Canadore College says it is settling into a familiar routine in this first week of the 2024–25 school year, according to a news release issued by the school.
“There’s a wonderful energy in the halls again along with lots of smiling faces,” states George Burton, Canadore president and CEO. “All-in-all we’re off to a great start.”
One year ago, the local affordable housing crisis reached a boiling point as students — predominantly from India — arrived for the academic year in North Bay with inadequate or no housing arrangements. An already volatile local housing market reacted as in September 2023, students lived several to a room in motels, some slept in vehicles, while others camped out on Canadore property in protest of their living situation. Some international students resorted to asking strangers for accommodations, desperate to find anything suitable.
See related: Homeless international students protesting at Canadore College
See also: 'Give us a chance' says international student living in motel
And: Gathering Place becoming a prime destination for international students
Canadore says it "recognizes the scarcity of affordable housing across Ontario and has taken measures to ease that burden for its students. Over the past year, Canadore has added 176 beds to its housing inventory, reducing demand in the community."
In January, the federal government announced the number of new visas for international students would be slashed by more than one-third this year in an attempt to slow the rapid increase in temporary residents that has put pressure on Canada's housing system. Under the new federal regulations, international students must attest to having secured housing to obtain a study visa.
“We take the responsibility of housing very seriously,” Burton says. “We’re confident no students will be without housing.”
See related: Canadore throws stranded students off its property. Left without shelter
See also: Students sleeping in tents 'publicity stunt' says Canadore prez
And: Student group 'shocked' by Burton's claim of a 'publicity stunt'
Canadore says business and industry leaders continue to urge the college to produce more graduates to fill the growing skills shortage across all sectors and is actively working with partners and the government to ensure it continues to meet the skilled labour needs of Ontario.
“Our programs and services are designed to meet current and future market demands, and we can quickly adapt to the changing workforce requirements,” Burton adds. “Our alumni play a vital role in supporting the growth of the economy.”
With final enrolment figures to be confirmed by the second week of September, school officials remain confident they will see student numbers close to those from the 2023–24 academic year. Canadore has four campuses — three in North Bay (College Drive, Aviation Technology, and Commerce Court) and one in Parry Sound — and annually attracts more than 5,000 students from more than 400 communities across Ontario, Canada, and 15 countries. Students come to Canadore from as far away as Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Peru and Nigeria.
In 2023–24, there were 2,677 domestic and 2,700 international students. In August, Canadore said it expected to welcome approximately 2,650 domestic students and 2,430 international students for 2024–25.
Canadore reminds it "significantly contributes to the regional economy, with total annual spending reaching $402.5 million."
See related: Canadore to repeat record $167M in international student fees?
For the past decade, the number of Canadian students attending Canadore College has hovered around 2,000.
According to Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities data, in 2018–19 and 2019–20, there were 105 and 106 Canadore students respectively who identified as hailing from India. In 2020–21, coinciding with the pandemic and a shift to online learning, the number of students from India jumped to 4,584. In 2021–22, 5,511 of 8,087 Canadore College students from all its campuses combined were international students from India.
In 2023–24, the tuition breakdown at Canadore was $167 million from international student fees and $15.6 million from domestic, up from $131.5 million from international students in 2022–23 and $14.5 million from domestic student fees. Tuition fees for international students vary by course of study but generally average a low end of $15,000 per year, reaching a high end of $30,000 annually. Tuition fees for domestic students range from approximately $3,500 to $11,000 per year. According to Canadore College's audited financial statements, the excess of revenues over expenses for the year was $34.7 million in 2024, up from $22.7 million in 2023.
