Ajax's candidates' promises on Post-Secondary Education & Jobs Training

International students

We don't have any Conservative policies on International students.

We don't have any NDP policies on International students.

We don't have any Liberal policies on International students.

Green

Cap tuition fees at fair and reasonable rates

"End the financial exploitation of international students by capping tuition fees at fair and reasonable rates." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Establish a national regulatory framework for the ethical recruitment of international students, ensuring full transparency and accountability fees in tuition fees, housing, and employment expectations

"Sign and publicly endorse the London Statement, establishing a national regulatory framework for education agents and ensuring ethical recruitment of international students." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25

"Adopt the London Statement into Canada’s framework for education agents, create a code of ethical practice and impose penalties for noncompliance." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Require post-secondary institutions to disclose accurate information on housing costs, rental availability, and cost-of-living expectations for international students before enrollment

"Require colleges and universities to include accurate cost of living and housing information — on-campus costs, local vacancy rates, average rents — in acceptance letters to international students." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Restrict visas for designated learning institutions with low student retention rates

"Periodically assess all designated learning institutions (DLIs) approved to host international students, restricting visas for institutions with low student retention rates." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25

"Conduct detailed assessments of DLIs, restricting visa issuance for schools where 15% or more of international students fail to enroll, withdraw, or transfer out." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Double the proof-of-funds requirement for applicants to $20,000, plus $8,000 for the first accompanying family member and $6,000 for each additional family member
Review and update estimated cost of living used to assess study permit and Student Direct Stream visa applications at least every three years
Require study permit and SDS visa holders to periodically report proof of sufficient financial support to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada

"Require study permit and SDS visa holders to periodically report proof of sufficient financial support (minimum funds in a Canadian financial institution) to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as a condition of maintaining their status." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Re-establish the limit on off-campus work to a maximum of 20 hours per week

"Re-establish the limit on off-campus work to a maximum of 20 hours per week, ensuring students remain primarily focused on their studies." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Give incoming international students a package explaining their legal rights, how to find housing, provincial/territorial housing rights, employment standards, and resources for reporting crimes or harassment
Require post-secondary institutions to dedicate a portion of international tuition to expanding on-campus housing

New workers and first jobs for young people

We don't have any Conservative policies on New workers and first jobs for young people.

We don't have any NDP policies on New workers and first jobs for young people.

Liberal

Provide funding and expand mandates, where appropriate, for the Student Work Placement Program, the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, Canada Summer Jobs, and the Canadian Service Corps

"Provide funding and expand the mandates, where appropriate, for the Student Work Placement Program, the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), Canada Summer Jobs, and the Canadian Service Corps. We will work to better align the mandates with critical and emerging sectors such as green technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. This will increase opportunities within the not-for-profit organizations, the public sector, and private sector organizations." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

Green

Implement a Guaranteed Livable Income for all Canadians, ensuring young people have financial security to pursue education, training, and early-career opportunities

"Implement a Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) for all Canadians, ensuring young people have the financial security to pursue education, training, and early-career opportunities without poverty barriers." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Expand the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to create stable, well-paid job opportunities for young workers

"Expand the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to create stable, well-paid job opportunities for young workers in high-demand fields." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Develop a National Community Benefit Strategy to create youth employment opportunities in public service, infrastructure, and community development projects
Encourage flexible and remote work models for young Canadians

"Encourage flexible and remote work models for young Canadians, ensuring better work-life balance and access to diverse job opportunities." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Increase funding for skills training programmes, prioritising sectors facing chronic labour shortages

Post-secondary costs and loans

We don't have any Conservative policies on Post-secondary costs and loans.

We don't have any NDP policies on Post-secondary costs and loans.

Liberal

Keep interest off of Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans

"Continue to uphold the removal of interest on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

Green

Offer free tuition to low-income students, Indigenous students, and those in critical fields, with the goal of expanding access to all students over time

"Commit to implementing tuition-free public post-secondary education in Canada through a phased approach, drawing on successful international models.

» Begin by offering free tuition to low-income students, Indigenous students, and those in critical fields, with the goal of expanding access to all students over time.

» Develop sustainable funding strategies to support this transition, ensuring that financial barriers do not impede access to higher education."

— Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Cancel all federal student loan debt

"Eliminate all federal student loan debt, providing financial relief to graduates and current borrowers." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Fully fund the Post-Secondary Student Support Program to cover tuition and living expenses for all Indigenous students who qualify, and eventually cover relocation and living expenses

"Fully fund the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) to cover tuition and living expenses for all Indigenous students who qualify.

» Once tuition-free post-secondary education is fully implemented, refocus PSSSP on funding relocation and living expenses for Indigenous students."

— Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Permanently end interest on new student loans

Post-secondary funding

Conservative

Require universities to enforce free expression standards matching those of Section 2 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a condition for federal funding

We don't have any NDP policies on Post-secondary funding.

We don't have any Liberal policies on Post-secondary funding.

Green

Provide direct research funding to Canadian universities, allocated automatically based on graduate student enrolment in thesis-based programmes

"Provide direct research funding to Canadian universities, allocated automatically based on graduate student enrollment in thesis-based programs, to ensure stable baseline funding for curiosity-driven, early-stage research. This will support long-term scientific inquiry and breakthrough discoveries without the burden of competitive grant applications.

» Require that all research funded through this program be fully public, preventing the privatization of publicly funded knowledge and ensuring open access for researchers, businesses, and the public."

— Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Increase stable, long-term federal funding for universities and colleges

"Increase stable, long-term federal funding for universities and colleges to support mentorship programs, expand faculty diversity, and create more tenure-track positions." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Guarantee stable public funding for universities and college to reduce dependence on corporate donors

"Guarantee stable public funding for universities and colleges to reduce dependence on corporate donors and safeguard academic independence." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Fund local campuses, online programmes, and co-op learning opportunities

"Expand access to post-secondary education in sustainable industries by funding local campuses, online programs, and co-op learning opportunities." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Ensure stable federal funding for minority-language post-secondary institutions

"Ensure stable federal funding for minority-language post-secondary institutions, supporting cultural preservation and linguistic diversity across Canada." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25

Scientific research

We don't have any Conservative policies on Scientific research.

We don't have any NDP policies on Scientific research.

Liberal

Create a $25M/year fund to attract leading researchers to Canadian institutions when the US cuts their project funding

"Attract leading researchers to Canadian institutions by creating the Canadian Sovereignty and Resilience Research Fund. If the U.S. cuts a researcher’s project funding, we will work with the Canadian research ecosystem if projects can directly help Canadians or be commercialized here. Where the U.S. is squeezing out researchers, we will look to welcome research here in Canada. Eligible researchers could include professors and graduate students. More researchers at home will help us solve Canadian problems, and export more Canadian solutions to the global marketplace." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23
Create a capstone organisation to ensure federal granting agencies are funding mission-driven research

"Finalize Canada’s modernization of science and research, through the creation of a capstone organization that will ensure the federal granting agencies are driving mission-driven research that brings Canadian expertise to big global challenges and effectively commercializes homegrown ideas." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23

Green

Increase R&D funding to 2.7% of GDP

"Increase R&D funding to 2.7% of GDP to bring Canada in line with the OECD average." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Increase funding for research councils, ensuring a minimum 60% success rate in grant competitions

"Increase funding for research councils (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR), ensuring a minimum 60% success rate in grant competitions." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Restore and expand Climate Change and Atmospheric Research funding and provide annual funding for the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Lab
Ensure full implementation of Scientific Integrity Policies across government departments to protect research independence
Mandate environmental, social, and governance considerations in federal research grants to ensure ethical and sustainable research funding

"Mandate ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) considerations in federal research grants to ensure ethical and sustainable research funding." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Allocate at least 10% of all research council funding to support underrepresented groups in science and technology
Introduce a programme of direct, non-reviewed research funding to all Canadian universities based on graduate student size, with the condition that all results are made fully public
Mandate open access for publicly-funded research

"Mandate open access for publicly funded research, following Europe’s “Plan S” model to make science freely available." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Create a public portal for government science and decision-making evidence to enhance transparency and public trust
Triple Canada Graduate Scholarships for master's students and double them for PhD students

"Increase federal funding for graduate research by tripling Canada Graduate Scholarships for master’s students and doubling them for PhD students." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25

Trades

Conservative

Allow trades workers to write off the full cost of food, transport, and accommodation needed to go from one job to another

"Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced today that a new Conservative government will allow travelling trades workers to write off the full cost of food, transport and accommodation needed to go from one job to another while ending write-offs for luxury corporate jets that are not needed to do business." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17
Back 350,000 positions for trade schools and union halls to train red-seal apprentices to build homes
Require banks to recognise apprenticeships as eligible Registered Education Savings Plans programmes

"Today, Conservatives announced that they would deliver fairness for the skilled trades by requiring banks to recognize apprenticeships for Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs). Financial institutions that offer RESPs will be required to recognize all skilled trades and apprenticeship programs as eligible RESP programs, ensuring that all related expenses qualify for Education Assistance Payments." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17
Increase funding to the Union Training and Innovation Program and expand it to cover capital investments like training halls
Reinstate apprenticeship grants and streamline EI for apprentices
Create a Trades Toolkit for high schools

NDP

Train over 100,000 skilled workers, including newcomers and those affected by Trump's tariffs

"To deliver on this [housing] plan, we will train over 100,000 skilled workers, including newcomers and those affected by Donald Trump’s reckless trade war." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Develop sector specific industrial strategies for energy, mining, manufacturing, buildings, and transportation, with workers at the table, to speed up Canada's clean energy transition and attract new investment

"New Democrats are committed to our Build Canadian, Buy Canadian Plan to boost our domestic economy and create a stronger and more independent economy. As part of this plan we would develop sector-specific industrial strategies for energy, mining, manufacturing, buildings and transportation, with workers at the table every step along the way, with the goal of accelerating Canada’s clean energy transition and attracting new investment in communities across the country. And we would provide additional supports to train more workers for tomorrow’s green economy. Our goal will be to support good, new jobs in clean industries, and support the decarbonization of essential industries like steelmaking, cement-making, transportation and others." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Liberal

Provide an Apprenticeship Grant up to $8,000 for registered apprentices

"Provide a new Apprenticeship Grant of up to $8,000 for registered apprentices. Should an apprentice not complete their program within established timelines, the grant converts to an interest-free loan. This is in addition to the $20,000 interest-free Canada Apprentice Loans available to apprentices progressing through training. We will work with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis communities to raise awareness of the new grant. And we will make certain expenses eligible that make it easier and more affordable for women to apprentice in the trades." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23
Double funding for the Union Training and Innovation Program, increasing it to $50M/year

"Increase access to union-led training initiatives by permanently doubling the funding of the Union Training and Innovation Program from $25 million to $50 million. This funding will now support investments in training spaces and classrooms, supporting any of the Red Seal trades." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23
Create a new $20M capital funding stream for colleges to support new training spaces for apprenticeships

"Establish a new $20 million capital funding stream for colleges to support new training spaces, such as classrooms, for apprenticeships. We will also work with provinces and territories to increase operating funding for trade colleges, building on the successes of jurisdictions like Quebec, which has been a leader in funding apprenticeship and vocational training, as well as strategic workplace apprenticeships." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23
Expand the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction so trades workers can write off more travel expenses, and increase the per-year deduction limit

"Expand the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction to ensure workers who travel more than 120 km from their home to a job site can deduct more of their expenses, and commit to significantly increasing the per-year tax deduction limit." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14
Provide up to $5,000 to eligible employers for each new apprentice hired in Red Seal trades, and $10,000 for women, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups

"Uphold the Apprenticeship Service program to support employers in hiring new apprentices in Red Seal trades, with up to $10,000 for eligible employers for each new apprentice hired;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-14

"Uphold the Apprenticeship Service program to support employers in hiring new apprentices in Red Seal trades, with $5,000 for first-year apprentices and $10,000 for women, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23
Incentivise companies building housing to hire apprentices and recent graduates by setting new requirements on federal contribution agreements to major products

"Incentivize companies to hire apprentices and recent graduates by establishing new requirements on federal contribution agreements to major projects that commit industry partners to include significant opportunities for young Canadians." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-23

Green

Invest in post-secondary and trade school programmes to improve student resources, faculty support, and infrastructure

Upskilling

We don't have any Conservative policies on Upskilling.

We don't have any NDP policies on Upskilling.

Liberal

Provide an up-to-$15K upskilling & training benefit for workers in priority sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, construction, AI, & tech
"A Mark Carney led government will provide a new upskilling and training benefit for workers in the middle of their careers who need to access new skills training for their career stability and success. This new benefit will :
1. provide up to $15,000 for workers in priority sectors, including manufacturing, health care, construction, A.I. and technology. In the face of the economic uncertainty and volatility many Canadian businesses are facing, we will collaborate with employers to support retention and upskilling within their companies; and,
2. ensure that Canadian workers impacted by tariffs have the necessary tools to pursue good paying jobs and advance their careers in priority sectors. We will design these supports in partnership with labour, employers, and industry."
— liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-16

Green

Expand labour market training investments by making the top-up to workforce development agreements permanent
Ensure employment programmes cover secondary school completion; adult literacy and numeracy training; English/French language instruction; and union and community-led workforce development

"Expand access to training for all workers, ensuring employment programs cover:

» Secondary school completion and upgrading.

» Adult literacy and numeracy training.

» English/French language instruction.

» Union and community-led workforce development."

— Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Provide income support for workers seeking training

"Provide income support for workers seeking training, eliminating financial barriers to career shifts." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25
Expand re-skilling and apprenticeship programmes through the Canada Training Benefit

"Expand re-skilling and apprenticeship programs through the Canada Training Benefit, ensuring workers can transition into sustainable, high- demand careers." — Change: Vote For It, retrieved 2025-04-25