Monday, Jan. 25, 2021

Toronto, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is slamming the federal and Ontario governments for spending $126 million of taxpayers’ money on a new French university in Ontario that only received 39 applications this year, only 19 of which came from Ontario students.   

“Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government was right to cancel this project in 2018 because there was no way the province could afford it by any stretch of the imagination,” said Jasmine Moulton, Ontario Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Its flip-flop on this issue will sadly haunt taxpayers in Ontario and across Canada for years to come.”

Universite de l'Ontario Francais received a total of 39 applications for the 2021 school year as of Jan. 17, the first application deadline. Only 19 of those applications came from Ontario students. The remainder were from international students and adults considering returning to school.

The federal and Ontario governments committed to jointly fund the university in 2019 and each committed $63 million to the school for a total funding amount of $126 million over eight years. That means that if all 39 applicants are accepted and choose to attend the school, then each student will cost taxpayers over $400,000 this year.

“The political decision to fund this school is an egregious example of waste, and taxpayers across Ontario and Canada should be outraged,” said Moulton.

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Jasmine Moulton

Ontario Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

e. [email protected]

p. 416-573-5458