Improving campuses for students and communities

Universities Canada’s recommendation for Budget 2025

While it often goes unnoticed, university infrastructure—from classrooms and labs to gyms and wellness centers—are essential to supporting local communities and providing a strong learning environment for students and researchers.

What’s the issue?

Despite the importance of good infrastructure, Canada’s universities often cannot access federal funding for improvements. Without this support, Canada’s universities face difficulties in modernizing and maintaining research and teaching facilities and in making their buildings more energy-efficient.

A 2019 report from the Canadian Association of Business Officers revealed that Canada’s universities had $17.2 billion in deferred maintenance costs; in other words, repairs and upgrades put on hold due to budget constraints. 36% of those costs require urgent action now, or action within the next 1-2 years.

Why is it important?

To stay competitive globally and attract top talent, Canadian universities need modern facilities. Improved facilities provide students and researchers with state-of-the-art environments for high-quality learning and research, which enhances educational experiences and drives economic benefits through local partnerships, research collaborations and business incubation programs.

University facilities are important for more than research and innovation, they also benefit their surrounding communities. University campuses are cultural, educational and social hubs for many communities, especially in smaller cities and towns. They offer community members access to gyms, swimming pools and sports fields, host events like summer camps and public lectures and provide safe spaces during crises, like emergency shelters and health centres.

Universities are ready to get to work, with $7 billion worth of projects ready to go. Two-thirds of these are renovations and over half would cost less than $10 million.

Additionally, upgrading university facilities to be more energy-efficient will help Canada meet its climate goals, including  achieving net zero emissions by 2050. A 2022 report by Natural Resources Canada found that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from Canada’s built environment, including university campuses, and off-site generation of electricity.

By investing in maintenance and retrofitting, university campuses can lower energy costs, help Canada reach its environmental goals and provide modern facilities for students and communities.

Our recommendations

Universities should have access to new or renewed federal funding programs that incentivize building or retrofitting infrastructure to be more energy-efficient and accessible. We’re asking that any existing, new or renewed federal funding programs for energy-efficient infrastructure and accessible retrofits are designed to allow all post-secondary institutions to apply for support.

What is the pre-budget submission?

Every year, as the Government of Canada looks to set its budget, Universities Canada provides information on the biggest issues facing universities and solutions to help universities and Canadians thrive. Read more of our recommendations to government in our pre-budget submission.