Unless the provincial government steps in to help the city’s post-secondary institutions, “the impact will be felt by our local businesses and wider community,” believes Mayor Cam Guthrie.
In separate letters to the Minister of Colleges and Universities, he urges additional supports for the University of Guelph and Conestoga College, including the allocation of federally capped international student spots “with fairness and integrity.”
The letters to Jill Dunlop were publicly released on Friday.
In support of the U of G, Guthrie points to increasing expenses and years of generally frozen provincial funding as the causes of the school’s “increasingly challenged” financial picture.
“I am asking your government to work with U of G and provide the tools to support a sustainable funding model so that U of G can continue to be a pipeline for workforce needs in Guelph,” Guthrie wrote. “The U of G has been a cornerstone of the city of Guelph for over 150 years and an economic engine for our local economy.”
He notes the university is the area’s second-largest employer and contributes greatly to the local economy.
“Further, we know that when students choose U of G for their education, they then often choose Guelph as a place to live, work and raise their family, supporting the ongoing health of our community,” Guthrie wrote.
In a recent interview with GuelphToday, university president Charlotte Yates said the school is on track to finish the year with its fourth consecutive operating budget deficit, expected to come in at about $20 million.
Though the mayor references the allocation of international student spots in support of the U of G, it’s the focus of his letter of support for Conestoga College.
“As the provincial government begins to allocate international students across post-secondary institutions, it is important to understand the contributions and investments that Conestoga has made in the communities it serves,” he wrote, pointing out the college’s plan to establish a new campus in Downtown Guelph.
“We encourage the Ministry to approach the international student cap with fairness and integrity, considering its potential impacts on the broader community.”
Earlier this year, the federal government announced a 35 per cent reduction to the number of international student permits issued for the next two years. Not only after, the provincial government announced post-secondary institutions will need to "guarantee that housing options are available for incoming students.”
This year Conestoga, which largely operates in Waterloo Region, admitted close to 30,000 international students but only had 900 residential units available.
Based on figures provided by Yates, the U of G has about 2,100 international students this year, with housing available for about 4,750 students overall.
