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Business Standard
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Canada: 10,000 staff laid off, 600+ courses cut after foreign student cap
Canada's colleges have been sinking into debt and losses since the federal government announced a cap on international student intake early last year. Nearly 10,000 college staff—faculty and support workers—have either already lost their jobs or are expected to be laid off in the coming months. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents 55,000 college workers, said the cuts mark 'one of the largest mass layoffs in Ontario's history.' 'This is bigger than the Hudson's Bay liquidation, which laid off 8,000 employees across Canada,' said JP Hornick, OPSEU's president, during a press conference outside the Story Arts Centre campus of Centennial College in Toronto. The campus is due to shut later this year. Hornick said about 1.5 million people—nearly one in ten Ontarians—have witnessed a campus closure in their communities. The union also released a press statement in which Hornick said, 'The fallout from the college funding crisis falls squarely at Doug Ford's feet. Workers are united to fight for a future where students, no matter their background, can afford to access the education they need to get a good job.' 'This government has picked a fight with not only the 55,000 workers in our college system but with all of OPSEU/SEFPO, and we will not relent until we see the funding and policy changes needed to save our college system. The layoffs follow a 41% drop in Indian student enrolment in Canadian colleges and universities compared to 2023. The sharp decline has dealt a major blow to tuition revenue, which many colleges rely on to stay afloat. According to a new faculty contract between OPSEU and the College Employer Council, more than 600 college programmes have been suspended or cancelled since the student cap was introduced. The agreement noted that 23 out of Ontario's 24 colleges reported a 48% drop in first-semester international student enrolment between September 2023 and September 2024. Nineteen colleges also reported more than 8,000 job losses—either already implemented or planned. The union said the real figure is likely higher, as some colleges had not submitted layoff data by June. Government defends the cap In response to questions from Business Standard, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the cap was necessary to bring down the number of temporary residents in Canada. 'The annual growth in the number of international students couldn't be sustained while ensuring students receive the support they need,' said Mary Rose Sabater, IRCC's communications adviser. She said the cap was based on a zero-net growth model in 2024, with a further reduction introduced to meet the federal government's target of reducing the temporary resident population to 5% of the total population by the end of 2026. 'With this in mind, the national cap for 2025 is set at 437,000 study permits issued based on a 10% reduction from 2024 targets,' Sabater said. Colleges feeling the pressure Centennial College, where OPSEU held its press conference, disputed the union's claim that over 100 programmes had been cut. 'Centennial is facing significant financial pressures due to external factors, including the federal policy shifts related to international students,' the college said in a statement, adding that it had suspended 54 programmes in 2025. The college said it was working with sector partners to address the crisis and to continue serving Ontario's economic needs. Hornick pushed back, saying the impact went far beyond international student-heavy programmes. 'It's also programmes we domestically need, like nursing, child and youth care, environmental technologies, and specialised art training,' she said. One such case is the culinary management course at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, the only programme of its kind within 1,000 kilometres, which the union said had supported food security in northern Ontario. Hornick also accused both the provincial government and colleges of trying to keep the full scale of the cuts under wraps. 'They never intended to tell the public about the full scope of job and programme cuts,' she said. Universities say the crisis is limited to colleges Andrew Carroll of Queen's University told Business Standard that most Canadian universities had not experienced the same surge in international student numbers as colleges. 'While in countries like the US, colleges and universities are very similar, in Canada there is a big difference,' said Carroll. 'Community colleges – such as Conestoga, Seneca, and Humber – here in Ontario are the most involved.' Indian students still keen, but numbers drop India continues to be the biggest source of international students in Canada. In 2025, there were 137,608 Indian students enrolled—down 41% from the year before. 'Interest in studying in Canada, including from Indian nationals, remains strong,' Sabater told Business Standard. 'Following the new student requirements, Indian nationals can continue to apply to study in Canada, and Canadian designated learning institutions continue to welcome students from India.' Sabater added that IRCC would work with provincial governments and institutions to build a more sustainable model. 'These changes will help the education sector align its capacity and allow the population growth at a sustainable pace,' she said. In January, Business Standard had reported that Canadian colleges could face losses of around ₹8,000 crore due to the student cap. 'There is already a considerable financial impact, and several colleges have announced plans to discontinue many courses,' Canada-based immigration analyst Darshan Maharaja told Business Standard at the time.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Canadian colleges lay off 10,000 employees after sharp decline in Indian student enrolment
Drop in Indian students causes Canada's colleges to lay off 10,000 faculty and support workers Canada's colleges are facing a significant employment crisis as a sharp drop in Indian student enrolment forces institutions to lay off approximately 10,000 faculty and support staff. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) reports that job losses are widespread across teaching, administrative, and support roles, highlighting the heavy reliance of Canadian colleges on international tuition fees, particularly from Indian students. The decline in international enrolment follows a federal government cap on study permits introduced earlier this year, aimed at easing pressures on housing and public services. However, this policy has had unintended consequences for colleges, which depend heavily on international students to sustain their budgets. Impact of federal cap on international students The federal cap has led to a dramatic reduction in new international student arrivals, with Indian students representing the largest affected group. In many colleges, especially in Ontario, Indian students accounted for more than half of the international student population and contributed significantly to tuition revenue. According to OPSEU President JP Hornick, 'The loss of international students is having a devastating impact on college staff,' as reported by the Colleges across Canada have responded by cancelling programmes, reducing course offerings, and laying off workers. The financial shortfall caused by fewer international students has put immense strain on college operations, particularly as provincial funding has remained stagnant. Financial challenges facing Canada's colleges Ontario's 24 public colleges have become increasingly dependent on international tuition fees to offset limited provincial funding. The drop in Indian student enrolment has exacerbated financial instability within the college system. OPSEU has warned that without emergency government support, the situation could worsen, leading to further cuts in staff and programmes. The union is urging both federal and provincial governments to increase investment in post-secondary education to stabilise funding and protect jobs. 'Reinvesting in public education is essential to avoid long-term damage to college infrastructure and staffing levels,' OPSEU stated, as cited by the Concerns over private college partnerships The layoffs come amid scrutiny of public colleges partnering with private institutions to boost international student numbers. Many private affiliates, heavily reliant on Indian students, have been disproportionately affected by the federal cap. Questions have been raised about the oversight of these partnerships, including academic standards and student support. The federal cap has disrupted these private-public relationships, which previously helped expand international enrolment but now face significant operational challenges. Economic and employment impact on Canada's college sector The reduction in Indian international students has had a profound economic and employment impact on Canada's college sector. With roughly 10,000 jobs lost, colleges are struggling to maintain operations and programmes. OPSEU continues to call on governments to address funding gaps and stabilise the sector to prevent further layoffs and programme cuts, as reported by the TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘This isn't mismanagement, this is sabotage': Union head on cuts to Ont. colleges
Video Ontario Public Service Employees Union President JP Hornick speaks about the cuts at colleges across the provinces, which have led to nearly 10,000 job losses.
Hamilton Spectator
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Firefighter understaffing in Ontario is worse than previously understood, these numbers show
Halfway through one of the biggest forest fire seasons on record, new numbers show Ontario's shortage of wildland firefighters, equipment and staff is worse than previously understood. Thirteen pilot positions and seven aircraft maintenance engineer jobs remain unfilled and as a result, according to OPSEU, the public sector union that represents wildland fire fighters, nearly a third of Ontario's forest fire aviation fleet has been grounded. These shortages have left the province scrambling to fight dozens of fires burning simultaneously, including one that is now the second biggest fire in Ontario's history , and calling on other provinces for help. 'We are in an incredible crisis due to climate change, but also due to underfunding and understaffing,' said OPSEU President JP Hornick. Computer models have failed to predict a series of 'impossible' blazes — which means more places 'We've lost firefighters at the same time that the need for them has increased,' they said. 'We have increasing numbers of fires up north. They're increasing in size and intensity. But our reaction time is slowing and the fires are escaping containment more often.' Climate change is driving a long-term trend toward more and bigger forest fires and Ontario is currently facing one of its worst fire seasons on record. With three months to go, more than 375,000 hectares of forest have already burned, the fifth highest total in the last 30 years. In June, three First Nations in the north were evacuated . Last month, the Star revealed that Ontario is operating with more than 100 fewer wildland firefighters than it did 10 years ago – fielding 630 fire rangers, when it used to have 732 – leading to a drop in the number of forest fires brought under control within 24 hours, key to avoiding the massive conflagrations that consume entire communities. New staffing numbers provided by OPSEU show how that 14 per cent reduction in personnel is exacerbated on the ground, with 27 per cent fewer crews – groups of four or five fire rangers – available to dispatch to forest fires. This year, Ontario is short 53 of the 190 crews it used to operate, with only 60 out of 101 crews in the Northwest Region, west of Marathon, and 77 of 89 crews in the Northeastern Region, stretching from Marathon down to the French and Mattawa Rivers. Shortstaffing means that wildfire fighters are being worked to the bone, said Noah Freedman, vice president of OPSEU Local 703. Fire Rangers have been working flat out since early May, he said. They've just finished their third 19 day shift in a row, with only two days off between shifts, and they're getting burned out. 'The young people, the lack of experience. As fatigue builds, you have people who already don't know what they're doing making poorer and poorer decisions,' said Freedman. Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris Jr. declined an interview request and sent a statement in response to questions from the Star. 'Ontario works with provincial, federal, and international partners to ensure the necessary resources are deployed to keep communities in our province, and across North America, safe,' the statement read. 'These mutual aid partnership agreements enable the sharing of additional personnel, equipment, and aircraft.' The province has already received aid from Quebec and B.C., which have sent two waterbombers and more than 100 firefighters this season, according to data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) said nine waterbombers are available this season, though it was unclear whether this total includes the waterbombers on loan from Quebec. Harris Jr.'s office disputed the notion that the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services branch (AFFES) is understaffed, saying there isn't an ideal number of fire rangers but a target 'range' for hiring. 'We're comfortable with the number of crews we have,' said an official in the minister's office, whom the Star agreed not to name so they could speak on background. 'We have a lot of confidence in our fire rangers.' 'It would be ideal to be fully staffed, but we're not there,' the official added. 'We'd hire more if there were more applications.' OPSEU says AFFES staff are leaving for more lucrative jobs because Ontario's waterbomber pilots are the worst paid in the country and the fire rangers are among the worst paid. Starting pay for Ontario wildland firefighters is $25.38 an hour. While Premier Doug Ford has announced the purchase of six new waterbombers, the half a billion dollars associated with their purchase and staffing has not been allocated in the budget . Due to a backlog in orders, the planes would not be delivered for nearly a decade. But Hornick said there's no use in buying new waterbombers if we can't staff the ones we already have. Fewer pilots means the ones on staff are being worked to the bone. Working shifts that last 10 days, pilots are getting sick and planes are being grounded when they're unavailable to fly, Hornick said. This was the case in June when two waterbombers were grounded due to pilot illness as blazes grew across the north. That's in addition to another waterbomber grounded due to lack of crew, bringing the total to three waterbombers, three helicopters, two Turbo Beaver bushplanes and one Twin Otter float plane grounded this season, OPSEU numbers show. This represents nine of the 28 aircraft operated by the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services branch (AFFES) of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The loss of experience through retirement is being felt throughout the AFFES, said Hornick. The chief helicopter pilot retired two years ago and hasn't been replaced, they said. (The MNR says 'a temporary Chief Rotary Wing Pilot is in place.') Twenty of 46 aircraft mechanics have left in the last five years. Overall, there's a 40 per cent turnover at the AFFES, leading to younger and less experienced staff being promoted into positions of responsibility, Hornick added. Star reporter Marco Chown Oved learned what it takes to join the front-line of firefighters The MNR said it has brought in a number of measures to reduce turnover, including establishing 100 new year-round support jobs, reimbursing training costs and expanding standby pay and on-call benefits. At the same time, however, recruitment numbers have plummeted, Hornick said, making it harder to train up the next generation of firefighters. 'We're seeing fewer and fewer applications,' they said. 'Anecdotally, I've heard stories about literally trying to recruit people off the street to apply.'
Global News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ontario offers $3 per hour pay increase, new title for forest firefighters
For years, forest firefighters in Ontario have been calling on the provincial government to reclassify their jobs to recognize them as an emergency service in a bid to stem recruitment and retention issues. It's a change the Ford government promised it would take on after sustained pressure from front-line staff and union officials. The province now says work to reclassify forest firefighters — officially called resource technicians — has been 'completed,' and is blaming the Ontario Public Service Employees Union for a delay in announcing the move. Whether the terms the government has put forward address the substantive changes called for by forest firefighters is contested. Draft information seen by Global News shows the reclassification involves renaming positions within the existing union structure — and moving people one category further up the grid, for a raise of roughly $3 per hour. Story continues below advertisement For example, those currently categorized as Resource Technicians will be moved up to Resource Technician 2. Their job title will then be changed from Resource Technician to 'Wildland Firefighter 2.' If signed by the union, the change would be backdated. According to the information seen by Global News, the changes will lead to an hourly pay increase of roughly $3 per hour, which will be backdated. More senior crew members, whose pay is calculated on a weekly basis, will see an increase closer to $5 per hour. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It will not majorly change working conditions, rights or benefits. The government said it was 'ready to implement changes immediately,' but the union isn't happy with the terms. OPSEU President JP Hornick said they were concerned the new deal would not guarantee the number of years someone has worked will be copied over from the previous deal. 'What's actually really bad about this current offer is that it will not recognize the years of service in the implementation of a new wage grid,' they said. The risk of excluding years of service means long-term employees who have built up better terms and pay within a certain union bracket over time could find themselves back at the same point as much newer colleagues who have less experience. Story continues below advertisement 'Without that guarantee, it's not worth the paper it's written on,' Hornick said. Ontario Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon chided the government for not meeting the union's request. 'Wildland fire rangers risk their lives to successfully fight fires that are larger, and longer, with fewer resources, and lower wages. They are absolutely essential to our province's survival, especially as the frequency, and unpredictability of wildland fires grow due to the climate crisis' extreme weather conditions,' she said in a written statement. 'Their compensation must reflect their immeasurable worth to our society, and their singular experience. To propose anything less is a dismissal of the invaluable work of wildland fire rangers, and a demonstration of willingness to risk the safety of our province.' Reclassification is something forest firefighters have pushed on the government amidst crew shortages and front-line inexperience. They have argued that being reclassified as firefighters should give them better job security, pay and benefits. Internally, the government acknowledged Ontario has an issue with the recruitment and retention of forest firefighters through a series of reports and communications. In July 2022, for example, the director of Ontario's Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services issued a memo saying he had 'noticed both a decline in the number of people applying for positions' as well as an increase in the number of people leaving. Story continues below advertisement Hornick said $3 an hour would do little to address the recruitment and retention issues. OPSEU says the new deal would take Ontario from the lowest to the second-lowest paid firefighters in the country. Last year, the province also offered a one-time $5,000 bonus to attract forest firefighters. Hornick said the reclassification demand, which the union feels hasn't been met, is a minimal request. 'They're not asking for the moon — we're not looking for these people to be jumping into the stratosphere on wages,' they said. 'But we do need these other things if we're going to actually make it a viable option for people to stay as wildland firefighters in Ontario.'
