How the 2025-26 post-secondary budget might impact U of R and its students.
The last few years have been particularly stressful for both domestic and international students in Canada. COVID-19 cast a spell of continuous issues one after the other.
We could barely keep up with schoolwork online during a global pandemic, then we were hit with inflation, the job crisis, the housing crisis and tuition hikes. Talk about a rough patch!
In times such as these when students are struggling to make ends meet, it becomes increasingly important for their respective institutions to support them as much as possible. And it not only comes down to funding provided by the university but also to the funds allocated by the provincial governments toward post-secondary education.
Students in Saskatchewan have expressed concerns and dissent over the consistent tuition hikes overthe last few years. A “Freeze the Fee” rally was held at the U of R in 2022 to address the concern of rising tuition. Yet t tuition. Rose 4 per cent in the
The Government of Saskatchewan released its 2025-26 provincial budget on Wednesday March xx. While a statement on the government website highlights how it is committed towards supporting students in pursuing their post-secondary education close to home, Regina Public Research Interest Group (RPRIG) at the U of R released a statement expressing “deep concerns” about post-secondary educational funding in the provincial budget.
“Saskatchewan’s 2025-26 Budget supports students in pursuing post-secondary education close to home and focuses on training programs that meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s labour force and growing economy,” read the Government’s statement.
The post-secondary budget includes $788 million for Saskatchewan’s post- secondary students and institutions, of which $46 million will be for student financial support covering loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries. Operational and capital funding will receive $718 million. The graduate retention program and tax benefits saw an increase.
The post-secondary budget focussed on health care with $35.3 million allocated to training with the promise of 60 new seats for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered psychiatric nurses and medical radiologic technologists. Over half a million was promised towards virtual reality enhancements in registered nursing programs.
Forty-one million was allocated to capital investments and $24.6 million for preventative maintenance and renewal of campus infrastructure.
It is important to note that the funds will be distributed amongst different post- secondary institutions across Saskatchewan.
“Post-secondary education plays a vital role in providing talented graduates who enrich and fuel our workforce and drive our province’s growth. This budget delivers more educational opportunities for students and supports high-quality training programs in urban, rural and northern communities across the province,” said Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff in the statement.
RPIRG’s response to the budget highlights potential negative impacts on students.
“While we acknowledge the 2.2% increase in operating funding, this does not adequately address the financial realities of the institution, nor does it properly account for inflationary pressures. The rising costs of maintaining a high-quality post-secondary education system cannot be met with incremental funding increases that fail to reflect the true needs of students, faculty, and staff.”
RPIRG underlined that in light of the cap on international study permits as well as low domestic enrollment projection the “1 per cent increase in one-time funding through the extension of the Post-Secondary Multi-Year Operating Funding Memorandum of Understanding is wholly insufficient.”
The U of R depends on international study permits for a significant amount of revenue generation. As international enrolment declines due to a federal cap on international study permits, the brunt of inadequate government funding will fall upon the shoulders of new and continuing students.
Tuition fees have been rising each year as it is, and inadequate government funding could result in a further hike in the tuition. RPIRG states that the government’s current approach “does not provide the long-term financial stability needed to sustain the university’s academic mission and student services.”
The statement also highlighted how aggressive student recruitment efforts in other provinces to generate revenue has driven university executives away from their schools because they constantly have to travel. “While recruitment is an important aspect of maintaining a vibrant university […] A strong institution should not have to rely so heavily on recruitment but should be supported through robust government investment,” stated RPIRG.
RPIRG believes that inadequate government funding is driving students out of the province to seek more affordable post-secondary education. As such, Saskatchewan risks losing its “young talents to other regions.”
The statement also expressed concerns that inadequate government funding could result in budget cuts for faculty and staff, causing a decline in the quality of education and support services for the students, making education less accessible to students from marginalised communities.
RPIRG concluded its statement by urging both the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina to work towards a better funding plan for post-secondary education in the province.
“We urge the Government of Saskatchewan to invest more in the University of Regina by providing a substantial increase in funding—one that does not simply meet inflation but allows the institution to thrive. We also call on university administration to take a stronger stance in advocating for the needs of the institution, rather than continually adjusting to budget shortfalls. Universities should not have to choose between affordability for students and institutional sustainability.”
