From Campus to Campus: Hearing The Issues That Matter

Photo of the Algonquin College sign at the Algonquin College campus at 1385 Woodroffe Avenue in Nepean in February 2026.

Column published in the February 12, 2026 edition of Your Barrhaven Independent — Community Voice.

By: Tyler Watt, MPP

Over the coming weeks, my caucus colleagues and I will be kicking off our Local Matters Tour across Ontario. While Doug Ford has chosen to shut down the Legislature for one of the longest breaks in its history, Ontario Liberal MPPs are hitting the road to visit communities across the province — from Windsor to Thunder Bay and everywhere in between.

This tour is about listening. It’s about meeting with local community leaders, visiting hospitals and schools, and hearing directly from people who are living with the consequences of this government’s decisions every day. Too often, decisions at Queen’s Park are made without meaningful consultation with the communities they affect. The Local Matters Tour is about bringing those real-world experiences back to the Legislature and making sure they are reflected in the policies we fight for.

A key focus of my tour will be Ontario’s colleges and universities, including Algonquin College. I want to meet with students, faculty, and administrators to better understand the impact of ongoing cuts to the post-secondary education sector. At Algonquin, recent program cuts and restructuring have created real uncertainty for students who chose the college because of its strong reputation for hands-on, career-focused education. These decisions also affect faculty and staff, many of whom are worried about job security and the long-term stability of programs that serve our community.

Algonquin College plays a vital role in Nepean and across eastern Ontario. It trains workers for in-demand fields, supports local employers, and provides pathways for students who want to stay close to home while building a future. Recently, we have seen more program cuts at Algonquin, and students are left scrambling to change plans or leave their communities, and employers lose access to the skilled workforce they depend on. This is not just an education issue; it’s a local economic issue.

Post-secondary education is an essential pillar of our society and our economy. Colleges and universities are hubs of innovation, research, and workforce training. They prepare the nurses, tradespeople, technicians, and small business owners our communities rely on. When this government underfunds post-secondary education, it isn’t just institutions that suffer; students, families, and local economies pay the price.

The stories I hear on this tour; from students worried about their futures to faculty concerned about program stability, will help inform the work we do at Queen’s Park. At a time when families are feeling squeezed by rising costs, Ontario needs a government that invests in people and opportunity.

Local voices matters — and I look forward to bringing those voices back to Queen’s Park.