For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
TORONTO, ON — The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) is deeply concerned by the recent announcement of layoffs affecting local District 35 Algoma University Support Staff members. These cuts represent not only a loss of employment for dedicated professionals, but a serious threat to the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Ontario.
“This isn’t just about Algoma University; the root of the problem lies in Ontario’s fundamentally broken post-secondary funding model. Ontario continues to rank dead last in per-student funding across Canada, forcing institutions to rely heavily on unstable tuition revenue, including from international students,” said OSSTF/FEESO President, Martha Hradowy.
An unsustainable funding model leaves universities vulnerable to enrollment shifts and government policy changes, with students and frontline workers bearing the brunt of the consequences. “Every problem in the post-secondary sector can be traced back to a lack of provincial funding,” concluded Hradowy.
OSSTF/FEESO District 35 Algoma University Support Staff President, Michelle Dayboll, added, “My members are also alarmed by the disproportionate administration-to-staff ratios, which in many cases are as high as 2:1.” She added, “These figures highlight an ongoing misallocation of resources—where bureaucratic growth continues while frontline services are being slashed. Resources should be directed to the student services, and to the people who deliver the education—not to bloated bureaucratic structures.”
“The proposed layoffs at Algoma University are unacceptable and demonstrate the impact caused by years of government underfunding,” stated Dayboll. “These layoffs were avoidable. Years of chronic underfunding of Ontario’s public post-secondary sector are creating chaos for our members, the students and institutions they support, and will lead to negative economic impacts in Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins at a time when they are already facing hardship caused by the economic instability created by tariffs,” added Dayboll.
OSSTF/FEESO calls on the provincial government to immediately overhaul the university funding formula. Public post-secondary institutions must be adequately and predictably funded, with accountability mechanisms that ensure funding supports quality education—not top-heavy administration.
OSSTF/FEESO stands in solidarity with our members who are impacted by these layoffs, and we will continue to advocate fiercely for job security, equity, and a properly funded, accessible university system that serves the public good.
OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has over 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.