Formulating change

However, since the number of youth in Ontario is projected to decline as the province experiences the end of the “post-boom echo”, the province will to have to grapple with a formula that is largely predicated on enrolment and enrolment growth. [...] In Ontario, the government Basic Operating Grants comprise about three quarters determines the amount of funding that the Ministry of the funding given out to universities and the of Training, Colleges and Universities will have in a allocation of these operating grants is a complicated given year, and then the funding formula distributes process. [...] Over time, in order to control costs and ensure some predictability for the government, the formula has The Basic Operating Grant, as mentioned, comprises been increasingly used to divide a fixed amount of the largest portion (77%) of the funding given to funding, with a small portion providing basic per- universities. [...] These trends, and a funding commitment to support those students, should Going forward, managing the changing student be negotiated between universities and the provincial population is going to be an important pillar of the government as part of individual strategic mandate strategic mandate process, the funding formula, and agreements. [...] Should salaries and benefits exceed that cap in any given year, and should that institution be unable to point to an unexpected decline in revenue, then the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities should withhold funds equal to the overage from the basic operating grant.