The Ontario government announced on Sept. 17 that it had invested $79 million to fund 2,861 additional seats at Durham College and Ontario Tech University for in-demand careers in STEM, health care, trades and education.
This was announced seven months after that snarky remark Premier Doug Ford uttered while defending Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) cuts.
Ford opted to blatantly talk down about the arts and humanities, referring to related post-secondary programs as “basket-weaving courses.” He stated that he would prefer if funding went towards STEM and trades, implying that we as arts and humanities students are less important.
Well, Ford, we can disregard your disrespectful and thinly veiled condescension, as the facts remain true no matter how they are contorted: the arts and humanities are absolutely necessary in society. The government needs to include arts in funding priorities and understand that we as arts and humanities students are just as important as students in STEM, health care, trades and education. Of course it is worthwhile to invest in more technical sectors, but arts and humanities are necessary in society in their own ways. Arts and humanities graduates teach your children in schools, provide your daily entertainment and help preserve history.
Langara College in British Columbia suspended intake to its journalism diploma program for fall 2026. Durham College also suspended intake to its Journalism – Mass Media program in 2025. During times like these, the importance of the arts is being highlighted now more than ever.
When these post-secondary programs disappear, journalistic integrity can suffer. Journalism graduates bring a lot to the table and are formally educated in the proper rules of journalism and establishing public trust. If there are fewer people trained in how to publish important information correctly and with integrity in mind, then our world will be rampant with misinformation and poorly educated convictions. Fewer journalism education opportunities mean that the chances of communities having access to properly written and attributed news are significantly lower.
Huron County residents were reasonably up in arms after the Huron County Council decided to impose major municipal cuts to arts and multicultural programs in March 2026. The residents stated that the funding cuts would take away opportunities to build community and local tourism. One such program being cancelled is the Huron Multicultural Festival.
So it’s not just students who are unhappy with arts cuts, it’s also just anyone who cares even a smidge about community.
What is a county without local culture? How can they realistically expect to draw in a community when programs meant to bring people together are cut? If there are no multicultural festivals, then there are fewer options to build connections within communities and celebrate diversity in person.
Imagine living in a town or city with no third spaces or events to get involved in your community. Things would get boring very quickly, no?
Not many people who care about the arts would be motivated to contribute anything artistic to their communities if it is explicitly conveyed that there is not enough demand for it and that it isn’t as important as STEM or health care.
According to the Ontario Arts Council in October 2023, 80 per cent of Ontarians believe the arts are important to their own quality of life, and 85 per cent believe their community would lose something of value without arts activities.
According to the Ontario Arts Council, citing Statistics Canada’s 2020 figures, the arts and culture sector contributed $27 billion to the provincial economy and accounted for approximately 255,000 jobs, representing 3.8 per cent of provincial employment.
Not bad, right, Ford?
It is safe to say that it’s been proven extensively that arts and humanities are actually very important in society. Maybe “basket-weaving” courses are worth the government’s time and money after all.