornick. 'It is clearly intended to defund these services in our colleges.' CONTACT: Samantha Webber- Gallagher, OPSEU/SEFPO Communications Ontario Public Service Employees Union / Syndicat des employés de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (OPSEU/SEFPO) 519-372-5776 swebbergallagher@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
