Amid cuts to staff, programs and student services, Canada's post-secondary system is moving into a stormy period. Students, faculty, post-secondary institutions and experts predict challenging times ahead as colleges and universities report budget shortfalls, exacerbated by federal restrictions on new international students, ongoing domestic tuition caps or freezes, and stagnant provincial funding.

Here's what you need to know.

How did we get here?

As provincial operating funding for post-secondar…