Some universities in Ontario say they don't have any funding from the Ministry of Education while others say that the funding is either not enough to expand for the anticipated levels or it does not cover for the operating costs. Therefore, building projects or processes to hire extra staff cannot get underway. However, many universities are not just sitting around and waiting. Many universities have received grant money to build new buildings or expand existing ones. According to the COU, the Ministry of Education is well aware of the problem.
More students means more labs, more lecture halls, and more residences.
Buildings can't be constructed overnight. Shorter timelines mean premiums for building contractors and builders, which in turn will raise the expansion bill. If expansion projects don't start soon, buildings may not be ready to accommodate the students and universities may end up paying more then they have to. However, many universities are starting their constructions. Some say that the expansions are long overdue and can only deal with so many students and may not meet the anticipated enrollment levels of the double cohort.