Is Post-Secondary Education Accessible in Ontario?

As university and college tuition rates in Canada increase every year, questions of affordability are becoming more pertinent. Changes to OSAP and student funding are hitting students harder than ever before, yet having an undergraduate degree (and even a master's degree) remains the prerequisite for most well-paying jobs. On this week’s episode of Beyond the Headlines, we unpack the question on everyone’s mind: “Is post-secondary education accessible in Canada?” We investigate the sociocultural and economic barriers which prevent students from attending university and college, and which prevent parents from saving for their children’s education in the first place. We also look at the policies and programs which can make higher education more accessible in the long-run. Joining us in the conversation to provide their insights and perspectives are guests Luke Connell, André Côté and Andrew Parkin.

Luke Connell is a leader in the field of social innovation. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the nonprofit initiative SmartSAVER, based out of the Omega Foundation here in Toronto.

Andrew Parkin is the Executive Director of the Environics Institute for Survey Research, a not-for-profit agency created in 2006 to promote relevant and original public opinion and social research on important issues of public policy and social change.

André Côté is the Principal Consultant at Côté and Company Strategies and an alumnus of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

Credits:

Anna Millar (Senior Producer) 
Geneviève Tallmeister (Producer) 
Fatemah Ebrahim (Junior Producer) 
Alex Gold-Apel (Executive Producer) 
Music: "Ways" by Dave Simpson