Canada's universities urge the federal government to make critical investments in the three primary drivers of Canada's future prosperity: people, ideas and communities.
Universities Canada prepared a submission with three main recommendations in response to the Government of Canada's call for pre-budget submissions:
- To attract, develop and retain talent;
- To strengthen research excellence and competitiveness; and
- To build healthy, green and accessible communities.
Canada's future depends upon its people, its ideas and its communities. Universities Canada recommends the federal government invest in its young people to develop workforce-ready skills, increase its research funding to be competitive with peer countries, and provide funding opportunities to Canada's universities to reduce on-campus emissions, increase student housing and support student mental health.
Together, these measures would ensure Canada retains a skilled, diverse talent pipeline and strong research capacity key elements needed to support innovation, economic growth and community health.
"In the global competition for talent, Canada must take urgent measures to keep up," says Philip Landon, interim president of Universities Canada. "Canada's future depends on investments in developing and attracting skilled talent, strengthening research excellence and building healthy, green and accessible communities."
Amid evolving political, technological and economic realities, Universities Canada's recommendations provide a clear blueprint to ensure Canada remains adaptable to change and prosperous for years to come.
