Canadore College anticipates a slight dip in enrolment numbers for the 2024-25 school year but the conditions are in place for the North Bay-based post-secondary institution to again approach the record $167 million in international student fees it collected in 2023-24.
Last year, 2,677 domestic students and 2,700 international students enrolled, Canadore confirms. For 2024-25, the school expects to welcome approximately 2,650 domestic students and 2,430 international students.
Registration opened on Tuesday, and numbers are still fluid, according to a news release from Canadore.
"Final enrolment figures will be confirmed by the second week of September," per the release, "though Canadore anticipates stable enrolment numbers similar to those of the 2023-2024 academic year at the North Bay and Parry Sound campuses."
Thousands more study through centres for international learners at the Canadore-affiliated Stanford International College of Business and Technology campuses located in Brampton, Mississauga and Scarborough.
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.
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.
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.
Canadore is not the only Ontario school of higher learning profiting from an influx of international students. According to this CambridgeToday report, Kitchener's Conestoga College "is heading into unprecedented territory as the international student cap takes its toll on the local student population. According to financial records, the school amassed a surplus of $252 million, up from $106 million last year. The school admitted more than 30,000 international students in 2023 and has been the subject of criticism by the public and the federal government for taking advantage of a broken system."
While fees collected by Canadore for domestic students remained fairly static between $11 million and $13 million from 2017-21, international student fees steadily increased in that same period from $21 million in 2016-17 to $41 million in 2017-18, to $54 million in 2019-20, to $90 million in the pandemic year of 2020-21.
See related: Homeless international students protesting at Canadore College
In September 2023, 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 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 also: 'Give us a chance' says international student living in motel
And: Indian international students most likely to live in unsuitable housing, StatCan says
"North Bay has long been a welcoming community for students from more than 300 communities across Ontario and Canada, and 25 countries across the globe as they enrol in Canadore College programs. The continued community support and goodwill play a vital role in sustaining this tradition," from the release.
And: Landlord association responds to international student housing concern
Canadore notes it "significantly contributes to the regional economy, with total annual spending reaching $402.5 million. As the 2024-25 academic year approaches, Canadore is ready to welcome a new cohort of students."
See also: Gathering Place becoming a prime destination for international students
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 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. Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the temporary cap on new student visas at that January cabinet retreat with a focus on the role of record immigration on affordability and housing.
See: Opinion: International student's 'Canadian Dream' turned nightmare
"Under new federal regulations, international students must attest to having secure housing to obtain visas," the release states. "Over the past year, Canadore has added 176 beds to its housing inventory, with beds still available as of this morning. Canadore acknowledges the pressure on affordable housing in communities across Ontario, whether or not they host a post-secondary institution. Canadore remains committed to maintaining financial health to deliver high-quality programs in learning environments that meet the needs of both students and employers while balancing domestic and international enrolment."
In March, the provincial government revealed its interpretation of the federal directives, stating it would prioritize public postsecondary programs that will help prepare graduates for in-demand jobs that support Ontario’s labour market needs ... Most international students seeking to study in Ontario must provide a provincial letter of attestation with their study permit application. This letter serves as proof that the applicant has been accounted for within the maximum allocations set by the federal government."
Canadore says it is actively working with partners and the government to ensure it continues to meet the skilled labour needs of Ontario. "Business and industry leaders continue to urge Canadore to produce more graduates to fill the growing skills shortage across all sectors."
Canadore adds it "remains dedicated to supporting students and the local community while contributing to economic growth and preparing the workforce of tomorrow."
In September 2022, in an article from Higher Education Strategy Associates CEO Alex Usher wrote, "Absent any provincial policy changes, the Ontario college sector is heading towards becoming majority international student well before the end of the decade, possibly as soon as 2023-24. The finances virtually dictate it. The question is at what point politics intervenes."
