We should be taking a scalpel, not a machete, to the international student program

Canada desperately needs more post-secondary graduates in applied biotechnology, computer science, construction engineering, early childhood education, machining and practical nursing....

There’s so much going on in the world, I could probably write a piece a day for The Toronto Star. Fortunately for us both, there’s neither the space nor time for that.

It might not be very “Canadian” to come at the International Student issue from the perspective of our National Interest, but that’s the only lens we should apply to the topic. If we have an abundance of International Students looking to apply to courses that will see them graduate with certificates in Practical Nursing or Welding, for example, why in the world would governments waste one of our limited visas on a student who signs up for a two-year course in Interior Design or Public Affairs? If there aren’t enough candidates to fill the desired skills, let’s use that same slot to recruit an extra Immigrant in IRCC’s Start-up Business Class.

We are told that the reason these Community Colleges “needed” the juicy International Student tuition was to make-up for allegedly insufficient funding from their host Provincial governments. If politicians capped the growth of domestic tuition to improve access, these Boards of Governors had two choices: cut the suit to fit the cloth, or do less. That begs the question: why did the cost structure of the system outgrow the ability of domestic students to fund it? I’d love to see their finances.

According to Glen Murray, a former Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities in Ontario, the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty put $6 billion of new funding into the post secondary education system. His recollection is that 75-80% of that additional funding went into the pockets of the Faculty and Administrators. Did that serve students or their parents?

The recent $85,000 salary increase (20%!) awarded to the President of Conestoga College echoes back to Mr. Murray’s lived experience (see prior post Influx of International Students pays off for Conestoga College Boss Aug 31-24).

The premise of Community Colleges is to provide non-University bound high school grads with an opportunity to access additional education and training in their local community. That’s why the College system never built a vast network of institutionally-owned residence halls. The kids would live at home.

The recent, uncontrolled growth of the Community College International Student program has obviously exacerbated the housing travails of their host cities. The stories of students having to rent a cot in a kitchen does not strike me as an environment that’s conducive to excelling academically. That so many of these students were either taking courses that don’t serve Canada’s skills shortfalls, or were too busy working minimum wage jobs to pay for their rent to actually attend their Community College classes (more on that tomorrow), is not a recipe for improving Canada’s productivity woes.

None of this can be in Canada’s interest. Let’s not be shy about saying that out loud.

I’ve posted the first half of this week’s column below. If you want to see how it ends, buy a print copy, use your Apple News, or subscribe to the Star online via my special discount code: www.thestar.com/informed:

Canadians love a good pasta restaurant, but of all the workforce challenges we face as a nation, Kitchener’s Conestoga College should not be wasting limited International students visas on an “Italian Culinary Arts” course in September 2025.

Canada desperately needs more post-secondary graduates in applied biotechnology, computer science, construction engineering, early childhood education, machining and practical nursing, among other key skills. 

Given the lack of affordable housing, and a local unemployment rate of more than seven per cent, why ever would Conestoga recruit students — primarily from India and China — for a one or two-year course in Charcuterie and Artisanal Foods, Interior Design, Public Relations or Social Media Marketing? 

I’ll risk a shortage of future osso bucco sous-chefs if that means more nurses and daycare instructors.

On the heels of broad-based pressure, effectively encapsulated by Ontario Conservative MP Arpan Khanna, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is now rushing to reduce the number of student visas being granted. But broad based cuts don’t take into account Canada’s needs — that requires a scalpel, not a machete.

Given their focus on messaging, I’m not surprised that the Liberals put social media courses on the same pedestal as construction engineering, but the downside is obvious. Ontario’s Metrolinx, for example, requires a future pool of trained young professionals to deliver a 20-year pipeline of multi-faceted construction projects on behalf of Premier Doug Ford’s government.

Ottawa didn’t prioritize the skills that will help bring these generational infrastructure projects to fruition.

Western University President Alan Shepard put it succinctly: “The post-secondary system is bulging with offerings to entice students from around the world. But not all offerings are equal, and the students they attract are not supported equally when they arrive.”

That’s my alma mater boss politely reminding politicians that when Western or the University of Toronto offer a first-year student a spot, they’re guaranteed a residence room. Other institutions have no such concern, as Brampton’s bylaw department discovered when it found 25 students living in an illegal basement apartment.

I'd have thought that Ontario’s newly-appointed Minister of Colleges and Universities, Nolan Quinn, could bring order to this chaos. That the Minister might roll back the excesses, including the new $495,000 salary that Conestoga’s Board of Governors recently awarded President John Tibbits (a figure that’s higher than the presidential salaries at McMaster or Queen’s, for example).

Not likely, according to one of Quinn’s predecessors.

Hit the link to read the rest of the piece.

MRM

(notes: i) this post is an Opinion Piece, ii) I’m a Director of Metrolinx)