Saskatchewan increases funding to universities, confirms multi-year agreement in 2026 budget

Saskatchewan released its provincial budget on Tuesday which includes an increased investment in post-secondary education.

The budget confirms a multi-year funding agreement for the post-secondary sector first announced in November. The agreement provides institutions with three per cent increases to operating funding each year over four years and limits annual tuition increase to a range of zero to three per cent.

The Ministry of Advanced Education is investing $847.1 million in post-secondary education in 2026-27, an increase of 7.5 per cent from last year.

Post-secondary institutions can expect $250 million over the next four years with operating funding increasing by $33.6 million 2026-27.

The province is also targeting post-secondary training in priority areas such as health care, construction and manufacturing.

Nearly $79 million will support the expansion of programs in health care and $4.1 million in new funding will add 20 physician and 26 nurse practitioner seats in the 2026-27 academic year.

Vince Bruni-Bossio, president of the University of Saskatchewan, said that the budget confirms the province’s alignment with the university’s growth plan.

“This is a great story for us because it gives us predictable, stable funding for the next four years,” he said. “We have a runway, and we’re not thinking every year reactively because it’s a very volatile time.”

The provincial government will provide $10 million in capital spending to the University of Saskatchewan to expand space for new occupational therapy and speech language pathology programs that will open this fall.

Geraldine Balzer, chair of the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, said that additional investment is required for other programs where more “space is sorely needed.”.

“This budget emphasizes healthcare training, a necessary response to Saskatchewan’s needs, but seemingly ignores other areas such as engineering, agriculture, and education,” said Dr. Balzer.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic will also receive $10 million for its campus renewal project.

The University of Regina will be allocated  $3 million in 2026-27 to support renovations and relocation of its faculties of nursing and social work in Saskatoon.

An additional $4 million is designated for programs and expansion at the province’s colleges.

In terms of student aid, the budget also increased funding to $39 million in 2026-27, a $5 million increase from 2025.  

Jeff Keshen, president of the University of Regina, said that he was pleased with the budget but that the year ahead will “require resilience.”

“We are grateful for this support and the financial predictability it provides during challenging economic times for post-secondary institutions across Canada, particularly as international student enrolments continue to decline due to regulatory changes and visa processing delays,” he said.

Student groups have echoed the sentiment, with the University of Regina Students’ Association president Matthew McStravick writing in press release that the financial supports provide a necessary, though modest, buffer against rising costs for students who continue to see the impact of “harmful policies targeting international students” at their institution.