How would the CPC government impact students?
By Imran Ahmed, April 25 2025—
As the 2025 Canadian federal election approaches, the political landscape has changed significantly compared to just a few months ago. The Liberal Party, under the new leadership of Prime Minister Mark Carney, has made a momentous recovery, currently leading the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) in the pre-election polls. Much of this is attributable to a surge in support mobilized in response to Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and his comments about annexing Canada.
Conversely, the CPC leader, Pierre Poilievre, has seen a decline in the polls, largely due to perceptions of his Trump-like politics and populist rhetoric. His campaign has heavily focused on attacking Justin Trudeau — a strategy that was very popular amid Trudeau’s historically low approval ratings. But as the Liberal Party’s image improves under new leadership and a patriotic rally, much of that momentum has faded.
However, the CPC and Pierre Poilievre are still in a strong position to win this election cycle — raising important questions about what their platform would mean for students, particularly in areas like tuition affordability, housing access and job opportunities post-graduation.
Education: A focus on trades, but little for university students
University tuition fees are one of the most important issues for post-secondary students. Particularly, tuition rates at leading Canadian universities have been rising significantly and this is one of the leading causes of financial strain for students.
In Alberta, the challenge of rising tuition fees is exacerbated by significant reductions in provincial funding for post-secondary institutions. Between 2019 and 2023, the Government of Alberta reduced post-secondary funding by 31 per cent, leading to widespread budget cuts across institutions. This underfunding has led to larger class sizes and deteriorating educational facilities, adversely affecting the student experience.
The CPC platform, however, makes no mention of addressing rising tuition costs or expanding federal student aid. Instead, its post-secondary focus is limited to vocational pathway support, proposing a $4,000 apprenticeship grant to train 350,000 skilled trade workers. Furthermore, there are no commitments to eliminate or reduce interest on federal student loans, which contrasts the Liberal Party’s policy of eliminating interest on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans. This leaves a major gap in support for university and college students.
Housing: Long-term promises, no short-term relief for renters
Rental rates in major Canadian cities are very high. Although Calgary recently saw a 7.2 per cent year-on-year decline in rental rates, costs remain high and unaffordable for many, especially students. Despite the drop, the average rent for a two-bedroom unit still hovers above pre-pandemic levels. These issues are worsened by record population growth in Alberta. These increasing costs have placed a significant financial strain on students, of whom a majority are renters.
The CPC plans to address the housing crisis by incentivizing construction. It aims to increase the housing supply by cutting taxes, selling off federal land and reducing approval times. The platform includes tax and funding incentives for homebuyers and municipalities. Although this may work in increasing the housing supply, it is likely to take a long time for the benefits of this policy to materialize.
In the meantime, renters — especially students and low-income earners — may continue to face unaffordable market conditions. The platform lacks targeted support for renters, such as rent relief, expanded rental assistance programs or protections against rapid rent increases. Without interim measures to address rental costs in major cities, many young people may find themselves priced out of safe and stable housing in the short-term.
Jobs and Income: Economic incentives with unclear benefits for grads
The CPC’s platform places a strong emphasis on lowering taxes and incentivizing domestic investment. One proposed cut is a reduction of the lowest federal income tax rate, from 15 per cent to 12.75 per cent, which the CPC estimates will save the average worker $900 annually. This can provide relief for many students who work part-time or full-time. However, it does not address issues of unemployment and a highly competitive labour market, which is particularly challenging for younger job-seekers.
The CPC also proposes a “Canada First Reinvestment Tax Cut”, which eliminates capital gains tax when the money is reinvested into domestic companies. In addition, the platform pledges to “Launch Interprovincial Free Trade”, aiming to eliminate provincial trade barriers that restrict the flow of goods and services, potentially spurring economic activity and creating jobs. However, when the benefits of these policies will come and whether students will directly benefit is unclear.
The platform also includes a “Boots Not Suits” plan, which pledges $4,000 apprenticeship grant to support training for 350,000 trade workers. This plan, perhaps by design, offers no information on any support for post-secondary students in non-trade fields such as science or the arts.
Climate and Social Issues: A platform quiet on youth priorities
The CPC is markedly different in its approach towards climate policy. One of its flagship policies is the abolition of the federal carbon tax, which conservatives criticize as inflationary and undue taxation. Instead, the CPC proposes expediting permits for traditional energy projects, creating a “Canada Energy Corridor” to fast-track pipelines and transmission infrastructure and unlocking resource extraction zones like Ontario’s Ring of Fire for critical mineral development.
This includes a deregulatory approach to industry, with a proposed elimination of 25 per cent of all federal regulations within its first two years in office. This includes a “two-for-one” law, mandating that two existing regulations be repealed forever, a new one imposed and for every $1 of new administrative costs, $2 must be cut elsewhere to reduce the burden on the government.
These measures, while positioned as pro-economic growth, lack clear emission reduction targets. There is a lack of information on investment in public transit infrastructure or other urban climate-friendly projects that directly impact students and youth.
Beyond the environment, the CPC platform is also silent on most progressive concerns. It makes no new commitments on Indigenous reconciliation, LGBTQ+ rights, gender equity or protections for international students. For many students, this absence suggests a platform that prioritizes economic growth over social equity.
Conclusion: Would students be left waiting?
While the CPC emphasizes “common sense” governance, with a focus on economic stability, lower taxes and incentives for investment, it seems clear that students are not a central focus of their platform.
There are no direct measures addressing rising tuition fees or the chronic underfunding of post-secondary institutions, nor are there targeted supports for students facing high rental costs in increasingly unaffordable cities. The platform’s climate strategy prioritizes traditional energy expansion and deregulation over public transit, urban sustainability and student-centered environmental planning.
On broader progressive issues, the platform is largely silent. While the CPC’s economic policies may offer benefits in the long term, such as job growth and housing supply, these outcomes are unlikely to be felt quickly and equally. For many students, these benefits may have to trickle down over time, leaving current needs and concerns unmet.