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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ay 26 ,2 02 2 | 16 Leading up to the June 2 provincial election, Metro- land reached out to mem- bers of its Diversity and In- clusion Community Adviso- ry Committee, inviting them to write about an im- portant election issue. This column is part of this initia- tive. The COVID-19 pandem- ic has deeply intensified pre-existing issues within post-secondary education systems in Ontario. Ontario has some of the highest tuition fees in Can- ada and the lowest per cap- ita student funding nation- ally, and a job market where 70 per cent of jobs now require some degree of post-secondary education. In the past, the provin- cial government has de- creased operating funding for post-secondary educa- tion. Over the past two years, more than $1 billion has been slashed from the Ontario Student Assis- tance Program, leaving students with significantly larger debt. Students have struggled during the pandemic and face a variety of challenges to their mental well-being. Post-pandemic recovery plans must include a more equitable, healthy, high- quality education system in Ontario that accounts better for student mental health. Mental health concerns among Ontario's post-sec- ondary students reflect the ongoing pressures and in- equities common to stu- dent life. Daily, many stu- dents face housing insecu- rity, food insecurity, finan- cial insecurity, and health-care insecurity. With millennials alone projected to comprise 75 per cent of the workforce by the year 2025, the mental health of the younger workforce should be a top priority. Provincial leaders must discuss their plans to ad- dress these concerns and commit additional funding and resources to post-sec- ondary institutions to pro- mote and support mental wellness and build more resilient campus commu- nities. Ontario universities are centres of excellence, inno- vation, and talent develop- ment for the emerging workforce, as well as re- search and development hubs crucial for developing innovative technologies. At a time of rapid tech- nological, economic, envi- ronmental, and social shift, Canadian research- ers are addressing emerg- ing global threats such as pandemics, food security, health care access, water and wastewater manage- ment, climate change and creating a more prosper- ous, inclusive, and innova- tive society. Decades of systematic underfunding for post-sec- ondary education have led to significant cutbacks im- pacting research and de- velopment capacity while new global threats are on the rise requiring greater research, innovative, and sustainable solutions. A healthy post-second- ary education system will require sustainable and predictable research fund- ing to support post-pan- demic recovery. Provincial leaders must address Onta- rio's research capacity, which has been slowed be- cause of the pandemic, through commitment to in- creased research funding. In this election, we must call for investment in post- secondary education. If we want a brighter and more resilient post-pandemic re- covery, we need commit- ment from provincial lead- ers for research and devel- opment in post-secondary settings, along with firm commitment to protect the mental health of our future young workforce. Dr. Zobia Jawed is the McMaster University's faculty lead for Engineer- ing Design Projects, assis- tant professor (A), wWaste- water research lead; board of director and chair, Healthy Youth Network; board of director, Conser- vation Halton. She serves as a member of Metro- land's Diversity and In- clusion Community Ad- visory Committee. REINVESTMENT NEEDED FOR BETTER STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH OPINION PROVINCIAL LEADERS MUST COMMIT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND RESOURCES, WRITES JAWED ZOBIA JAWED Column