This month, one of Canada’s top universities cut the majority of its varsity athletic programming.
On Nov. 20, McGill University announced that it would discontinue 25 varsity teams across 15 sports ahead of the 2026-27 season. The University cited financial reasons after an internal audit in 2024, followed by an external audit this year. Notably, McGill’s track and field team is among the cuts, which has caused outrage nationally. The team has operated for 125 consecutive seasons and is set to enter its 126th year of competition.
Among outspoken critics of the decision is Canadian running legend Andre De Grasse. The two-time Olympic gold medalist expressed his frustration with the news on social media and was part of a large outpouring of athletes who shared concerns about the future of sporting pipelines in Canada.
In an open letter to McGill, the school’s track and field team urged their administration to reconsider. They expressed their frustration with the lack of communication behind the decision, adding that the “absence of a clear and publicly articulated rationale” is particularly concerning.
Even though their specific reasoning for cutting each team isn’t clear, the school’s financial difficulties have been apparent. In their budget released in June 2025, the school anticipated a $4.1 million deficit. Their solution included a $45 million budget correction, which they said would involve “suspending some activities.” McGill’s one of many Canadian post-secondary institutions under financial pressure due to a decline in international student enrolment, and has cited the shortage in the past as a rationale for financial cuts.
Queen’s, for their part, have maintained that such drastic action isn’t on the horizon. In a statement provided to The Journal, Queen’s Athletics & Recreation stated the following: “Queen’s Athletics & Recreation (A&R) is continually working towards sustainable models across our programs to support the long-term health and success of our varsity teams and clubs, as well as services and events.”
“Sustainability is one of three drivers identified in our current strategy. We remain focused on providing diverse and vibrant athletic and recreational opportunities for all students and the broader community.”
Such drastic action by McGill is rare, but not unprecedented. Earlier this year, Simon Fraser University announced that it had finalized the discontinuation of its storied football program, cementing a decision that was first made in 2023. The school cited financial uncertainty, despite large sums of money raised by the public in an attempt to reinstate the program.
It’s also unclear why McGill opted to target the sports it did. While 10 of the sports they cut involved both women’s and men’s teams, three involved the discontinuation of just the women’s team, while only two targeted men specifically. Furthermore, the University has opted to continue its men’s rugby and lacrosse teams while cutting ties with its women’s rugby and lacrosse counterparts. Additionally, McGill stated that the continuation of its co-ed cheerleading and women’s flag football teams would be dependent on a derogation from Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, Quebec’s school sporting body.
As an alternative, the University is encouraging the discontinued programs to seek help from student-run organizations, rather than relying on the institutional support they’ve received in the past. The Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club weighed in with a public statement that highlighted an underdiscussed consequence of the school’s action—the future of McGill’s Tomlinson Fieldhouse. The facility is home to one of just three banked indoor 200-metre tracks in Canada, and the Lions explain in their statement that eliminating track and field programming jeopardizes the future of athletic development nationally.
The decision to part ways with 60 per cent of its varsity programming has attracted national attention. The track and field team’s open letter has earned over 400 signatures, while a petition also started by the team is quickly approaching 10,000 signatures within a week. McGill, for its part, has remained mum on the topic, as it chooses to brave the widespread outcry as it works to improve its financial standing.
McGill’s decision may prompt more questions than answers, but in an uncertain climate, it reflects the financial pressures facing Canadian universities, even one of the country’s strongest. For now, the national sporting community continues to monitor developments as McGill moves ahead with its restructuring.
Tags
Athletics, Athletics and Recration, Financial, McGill, Varsity sports
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Njkab
You need to do some deeper research. EXACT same thing happened to Queen’s Track & Field program 20+ years ago. The university cut track & field but kept cross country. Sad!