Voice of Business: Canada’s International Student Cuts: A Double-Edged Sword

This past September, the Canadian government announced another 10 per cent cut to international student permits.

This isn’t the first cut either. Earlier this year, there was already a 35 per cent reduction in student visas, plus a cap of 364,000 visas this fall (down from last year’s 560,000). So, what’s behind these numbers, and what does it mean for Canada? With all these restrictions on international students, there is a lot to unpack—and some potential serious consequences.

The conversation around international students has been heating up, especially with Canada’s housing crisis and labour shortages thrown into the mix. We’re seeing strong opinions on both sides. On one hand, there’s a group that says Canada’s infrastructure just can’t handle the volume of international students coming in. On the opposing side, national student associations argue that international students are wrongly blamed for the housing crisis. Cutting their numbers, they say, also hits universities hard, slashing a vital revenue stream.

And they’re not wrong—Canada’s colleges and universities rely on international student fees, which are much higher than domestic ones. For example, Fanshawe College recently reported they’re expecting a whopping 39 per cent cut in international students next January, with a 47 per cent drop in first-year international students alone. The Council of Ontario Universities also are projecting a loss of nearly $1 billion in revenue over two years with the drop in international student enrollment. Considering the average cost for an international student is around $36,000 a year, these reductions could severely impact funding for our post-secondary institutions.

The reliance on international students has sparked some tough questions: are schools too dependent on these higher fees to make up for gaps in public funding? And what happens when this revenue source shrinks? Some wonder if Canadian institutions should rethink their business models and find a more balanced way to fund education without leaning so heavily on international students.

There’s another layer to all this: international students contribute more than just tuition fees. They’re a crucial part of Canada’s workforce, particularly in the hospitality sector. According to Statistics Canada, international students make up around 4.6 per cent of that industry—a big deal in a sector that’s facing labor shortages. Plus, the Canadian Bureau for International Education shows that 70 per cent of international students indicated they want to stay and work in Canada after graduation, which could further add to our growing talent pool. Their economic impact also extends beyond tuition, who support local businesses and contribute millions to the economy in consumer spending.

But, of course, we can’t ignore the housing issue. With more than a million international students in Canada, and vacancy rates as low as 1.7 per cent in Ontario, housing is in high demand. More students mean more pressure on an already tight housing supply, which many Canadians feel directly. This is where the government’s policy shift could ease some of that strain, but it’s a double-edged sword. Fewer international students may help with housing, but it could significantly reduce revenues for post-secondary institutions and even lead to staff layoffs.

Ultimately, this situation highlights the complexity of relying heavily on international students. The recent policy changes make it clear: this isn’t just about the students. It’s about sustainable planning and strategies that support Canada’s needs, whether it’s in housing, education funding, or labor supply. Moving forward, we can only hope that these policy adjustments drive further investments in the infrastructure and resources needed to make Canada a stable place for everyone—both local and international residents.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Miskin Law Community Complex Projected to Be Officially Open In January Says City of Peterborough

Construction of the new Miskin Law Community Complex at Lansdowne and Park Streets is nearing completion according to the City of Peterborough.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The official opening is planned for January next year and details for the ceremony will be announced in December.

The new community complex will include a twin-pad arena, a Peterborough Public Library branch, an indoor walking track, multi-purpose space and leasable office space.

The official opening is a few weeks later than initially anticipated. Construction on the $68.5-million facility began in December 2022 and was scheduled to be completed by late December 2024.

The contractor is working with the City of Peterborough to ensure the quality of the finished facility meets expectations for exceptional user experiences at Miskin Law Community Complex. Community user groups are expected to be able to access the space beginning on Jan. 15.

The City will take a phased approach to opening the Miskin Law Community Complex in a way that meets the needs of arena user groups and upcoming tournaments.

The Peterborough Public Library branch at Miskin Law Community Complex will open in February 2025.

Following the official opening event in January, the City will invite the community to visit the new facility, including offering free public skating opportunities.

The City will work with user groups to plan for scheduled use/ice time rentals and ensure ice pads are available for community tournaments. During off-peak facility use hours, minor work may continue to be completed at Miskin Law Community Complex.

Community events and unveiling other spaces within the Miskin Law Community Complex will occur in the weeks following the official opening.

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Peterborough Petes Partnership Helps to Raise Funds and Awareness For Those With An Intellectual Disability

The Peterborough Petes, Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR), Special Olympics Ontario, and the Peterborough Police have teamed up to raise awareness of individuals with intellectual disabilities for Thursday’s home game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The game will take place at 7:05 p.m. when the Petes host the Owen Sound Attack.

Activations at the game will include:

• A LETR/Special Olympics Ontario-run kiosk so fans can learn more about Special Olympics Ontario

• Public address announcements about Special Olympics Ontario

• A puck drop featuring representatives from the Peterborough Police Service and Special Olympics Ontario

• A bucket pass in support of LETR and Special Olympics Ontario

The awareness campaign is part of the ongoing commitment by the Ontario Hockey League, The Peterborough Petes and LETR/Special Olympics Ontario to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Ontario.

“The OHL Big Ticket Game has been a major event on the Special Olympics Ontario calendar since 2007,” said Cody Jansma, Special Olympics Ontario President & CEO. “Through the program, the OHL and its clubs have been a key partner of Special Olympics Ontario (SOO), providing much-needed funds and awareness to 23,000 athletes living in Ontario with intellectual disabilities. SOO thanks the Peterborough Petes and the Peterborough Police Service for their ongoing support of the movement. Together, we champion inclusion, acceptance and offer opportunities to many athletes in the Region and throughout the province to participate and thrive in sport.” 

“The Petes are proud to support Special Olympics Ontario once again to raise funds for individuals with an intellectual disability,” said Adam King, Petes director of marketing. “We’re excited to welcome these athletes to the PMC and highlight their amazing achievements while also bringing attention to an important cause.”

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Rally Planned To Oppose 2025 Budget Cuts to Arts and Social Services

A coalition of activists, organizations and citizens will gather at Peterborough City Hall to rally against proposed budget cuts to social services and arts organizations in the 2025 budget on Tuesday afternoon.

File Photo.

The rally will begin at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, with a lineup of speakers. It is organized by the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, The Centre for Gender and Social Justice, OPIRG Peterborough, BLM Nogojiwanong and community members and will be followed by a community debrief session at Dreams of Beans.

The Centre for Gender & Social Justice released the following statement regarding the proposed budget cuts:

“These cuts would divert essential funds from community support services to increased policing costs, a shift that organizers say undermines the wellbeing of Peterborough’s most vulnerable residents and damages the network of grassroots organizations working to support them.

Peterborough’s city council recently proposed a budget that would cut funding to 75 social service and arts organizations by 25 per cent, including vital groups like the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, Community Race Relations Committee, and Peterborough Drug Strategy. These organizations provide critical support in crisis intervention, mental health, addiction counselling, and harm reduction. Many of these services fill gaps that policing does not address, using trauma-informed care, cultural sensitivity, and restorative justice to meet community needs and foster safety without punitive measures.”

The rally will feature speeches from leaders of affected organizations, local activists and community members who rely on these services. Poetry and storytelling highlighting the budget cuts’s impact of these cuts will be told during the rally.

The speaker list includes Sneha Wadhwani, local poet and activist; Bill Kimball, Public Energy Coordinator and Nico Koyanagi from OPIRG Peterborough.

These are the key messages of the rally according to a press release:

• Stop the Defunding of Social Services: The community urges council to protect funding for essential organizations that provide support, intervention, and resilience-building for those in need.

• Reject Police Budget Increases: With an 8.8 per cent increase in the police budget, including funding for new facilities and equipment, community members are concerned about prioritizing policing over proactive social services.

• Demand Transparent and Inclusive Budget Consultation: Only 227 residents participated in the budget consultation process. Organizers are calling for greater community engagement and transparency in future budgeting decisions.

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Peterborough Teenager Faces Several Charges After Robbing a Man With a Pellet Gun

A 14-year-old Peterborough male is facing several charges after incidents Saturday night.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Officers were notified about incidents the previous day in which the window of a vehicle was shot out and a man was robbed at gunpoint in the Sherbrooke Street and George Street area on Sunday. 

They located the suspect at a residence in the Ashburnham Drive and Maria Street area and took him into custody at gunpoint. Upon a search after arrest, a pellet gun was located along with a knife in a backpack.

The teen was arrested and charged with:

• Robbery using Firearm (Restricted or Prohibited)

• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose

• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

• Pointing a Firearm

• Failure to comply with release order - other than to attend court X3

The accused is currently on a release order with the following conditions: to reside with their surety every night, to not possess any weapons as defined by the Criminal Code and to not possess any knives.

The accused was held in custody and appeared in court on Monday.

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Peterborough Theatre Guild Announces 'Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical' As Next Production For November/December

The Peterborough Theatre Guild has announced its next production, ‘Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical’ which will run 9 shows spanning late November and early December.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Theatre Guild.

Shows are occurring on Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. while matinees (Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 7 and 8) are at 2 p.m. at the Peterborough Theatre Guild.

Dorothy Gale has made her way to the end of the Yellow Brick Road and the wonderful Wizard of Oz is just about to help her get back home to Kansas. But before she can hop into the wizard’s balloon, another whirlwind appears over the Emerald City, sweeping Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion away to Wonderland. Equipped with their new assets — brains, heart and courage — Dorothy’s friends try to help her find her way home, meeting many other interesting characters along the way, including Alice, the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, March Hare, the Cheshire Cat and many more. They also must face a dangerous new foe — the Queen of Hearts.

Tickets are $15 for any seat and are available online or by phone at (705) 745-4211.

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Tim Hortons Launches Second Smile Cookie Holiday Campaign For Kawartha Food Share

Tim Hortons is keeping Kawartha Food Share (KFS) happy this holiday season, as the latter has been selected as the recipient of the Holiday Smile Cookie Campaign.

Kawartha Food Share is a central collection and distribution warehouse that partners with 37-member agency food banks, food cupboards and other food action programs in the City and County of Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The campaign launches next Monday and runs until Nov. 24 at all Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Curve Lake and Havelock. Cookies are $2 each and all proceeds will be split between KFS and Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

Last year, the campaign raised $67,290.96.

“Supporting communities is at the heart of the Tim Hortons brand and there's no better time than the holiday season for us to rally with guests, Tims’ restaurant owners and team members to spread kindness right across Canada,” said Axel Schwan, Tim Hortons president.

This year’s Holiday Smile Cookie is a white chocolate chip sugar cookie infused with red and green sprinkles and finished with a hand-decorated smile.

“We are so thrilled to be partnering with Tim Hortons for this wonderful initiative,” said Ashlee Aitken, KFS general manager. “The funds raised during this campaign will assist us in purchasing much-needed food items to keep our agencies shelves well stocked.”

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United Way Peterborough & District Announces Upcoming Point-in-Time Count to Measure Homelessness

United Way Peterborough & District’s upcoming Point-in-Time Count, part of a nationally coordinated effort to measure homelessness across Canada, will take place between Nov. 18 and 21, the organization announced on Monday afternoon.

Jim Russell, United Way CEO (left); Elisha Rubacha, United Way’s community impact officer (middle) and Betsy Farrar, United Way manager of community impact (right), Photo by dAVID tUAN bUI.

The Point-in-Time Count comprises of two parts: a 24-hour enumeration and an in-depth survey. The enumeration involves tallying the number of people that surveyors observe experiencing homelessness. Conducting an enumeration over 24 hours will provide Peterborough with a snapshot of the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness in our community says United Way. This enumeration is understood to be a minimum due to the different types of homelessness that cannot be observed, such as couch surfing, which is also referred to as hidden homelessness.

In addition to the enumeration, the in-depth survey will improve the understanding of who is experiencing homelessness in our community. The survey data will provide our community with information about the specific needs and circumstances of people experiencing homelessness in Peterborough at this time.

The survey will ask questions such as:

• Demographics like age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and Indigeneity

• Length and duration of homelessness

• Reason for homelessness

• Health factors

“The Point-in-Time Count is an opportunity to learn directly from those experiencing homelessness in our community,” said Elisha Rubacha, United Way’s Community Impact Officer. “As the PiT Count Coordinator, it is my hope that this research will support housing advocacy efforts, while also reducing stigma.”

This Point-in-Time Count marks the fourth one to have taken place in Peterborough, with previous ones taking place in 2021, 2018 and 2016. United Way expects the data to reflect a stark increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness and the complexity of their situations compared to the 2021 data, said Betsy MacDonald, United Way Director of Community Impact.

“As a community, we have been feeling the effects of rising costs over the last few years. It is anticipated that the 2024 PiT Count will provide us with data that indicates that more people are experiencing homelessness than previously,” she said. “This data is important for us to have as a community because it provides concrete justification for the need for increased resources to be put towards housing services and programs.”

United Way Peterborough & District wants the community to be aware of the Point-in-Time Count activities taking place next week:

• Between the evening of Nov. 18 and the evening of Nov. 19, outreach workers will be walking and biking throughout the City to enumerate and survey people experiencing homelessness

• Surveys will also take place inside of shelters on Nov. 18, as well as during the day on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 at specific community locations

• These surveyors will be wearing identification badges that indicate they are part of the Point-in-Time Count project affiliated with United Way Peterborough & District

• Individuals being surveyed will be offered goods in exchange for their participation

• Surveyors will approach individuals and ask them a screening question to determine their eligibility for the survey.

The individuals are allowed to end their participation in the survey at any time without repercussions.

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Former Peterborough Petes Defenceman Inducted Into the Hockey Hall of Fame

Former Peterborough Petes defenceman Colin Campbell is soon being immortalized as a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2024 in Toronto on Monday night.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth ANdersen and the Peterborough Petes.

Campbell is being inducted in the builder category and is currently the NHL Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations.

He played three seasons (his entire junior hockey career) with the Peterborough Petes from 1970-72, He had 95 points in 169 games during that span. In his last season, he had 47 points and 189 penalty minutes while being crowned an OHL champion in 1972 with teammates such as Bob Gainey, Stan Jonathan and Doug Jarvis.

He was honoured by the Petes with a banner-raising ceremony in January 2020.

The Tillsonburg native was drafted 27th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1973 NHL Draft and fifth overall by the Vancouver Blazers in the 1973 WHA Draft. He played one year with Vancouver in the WHA before signing on with Pittsburgh. He also played for other NHL teams such as Colorado, Detroit, Edmonton, and Vancouver before he retired in 1985. Ten years later, he coached for four seasons.

After retiring in 1985, Campbell was an assistant coach with the Red Wings until 1990. He was also an associate coach with the Rangers for parts of three seasons before his promotion. He replaced Mike Keenan as coach after New York's championship year in 1994.

After being released by the Rangers during the 1997-98 season, Campbell retains his involvement with the NHL in hockey operations, officiating and central scouting before his current role.

The 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is Nov. 11 in Toronto. He joins Shea Weber, Jeremy Roenick, Pavel Datsyuk, Natalie Darwitz, David Poile, and Krissy Wendall in this year’s class.

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The Chemong Portage 'Right of Way' Project Installation Nears Completion

A new public art installation, Right of Way, featuring work from Indigenous artists celebrating the traditional Chemong Portage route, is being installed and will be completed this month.

Right of Way is the latest project funded through the City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program. File Photo.

It is a commemorative project featuring works by Indigenous artists Tia Cavanagh, David Beaucage Johnson, Yvonne Garbutt, William Kingfisher, Josh Morley and Nuin Tara Wilson.

The City of Peterborough commissioned the artists to create original artwork for vinyl wraps to be installed on traffic signal cabinets and electrical supply boxes at intersections close to what is thought to be the traditional route of the Chemong Portage. Each artwork represents a traveller on the route. Together, the project tells the portage story and makes history visible says Shelley M. Knott, the City's Advisor, Indigenous Relations.

“Right of Way serves as a powerful bridge between past and present, visually highlighting deep connections to land and space while honouring Indigenous people along the historic Chemong Portage,” she said. “It invites both residents and visitors to connect with and respect the enduring legacy of this route.”

The route begins at Dalhousie and George Streets and continues north through downtown, crossing intersections along George and Water Streets until it reaches Brock Street. From there, it veers west, weaving to Parkhill and Chemong roads. It then follows Chemong Road to Broadway Boulevard.

“Public art transforms everyday spaces into places of meaning and connection. Right of Way beautifies our city and honours the stories and culture of the Indigenous peoples who travelled the Chemong Portage. It’s a celebration of history, told in vivid, modern form, that invites everyone to reflect and engage,” said Councillor Alex Bierk and Councillor Lesley Parnell.

Installation began in September and is expected to be completed in mid-November.

Finishing touches include mounting an information panel and portage map at each intersection. The panel also features links to an audio recording of ‘The Story of the Chemong Portage’ by Gidigaa Miigizi (Doug Williams), read by Anne Taylor of Curve Lake First Nation. The recording is in Anishinaabemowin and English. 

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