‘Overdue relief’: Windsor’s post-secondary leaders welcome tuition thaw

Ontario has decided to lift a tuition freeze for Ontario post-secondary schools. CTV Windsor’s Travis Fortnum explores what this means.

Windsor’s largest post-secondary institutions are welcoming Ontario’s tuition thaw -- calling it overdue relief after years of financial strain.

Leadership at both the University of Windsor and St. Clair College say the move brings stability. Even as students prepare to pay more.

University of Windsor President JJ McMurtry said years of capped tuition created mounting pressure for institutions already facing rising costs.

“No organization can survive having a reduction in one of its core pieces of revenue,” McMurtry said. “And, having that frozen over time because inflation increased costs.”

Under the change, colleges and universities can raise domestic tuition by up to two per cent per year.

McMurtry said that translates to less than $200 more per student annually at the University of Windsor, saying the cumulative impact is significant for the institution.

“When you multiply that amount by the number of students that are at the University of Windsor, which is about 17,000, it gives you an idea of the revenue impact,” he said.

Financial pressure has been building across the sector through seven years of frozen tuition, with both Windsor institutions taking an additional hit when the federal government capped international student enrolment – a key source of revenue.

Those pressures have led to layoffs, program pauses, and spending cuts across Ontario’s post-secondary system.

St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi said Thursday’s announcement is positive but won’t undo recent decisions.

“That doesn’t change some of those elements,” Silvaggi said. “But overall, we do know that this provides a bit of continuity, a bit of relief.”

Both leaders say the changes offer stability as schools head into budget planning, while still being expected to find efficiencies.

“[The province has] been clear for a number of years, that what they are looking for is for universities and colleges to continue to find efficiencies,” McMurtry said.

McMurtry and Silvaggi are encouraging students concerned about rising costs to explore financial aid options.

New tuition rates are set to take effect for the 2026–27 academic year.