Retrenchment Watch
Retrenchment Watch monitors institutional cutbacks in the postsecondary education, with a focus on Canada and the Anglosphere. As public funding declines, the sector faces a patchwork of institution-driven cuts with significant implications for decision-makers and institutional leaders. Our platform provides timely updates, pattern analysis, and insights into who is cutting what — and why. While still in development, we’re rapidly expanding coverage, starting with Canadian institutions.
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British Columbia
Though not directly contributed to the changes in international student policy, Aurora College announced plans to close its 19 community learning centres across the Northwest Territories as of June 30, citing ongoing low enrollment and fiscal constraints. This decision has been met with significant opposition from community leaders. Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation Chief James Marlowe expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation, emphasizing that education is a treaty right and that the closures could hinder community members’ opportunities for personal and professional development. This closure removes 47 positions.
Source: NNSL
British Columbia
Camosun College is projecting a $5M deficit for 2025-26 due to an enrollment shortfall of 400 students below projections. Layoffs are expected, but the number of affected staff has not yet been announced.
Source: Times Colonist
KPU is facing a $49 million revenue loss due to a steep decline in international student enrollment, driven by federal government caps on study permits. The university is projecting a $12.1 million net revenue drop for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with a 41% decline in international student tuition fees and a 2% decline in domestic student tuition fees. KPU expects to lose 1,500 more international students in the next fiscal year, on top of the 2,000 fewer students this year.
To cut costs, KPU is reducing overtime, reviewing new hires, and cutting discretionary spending. Faculty salaries will drop by 4% compared to the 2024-25 budget, and staffing levels will be adjusted to manage costs. As part of these measures, layoff notices have been issued to approximately 70 faculty members, primarily in the arts faculty and business school.
Source: University Affairs, CBC News, The Globe and Mail, The Runner, Yahoo News Canada
Langara College is restructuring its departments into new faculties and cutting back the work offered to sessional and temporary instructors, while numbers were meant to be revealed in January, there has been no public updates. The college is also planning a 5% budget cut across departments and a 25% reduction in travel and team engagement to address financial challenges.
Langara projects a $1.5M to $2M deficit for the current fiscal year and a $13M deficit for the next due to declining international student enrollment. In response, the college has launched a new advertising campaign to attract more domestic students and is working with the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to secure approval for its budget.
Sources: The Tyee, Langara Voice.
Okanagan College is facing a $13.4 million reduction in international tuition revenue due to declining international student enrollment. The college expects international enrollment to drop by 50% next year due to federal policy changes, increasing financial pressure. OC is currently projecting an $8.3 million deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
To manage costs, OC has implemented a hiring freeze, introduced early retirement incentives, and is reducing non-essential spending, including cuts to travel and eliminating duplicated work between departments. The college has also paused filling vacant positions as part of workforce adjustments.
More than 30 employees in arts, foundation programs, and the School of Business have been advised their positions are at risk. Previously, 11 part-time term faculty contracts were cut for the winter semester. OC has warned that further staff reductions are likely, though exact numbers have not been disclosed.
The college is currently reviewing its program mix, with a focus on aligning offerings with local labor market needs. No specific program cuts have been announced yet.
To offset revenue loss, OC has expanded domestic and international student recruitment efforts and is working closely with the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to determine next steps. The college is legally required to run a balanced budget and will need government approval to run a deficit.
Despite financial challenges, student classes are not expected to be affected this semester.
Source: Vernon Morning Star, Castanet News, Global News
Selkirk College is facing $9 million in lost revenue, driven by a 60-85% projected reduction in international student enrolment over the next few years. The decline is partly due to new Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) eligibility requirements, which have rendered several programs ineligible for post-graduation work permits. In response, the college has suspended intakes for several programs, including:
- Accounting – Postgraduate Diploma
- Business Management – Postgraduate Diploma
- Culinary Management – Postgraduate Diploma
- Full-Stack Web Development – Postgraduate Diploma
- Gerontological Nursing – Postgraduate Diploma
- Hospitality Management – Postgraduate Diploma
The college has laid off or not renewed contracts for eight employees, with a total staff reduction of approximately 15% expected. Further workforce reductions are anticipated in business, arts, and science programs. Additional cost-saving measures include reducing the college’s physical footprint, implementing spending caps, enacting early retirements, reducing vacant positions, and strategic hiring.
Sources: Grand Forks Gazette, Castanet.
SFU reduced its budget by $50M this fiscal year, implemented a selective hiring freeze on continuing faculty positions, and maintained an ongoing staff hiring freeze. Over 80 staff positions have been eliminated. SFU is anticipating a 20M revenue loss in 2025-2026.
SFU announced the closure of its Vancity Office of Community Engagement (VOCE) at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. This decision follows the previous shutdown of SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs and is part of broader financial consolidation efforts.
Sources: SFU Faculty and Staff Communications Archive, CreateAStir, Global News, SFU
Thompson Rivers University is facing a $16.6 million deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year due to a steep decline in international student enrolment, largely driven by federal policy changes. To address the shortfall, TRU has implemented hiring freezes, reduced sessional teaching loads, and cut discretionary spending.
TRU has announced a variety of cost-cutting measures including:
- A 7-8% budget reduction is planned across departments.
- A hiring freeze has left 75 vacant positions unfilled.
- $5 million reallocated from capital projects to support financial reserves.
- Travel expenses reduced by 15%, with a 1% non-salary budget reduction across departments.
- Sessional and university instructor teaching loads reduced, cutting an estimated $2M-$5M in costs.
- $9.5 million in government grant funding is being deferred to help balance future budgets. TRU has stated that the move is compliant with provincial regulations, though concerns have been raised about its long-term implications.
TRU is continuing to review additional cost-saving measures and expects to implement further cuts through 2029-30, aiming for $53.3 million in total reductions.
Sources: Castanet News (1), Castanet News (2), Castanet News (3)
UVic plans to introduce professional doctorate degrees for working professionals as a revenue-generating measure. UVic is undergoing a $13M budget reduction as a result of reduced international student enrolment. Layoffs are expected, while no numbers have been specified, UVic anticipates less than 20 involuntary staff cuts.
Sources: Victoria News, UVic Budget Site, Times Colonist
VCC is terminating its Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program, affecting over 800 students. More than 30 instructors are being laid off as a result. Students have expressed concerns about finding alternative educational opportunities.
Source: CityNews Vancouver
VIU is facing a $20.2M deficit after losing 384 international students; 60% of incoming international graduate students, 48% of incoming international undergraduate students, and 7% decline in continuing students.
Sources: Sooke News, CHEK News
Alberta
The Mintz panel on post-secondary funding in Alberta should be fully staffed by the end of December.
Source: Government of Alberta
Bow Valley College is discontinuing the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program after April 2025 due to reduced funding from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Source: Global News, Education News Canada
MRU projects their international student population to be similar to prior years at approximately 3.7%. Small changes in international revenue have been accounted for in the budget and no lay offs, program cuts are expected from the change in international student policy.
Source: CBC
Olds College is projecting a $5.1 million loss in tuition revenue for 2025-26, primarily due to declining international student enrolment.
To address financial challenges, the college has announced the suspension of program intakes for the following programs:
- Hospitality & Tourism Management (Certificate, Diploma, Post-Diploma Certificate)
- Craft Beverage & Brewery Operations (Diploma)
- Agriculture Technology Integration (Post-Diploma Certificate)
Additionally, two Business Management diploma programs in Olds and Edmonton have also been impacted.
Sources: Mountain View Today, CTV News, My Mountain View Now.
Red Deer Polytechnic is projecting a $10 million deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year. In response, the institution is suspending five programs including. 35 to 40 positions are expected to be cut across all employee groups, including AUPE, the Faculty Association, and Exempt Managers.
The Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic has joined other student groups in calling on the Alberta government to restore funding to 2019 levels to ensure financial stability.
Program suspensions include:
- Administrative Professional Certificate
- Executive Assistant Diploma
- Human Resources Management Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
- Pre-Health Sciences Certificate
- University Transfer Bachelor of Education Secondary
Students currently enrolled in these programs will be able to complete their studies, while approximately 60 students admitted for Fall 2025 will be offered alternative placements or refunds.
Sources: RD News Now, Red Deer Advocate
The University of Alberta will freeze hiring, effective January 1st 2025. Any process which has not reached a verbal offer by then will be cancelled.
The University of Alberta is raising tuition for the sixth consecutive year, by a 10% increase in international tuition and a 2% increase for domestic students for 2026. The university is undergoing restructuring and cutting administrative positions to address financial challenges. Concerns have been raised about increased class sizes and workloads for teaching staff.
UofA has announced cuts to their competitive swim program citing financial challenges.
Sources: CBC, The Gateway, Bears and Pandas, CBC
The University of Calgary faces an $11M revenue drop following a reduction of international students from 6,998 to 6,394. UCalgary’s student newspaper, the Gauntlet, reported from an institutional townhall that programs in classics and religion as well as Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures without consultation. The university administration replied that programs are paused to be renewed, not cut.
Source: CBC, The Gauntlet
Manitoba
The college has seen a 78% reduction in international student recruitment and is closing 5 cost-recovery programs which management believe are not financially sustainable without them. Programs affected include office skills, baking foundations, culinary arts, business administration, and accounting and finance. The loss of international students has also reduced seats for domestic students, as many programs relied on international enrollment to remain viable.
Source: CBC
Brandon University saw a 15% decrease in international students in 2024-2025, decreasing from 527 to 447.
Source: CBC
Although much smaller in scale – there are only 5 international students enrolled at this private college in Winnipeg – Herzing College is pointing to a quirk of how transfer students are treated which may have implications for other institutions. All of Herzing’s international students entered as transfers from other Canadian institutions, but Manitoba’s system allocates Provincial Attestation Letters in proportion to the number of direct-applicant international students a private institution already has. This means colleges like Herzing which received all of their international students as transfers will get none next year.
Source: CBC
Brandon University saw a 15% decrease in international students in 2024-2025, decreasing from 527 to 447.
Source: CBC
The University of Winnipeg projects a $4M-$5M loss in revenue this year. UW has announced program cuts, including the termination of its English Language Program and women’s soccer team, citing financial constraints. First-year international enrollment dropped by 34% compared to last year, and concerns about future cuts remain. The University of Winnipeg hiring freeze reported in December extends to TA and RA positions, which means instructors will need to either spend more time teaching their courses or rethink pedagogy.
Sources: CBC News, CBC
Ontario
Algonquin College is projecting a $60 million deficit in 2025-26, which is expected to rise to $93 million by 2026-27without intervention. The financial challenges are attributed to a prolonged provincial tuition freeze, chronic underfunding, and federal policy changes that have reduced international student enrollment. The college expects 2,400 fewer international students than its budgeted target of 7,447 for 2025, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.
To address these financial pressures, the college is cutting 41 programs and closing its Perth Campus by August 2026. The Perth Campus is facing a projected $2.1 million deficit for 2024-25, and its programs will be relocated to the Ottawa campus.
In February, the suspension of the following programs were announced for Fall 2025 and beyond:
Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE)
- Building Information Modelling – Lifecycle Management
- Building Information Modelling – Lifecycle Management Canadian Context
- Energy Management
Algonquin College Online (ACOL)
- Business – Trades
School of Advanced Technology (ATEC)
- Bachelor of Technology (Digital Health) (Honours)
- Digital Health
- General Arts and Science – Aviation Management
- Regulatory Affairs – Sciences
- Technical Writer
Faculty of Creative Arts and Media (FCAM)
- Brand Management
- Brand Management (two-year)
- Broadcasting – Radio and Podcasting
- Creative Industries Management
- Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design
- Interior Decorating
- Performing Arts
- Photography – Content Creation
- Professional Writing
- Scriptwriting
- Teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language
- Visual Development for Entertainment
Pembroke Campus (PEMB)
- Outdoor Adventure Naturalist
- Police Foundations
- Regulatory Affairs – Sciences
- Water and Wastewater Technician
School of Business and Hospitality (SOBH)
- Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management (Honours)
- Business Administration – Human Resources
- Business Administration – International Business
- Business Administration – Marketing
- Financial Services Canadian Context
- Human Resources Management
- International Business Management
- Marketing Management
- Marketing Research and Analysis
- Office Administration – Executive
- Retirement Communities Management
- Strategic Global Business Management
The college has also implemented a hiring freeze and laid off staff in response to the financial strain. No exact numbers on lay-offs have been given yet. Faculty unions have warned that good-paying jobs will be lost, impacting both faculty members and student support services.
The budget crisis is expected to have wider community effects, as many graduates from Algonquin’s programs were hired in municipal operations, including water/wastewater management and law enforcement. The heavy reliance on international student tuition revenue has been a key issue, and the college is now exploring new revenue opportunities to ensure long-term sustainability.
Source: CTV News Ottawa, CBC, Lanark Leeds Today, The Eganville Leader, Algonquin College
Carleton is projecting a deficit “significantly” above their initial $26M estimate for the 2024/25 operating budget due to a 55% drop in first-year undergraduate international students and a 35% decline at the graduate level, resulting in a $14.6 million tuition shortfall in the 2024-25 academic year.
Budget-reduction measures announced so far include:
- A 50% reduction in contract instructorsin the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, impacting over 87 positions.
- A reduction in the overall number of courses offereddue to cuts in contract instructors.
- The suspension of fall convocation, beginning in fall 2025, due to budget challenges.
- The suspension of entrance scholarshipsfor graduate students.
Despite the financial strain, domestic graduate enrolment is expected to grow by 7% in 2025-26.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, The Charlatan, Carleton University Operating Budget Update
Centennial College is suspending 49 programs as of Summer 2025, following an anticipated 43% drop in international student enrollment for 2024-25, resulting in nearly 5,000 fewer international students compared to the previous year.
To address financial challenges, the college is consolidating campuses, closing the Story Arts Centre in East York, and relocating programs to the Progress Campus in Scarborough by Summer 2026. The decision aims to ensure long-term sustainability amid stagnant government funding and federal policy changes impacting international student enrollment.
Program Suspensions:
The Business School
- Business – International Business
- Business Administration – International Business
- Business Administration – Leadership and Management
- Business Analytics and Insights
- Court Support Services
- Fashion Business and Management
- Financial Planning
- Global Business Management
- Insurance Management
- International Business Management
- International Development
- Marketing – Corporate Account Management
- Marketing – Research and Analytics
- Marketing Management
- Strategic Management
- Strategic Management – Accounting Specialization
School of Transportation
- Automotive Parts and Service Operations
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts
- Food and Beverage Management
- Food Tourism
- Hospitality and Tourism Administration
- Hospitality Foundations
- Hospitality Skills
- Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Management
- Tourism
School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science
- Construction Project Management
- Electronics Engineering Technician
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Environmental Technician
- Environmental Technology
- Food Science Technology
- Technology Foundations
School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design
- Advanced Television and Film – Script to Screen
- Advertising and Marketing Communications Management
- Advertising – Media Management
- Animation – 3D
- Arts Education and Community Engagement
- Arts Management
- Communications – Professional Writing
- Communications and Media Fundamentals
- Digital Visual Effects
- Honours Bachelor of Public Relations Management
- Journalism
- Public Relations – Corporate Communications
- Television and Film – Business
- Theatre Arts and Performance
School of Community and Health Studies
- Community Development Work
- Food Service Worker
- Healthcare Environmental Services Management
- Recreation and Leisure Services
Source: The Globe and Mail, CP24, Toronto Star, CityNews, Centennial College
Conestoga has recorded a surplus of $250M for 2023-24 and put another half-billion of cash aside as a cushion. Some of this money is being used to incentivise early retirement for employees aged over 50 whose age-plus-years-of-service sum to at least 70 years. This week offers were made to 54 support staff and 106 faculty who meet that threshold, the package includes a year’s salary as an incentive to leave voluntarily. A similar offer was already made to 71 faculty aged over 60 back in April.
At the same time, the union local reports that partial-load employees are being reclassified as part-time, which under the Ontario collective agreement allows their teaching hours and benefits to be cut more quietly – the numbers affected by this move are less clear.
Conestoga’s international student permits fell by 75% year-over-year following the cap.
Sources: CTV News, The Record, Cambridge Today
Fanshawe College is facing a $35M deficit, projected to increase to $60M next year, following the federal government’s cap on international student study permits. Enrollment of first-year international students has dropped 41%, with 90% of students at the south London campus being international.
The college has implemented a formal hiring freeze and is conducting an early retirement program. Job cuts are expected, with layoffs and further program reductions to be announced following a review by StrategyCorp Inc., which will be reported to the board of governors in April.
Fanshawe is calling on the province for increased funding, highlighting the chronic underfunding of Ontario colleges, which receive only 44% of the national average in funding and have had tuition fees capped since 2019.
Several programs have already been permanently suspended due to financial challenges:
Program Suspensions
- Spring 2025: Baking & Pastry Management, Culinary Skills, Culinary Management, Food & Beverage Management, Food Processing: Operations, Food Processing: Product Development, Hospitality: Hotel & Resort Services, Hospitality and Tourism Operations, Tourism: Travel Studies
- Fall 2025: Food & Beverage Management, Food Processing: Operation, Food Processing: Product Development, Hospitality: Hotel & Resort Services, Hospitality and Tourism Operations
- Winter 2026: Baking & Pastry Management, Culinary Skills, Culinary Management, Food & Beverage Management, Food Processing: Operations, Food Processing: Product Development, Hospitality: Hotel & Resort Services, Hospitality and Tourism Operations, Event Planning, Tourism: Travel
Fanshawe Students’ Union has also closed The Interrobang, the college’s only student newspaper, after 50 years of publication, citing a steep decline in international students as a contributing factor. This has resulted in job losses for up to 12 student journalists. A petition has been launched calling for a referendum to fund the paper through a $2 per student levy.
Source: CBC (1), Interrobang, London Free Press, Simcoe Reformer, CBC (2)
Fleming College is dealing with a $38M revenue drop and has suspended 29 programs (possibly 42) due to the loss of 5,000 international students.
Sources: Global News, Global News Video
Georgian College is projecting a $45 million deficit for 2025-26, driven by a 45% decline in international student enrollment compared to 2023-24, with a further $15-20 million shortfall expected in 2026-27. The college anticipates a loss of nearly 3,200 international full-time students in 2025-26.
To mitigate financial challenges, the college has suspended program intakes, reduced the number of course sections, expanded summer semester teaching assignments, and introduced cost-saving measures, including a voluntary retirement program, standardization of support staff hours, layoffs, and vacancy closures. In the last round of layoffs announced at Georgian, 45 staff members have been laid off, 31 employees have opted for voluntary retirement, and 10 vacant positions have been eliminated, totally a loss of 229 jobs at the institution.
Source: Newmarket Today, CTV News, Simcoe
Lambton College is projecting a $30 million to $35 million loss for the 2025-26 budget, largely due to a significant decline in international enrollment. International student numbers are expected to drop by up to 50% by Fall 2026following policy changes.
To address financial pressures, the college has suspended 18 programs primarily serving international students and initiated employment stability discussions with local unions to manage expected job cuts affecting 20-25% of its workforce.
Source: Sarnia News Today
Loyalist College is suspending intake for 30% of its programs indefinitely, starting fall 2025, in response to a $40 million reduction in international student revenue for 2025-26, with an additional $8 million decrease expected in 2026-27. The college is implementing a 20% reduction in staffing, to be addressed through voluntary exits, attrition, planned retirements, and some layoffs.
The college is also dealing with a $1.5 million budget shortfall for 2024-25, partially due to the closure of its Toronto campus, which was part of a private college-public partnership. The federal cap on international student visas is expected to result in 1,500 fewer international students in Belleville.
Loyalist College leadership has called for increased provincial funding, emphasizing that Ontario’s colleges receive the lowest per-student funding in Canada and have had tuition frozen since 2015. Faculty, staff, and students have held rallies against underfunding, while the local workforce and economy are expected to feel the impact of the cuts.
The college has announced the following program suspensions:
Program Suspensions
- Architectural Technician
- Architectural Technology
- Biotechnology – Advanced
- Business – Finance and Analytics
- Carpentry and Renovation Technician
- Chemical Engineering Technician
- Chemical Engineering Technology
- Civil Engineering Technology
- Cloud Computing
- Computer Software and Database Development
- Culinary Skills
- Culinary Management
- Environmental Technician
- Environmental Technology
- Esthetics and Spa Management
- Financial Technology
- Global Business Management
- Global Project Management
- Manufacturing Engineering Technician
- Motive Power Technician – Service and Management
- Protection, Security and Investigation
- Public Relations – Event Management
- Recreation and Leisure – Sports
- Wireless Information Networking
Loyalist has already laid off 29 full-time support staff and more layoffs are expected as the budget review continues. A 20% workforce reduction is now underway.
In February, Loyalist College faculty, staff, and students hosted a “save our colleges” rally advocating for the government to increase per-student funding.
Source: Quinte News, Belleville Intelligencer, Picton Gazette, Quinte News (2)
Mohawk College is facing a $50 million deficit due to a 16% decline in international students (from 7,309 to 6,166). Following federal policy changes, only 41 of the college’s 130 programs remain eligible for post-graduation work permits (PGWP).
In response, 91 full-time and over 100 part-time jobs were eliminated in the latest round of cuts. Since December 3, 2024, a total of 255 full-time positions have been cut, with an additional 35 jobs lost due to contract non-renewals. Layoffs have disproportionately impacted faculty, following earlier reductions to administrative and support staff. The job losses represent approximately 20% of Mohawk’s full-time workforce.
In response to the funding crisis, a rally was held at Mohawk College to protest underfunding and privatization concerns, directed at Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party.
Program Suspensions:
- Analytics for Business Decision-Making
- Broadcasting – Radio and Creative
- Broadcasting – Television and Media Communications
- Business Analysis
- Canadian Healthcare for Foreign Trained Professionals
- Chemical Engineering Technology
- Financial Services
- Global Business Management
- Human Resources Management
- International Business Management
- Office Administration
- Office Administration – Legal
- Pre-Media
- Project Management
- Public Relations
- Tourism
Other Cuts – Non academic Program:
- City School, which offered free courses to help community members continue their education or prepare for jobs, has been eliminated.
- Two Community Employment Services locations will close.
- The School of Continuing Education will merge with the college’s Marinucci Family Centre for Professional Advancement.
Niagara College is facing a $71M budget deficit and has implemented a hiring freeze. International enrollment dropped by 1,000 students, resulting in a $5M loss in tuition revenue. Revenue from the Toronto campus decreased significantly from $179M to $107.8M.
Source: St. Catharines Standard
Northern College is projecting deficits of $6M for 2025-26 and $12M for 2026-27. To mitigate the impact, early retirement incentives and voluntary exit packages have been offered since May 2024.
Source: Timmins Today
The university estimates a $36M deficit for 2024/25 and has already been laying off some support staff. 16 personnel were laid off by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and 17 accepted voluntary exit incentives before the start of this academic year.
Sources: Global News, Queen’s Journal
St. Clair College has suspended intake for 18 programs following a 40% reduction in international student revenue.
The suspended programs: Journalism; Fashion Design Technician; Border Services (Chatham campus); Autism and Behavioural Science; Electric Drive Vehicle Technician; Electric Drive Vehicle Fundamentals; Mechanical Technician; Hospitality; Public Relations; Electrical Engineering technician (Chatham campus); Office Administration Health (Chatham campus); Paramedic (Chatham campus); Chemical Laboratory Technician; Power Engineering Techniques; Power Engineering Technician; Dental Assisting. Two programs are transitioning to part time programs: Strategic Project Management; Construction Project Management (Graduate).
Source: CBC
St. Lawrence College is suspending 55 programs, approximately 40% of its offerings, across its Brockville, Cornwall, and Kingston campuses starting in Spring 2025. The program cuts, including business courses, police foundations, hairstyling, and musical theatre, are attributed to a 50% drop in international student enrollment caused by federal policy changes. Of the cuts, 51 come from the degree/diploma/certificate and 4 come from the apprenticeship programs. Current students will be able to complete their studies as planned. St. Lawrence college has already eliminated 30 jobs.
List of program cuts:
Degree/diploma/certificate: Bachelor of Business Administration, Kingston; Business, Brockville Cornwall; Business – Accounting Cornwall, Kingston; Business – Human Resources, Kingston; Business – Marketing, Kingston; Business Administration, Cornwall; Business Administration – Accounting, Cornwall, Kingston; Business Administration – Human Resources, Kingston; Business Administration – Marketing, Kingston; Business Fundamentals, Brockville, Cornwall; Business Analytics, Kingston; Child and Youth Care, Kingston; Culinary Management, Kingston; Culinary Skills, Kingston; Energy Systems Engineering Technology, Kingston; General Arts and Science – One Year, Brockville, Cornwall, Kingston; General Arts and Science Diploma, Brockville, Cornwall, Kingston; Hairstyling, Brockville; Health Information Management, Kingston; Hospitality, Kingston; Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology, Kingston; International Business Management, Kingston; Law Clerk, Kingston; Media Arts Fundamentals, Brockville, Kingston; Mental Wellness and Addictions Worker, Brockville, Kingston; Music and Digital Media, Kingston; Music Theatre – Performance, Brockville; Music Theatre – Performance (Queen’s) Brockville; Office Administration – General, Brockville, Kingston; Office Administration – Health Services, Brockville, Kingston; Office Administration – Legal, Kingston; Police Foundations, Brockville, Online; Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas, Cornwall, Kingston; Project Management, Cornwall, Kingston; Tourism, Kingston; Visual and Creative Arts – Fine Arts, Brockville
Apprenticeship Programs: General Machinist, Kingston; Cook, Kingston; Automotive Service, Cornwall; Brick & Stone Mason, Kingston
Source: CBC News, City News, St. Lawrence College
Seneca is “temporarily” closing its Markham campus, which primarily served international students.
Source: City News
Sheridan expects at least a 30% reduction in international students next year and a reduction in revenue of $112M, and will suspend 40 programs and put 27 into review. Staff will inevitably be laid off, there are estimates of around 700 layoffs but the numbers are not finalised.
Program cuts: Visual Merchandising Design; Performing Arts – Preparation; Journalism; Game Level Design; Honours Bachelor of Photography; Visual and Creative Arts – Advanced Diploma; Honours Bachelor of Community Safety; Regulatory Affairs; Paralegal; Investigation – Public and Private; Community and Justice Services; TESOL Plus; Creativity and Innovation; Honours Bachelor of Creative Writing & Publishing; Technology Fundamentals; Chemical Engineering Technology; Electronic Engineering Technology; Mechanical Engineering Technology – Design; Mechanical Engineering Technology; Chemical Engineering Technology – Environmental; Chemical Laboratory Technician; Electronics Engineering Technician; Electromechanical Engineering Technician; Mechanical Engineering Technician; Mechanical Engineering Technician – Design; Electromechanical Engineering Technology; Computer Engineering Technology; Business Administration Accounting; Business Administration Finance; Honours Bachelor Business Administration Marketing Management; Honours Bachelor Business Administration Finance; Advertising – Account Management; Business Human Resources; Honours Bachelor Business Administration Human Resources Management; Business Administration – HR; Business Finance; Professional Accounting Graduate; Office Administration – Executive; Honours Bachelor Business Administration Supply Chain Management; Honours Bachelor Business Administration Accounting.
Source: CBC, Sheridan College
Trent is anticipating a $12.9M shortfall in tuition revenue, resulting in a $1.4M deficit in 2024. Trent received $1.5M from the Ontario University Stability Fund.
Source: Peterborough Examiner
The University of Waterloo estimates a $75M deficit in 2024-2025. Along with a full hiring freeze, the institution announced that jobs will be cut, although there are no firm numbers available yet. The University announced that they will be moving to a 3-year budgeting model to come back to a balanced budget. UW introduced a voluntary retirement plan in 2024 for employees over 65 years old with at least 10 years of service; 70 employees have participated so far.
Source: University of Waterloo(1), University of Waterloo (2)
The University of Windsor is grappling with a $30 million budget deficit for 2025-26, leading to job cuts, restructuring, and service reductions across campus. The university has implemented a salary freeze, title and salary adjustments, and position eliminations for non-union staff.
Job reductions include:
- 56 CUPE 1393 positions affected, with a net reduction of 27 positions after creating 29 new roles.
- Unifor 2458 experiencing a net reduction of 48 positions through restructuring.
- Voluntary early retirement and severance packages offered to unionized employees.
- Earlier reports stated that layoff notices went to eight non-union employees, the institution will leavefive vacant positions unfilled, and will not replace two retirees, totaling 15 positions affected.
The university has also paused admissions to its Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting program for 2025-26, citing financial pressures. In addition, Windsor is centralizing services to cut costs, which has resulted in changes to mail delivery, janitorial services, and other campus operations.
More than 150 members of the Windsor community protested these changes during a protest in early March.
Sources: Windsorite News, Windsor News, CBC News, CTV, University of Windsor, City News.
As a cost reduction initiative, Western will set minimum enrollment thresholds below which a course may not run. The Western Gazette reports that within each Faculty at least 90% of undergraduate courses must meet thresholds of 50 students for a 1,000-level course, 40 for a 2,000-level, 30 for a 3,000-level and 15 for a 4,000-level.
The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA) is urging Western to use its $3.07B in net assets and $219.5M surplus to avoid harmful budget cuts.
Source: Western Gazette, CTV
York University is facing a $132 million operating budget deficit for 2024-25 and has approved a three-year financial plan to reduce costs. The university attributes a $50 million gap in tuition revenue to a prolonged strike by contract professors and teaching assistants and the rest primarily to ongoing provincial and federal policy shifts with international students.
To address budget shortfalls, York has introduced cost-cutting measures such as deferring renovations, cutting discretionary operating expenses, and launching a voluntary exit program for staff.
York has also announced suspensions of new admissions to 18 programs, primarily in humanities and cultural studies. Affected programs include:
- German
- Italian
- Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian
- Spanish
- East Asian studies
- Jewish studies
- Hellenic studies
- religious studies
- Gender and Women’s Studies
- Sexuality Studies
- Indigenous Studies
- Classics and Classical Studies
- Sociology
- Global History and Justice
- Environmental Biology
- Biomedical Physics
- English
- Spanish and Latin American Cultures and Societies
Source: Toronto Star, CBC News, The Spec, Newswire
Quebec
Concordia University is projecting a $34.5 million deficit for 2024-25 and a $31.6 million deficit for 2025-26, largely due to declining enrolment. The university experienced a 3.2% drop in overall student headcount (1,441 fewer students), with losses in both international student registrations and out-of-province enrolments. In 2023-24, Concordia generated $54 million from international student tuition and grants, but this amount is expected to fall to $18 million in 2025-26.
To address financial challenges, the hiring freeze implemented in 2023 remains in place, and the university plans to reduce spending by 4.6% to 7.2% across academic and non-academic sectors. Concordia is also seeking new revenue streams and aiming to recruit 1,000 additional students as part of a multi-year financial planning strategy.
The university is working toward a balanced budget by 2028-29 and is adapting its business model to meet the new funding reality.
Sources: Concordia CSU Report, Concordia News, Concordia News (2)
McGill University is implementing $45 million in budget cuts for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with additional $16 million and $14 million reductions planned for 2027 and 2028, respectively. The university faces projected operating deficits over the next three fiscal years, with a potential $194 million deficit by 2028 if corrective action is not taken.
The university has launched Horizon McGill, a multi-year initiative aimed at balancing the budget, streamlining operations, and reassessing administrative and academic structures. The plan includes a review of academic programs, potential discontinuation of low-enrolment programs, and strategic enrollment management. Horizon McGill contains the UniForum benchmarking process to identify areas for cuts – a tool developed by NousCubane.
A hiring freeze and job cuts were implemented in December 2024, with 250 to 500 jobs expected to be eliminated. The first groups impacted include teaching assistants, who face a 15% reduction in hours for Arts courses. Other non-replaced positions and salary reductions are expected to contribute to cost-cutting efforts.
McGill has also increased tuition for international students and out-of-province Canadian students, citing financial strain from provincial funding clawbacks and federal caps on international student admissions. The Quebec government is clawing back approximately $5,000 per international student, further reducing tuition revenue.
McGill’s administration has warned that failing to balance the budget could result in the loss of conditional grants amounting to nearly $40 million annually, leading to further restrictions on university autonomy. Faculty unions have expressed concerns about job security, teaching quality, and the university’s long-term academic integrity. Three newly unionized McGill faculty associations have joined FQPPU (Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université) in response to these challenges.
Source: McGill Reporter, McGill Daily, CityNews, Newswire, McGill Reporter (2)
New Brunswick
One of the less high-profile ways in which Canada serves international students is by training pilots, particularly from the People’s Republic of China. Moncton Flight College is closing a campus it opened in Fredericton specifically to serve this market in collaboration with St Thomas University. 40 staff will be affected although many will be offered positions in Moncton. Management blamed a combination of visa policy and changes in China’s airline industry.
Source: CBC
Nova Scotia
CBU is experiencing a $20M budget deficit due to a 52% reduction in international student enrollment compared to last year.In 2024, new international student tuition increased 9%, returning international student tuition increased 2.5%, and domestic student tuition increased 2%.
Sources: CBC News, MSN News Coastal Radio, CBU
Dalhousie University has reported an $18M revenue drop and a 20% decline in international student enrolment. A hiring freeze has been implemented and is anticipated to remain until, at least, March 2025.
Source: CBC
SMU reported a $9.8 million deficit in 2023. The faculty union has criticized the administration for a lack of transparency on financial issues and cutbacks, calling for the previous president’s resignation. Saint Mary’s University has appointed Michael Khan as its next president, effective July 1, as the university faces financial and enrolment challenges. Khan, currently provost at Trent University, will lead efforts to stabilize SMU’s finances amid expected revenue losses from international student permit reductions.
Source: CBC
Newfoundland and Labrador
Memorial University reported a $9.5M revenue drop. New cost reduction measures include a limited hiring program, changes to carry-over funding, and exploration of new funding models.
Source: MUN Gazette
