Manitoba universities told to cut costs by up to 30%

Brian Pallister’s Progressive Conservative government has told Manitoba universities to figure out how to cut their budgets by as much as 30% in order to help the province survive the financial maelstrom of the COVID-19 pandemic, writes Bartley Kives for CBC News.

Universities, which already have laid off hundreds of employees, contend they’re trying to manage increased demands from students at a time when many are out of work. The institutions say they don’t know how they can operate with reduced funding, never mind prepare the provincial workforce for the post-pandemic economy.

The province gave universities a deadline to prepare scenarios for budget cuts of 10%, 20% and 30% over the next four months, either by cutting back on their workforces or by reducing other expenditures.
Full report on the CBC site