There’s no question that there has been a concerted effort to portray health care as eating everyone else’s lunch when it comes to funding.
While health policy experts have repeatedly pointed out that this is not true, few outsiders have acknowledged this reality.
In today’s Toronto Star, York University professor George Fallis notes that funding for higher education has kept pace with health care over the last decade.
He writes: “Contrary to what many believe, the growth in health spending over this period has not squeezed out spending on higher education. Ontario has one of the best systems of higher education in the world, highlighted by its achievements in providing access to higher education.”
Fallis notes that over the last 10 years university enrolments have grown by 50 per cent and college enrolments by 23 per cent.
The professor argues the baby boom “echo” has reached its peak, and changing demographics will likely reduce demand for higher education.
OPSEU Diablogue 