International student cuts could force Sault College to suspend programs

Facing a major financial hit after the federal and provincial governments announced a cap on international student permits, Sault College may be cutting some of its programs.

“We are reviewing all aspects of our operations. We’re reviewing programs,” said Sault College president David Orazietti at the institution’s board meeting Thursday.

Fleming College in Peterborough suspended 29 programs earlier this week due partly to the international student cap.

There are 70 programs at Sault College.

“We are going through a similar exercise, to assess our operations, our programs, staffing levels, all of those things," Orazietti told SooToday after the meeting. "We are in a similar situation to a school like Fleming. I’m not ruling out decisions for program adjustments for the fall of 2024 but more substantial decisions related to programming are likely to occur for fall of 2025."

Orazietti said he would have more details about possible program suspensions and staffing levels at subsequent board meetings in May and June as administrators prepare the college’s next budget for board approval.

As with all colleges and universities in Ontario, Sault College relies heavily on international student enrollment for revenue.

It had approximately 2,300 students enrolled at its main Northern Avenue campus, including approximately 1,000 international students in the 2023-24 academic year.

TriOS College, Sault College’s public-private partner in Toronto, had approximately 2,800 international students.

With the new federal cap on international students — announced in January — and subsequent provincial allocations of international students to Ontario colleges and universities, Sault College will be allowed to take in 1,293 international students for 2024. That's down from 3,530 permits allowed in 2023.

Of even greater concern for Sault College is that private career colleges such as triOS College will receive none.

Revenue from triOS College and its international students amounts to $40 million for Sault College, approximately one-third of its $125 million budget. The final international student intake at triOS will be in May and its existing students will graduate by 2026.

“Our revenue will decline and it will decline fairly quickly," Orazietti told the board. "Two years out is going to be even more challenging than the fiscal year that we’re in now. We need to balance how we position the college for that going forward.

“This is exactly the time that we need to make sure that we have those international student connections firmed up so that the study permits that we have been granted can actually translate and materialize into students being on our campus,” Orazietti said.

Richard Peters, Sault College vice president of strategic enrolment, partnerships and employment, told the board that efforts to fill up the number of international student spots allowed under the new rules are ongoing as well as efforts to enroll more domestic students.

Orazietti said big plans for a new residence building and a multi-sport turf field, track and field house for a new Sault College football team have not been cancelled but delayed by the drop in international students and the resulting loss of revenue.

“Had both the provincial government and the federal government not taken the actions that they have, those projects would be moving along much more quickly. Both the federal decision and the provincial allocation is going to slow us down considerably in terms of moving those projects forward,” Orazietti told reporters Thursday.

He said the new residence remains “an absolute top priority for our organization.”

Orazietti said the college’s plan to introduce a Sault College football team in the fall of 2025 is still on.

“Given the current circumstances it may not be possible at this point to have the field completed for that time frame but the football program is moving forward,” Orazietti said.

Meanwhile, Orazietti told SooToday that there are no further developments in the civil lawsuit launched by Sault College and himself against Conestoga College and its president, John Tibbits. 

As SooToday previously reported, Orazietti and Sault College are claiming $200,000 in damages, plus interest and court costs, over allegations of “false, malicious and defamatory statements” made by Tibbits about Orazietti earlier this year.

At a public event in February, Tibbits referred to Orazietti as a “whore” who needs to learn to “shut his mouth.” 

Orazietti had previously criticized Conestoga’s international student enrolment numbers.

“It is a shared belief that for any college to bring in over 30,000 international students in a short period of time and expect enough housing and jobs in their community is irresponsible,” Orazietti stated.

“It’s unfortunate that we had to take this step,” Orazietti told SooToday, referring to the lawsuit. “Efforts to seek an apology have not been responded to.”

Orazietti declined further comment as the matter is before the courts.