Immigration Minister Labels Ontario’s International Student Claims as “Garbage”

Amid growing tensions between the federal and provincial governments, Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, refutes accusations from Ontario regarding the lack of consultation over the international student cap.

Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop, have criticized the federal government for implementing the cap without prior consultation, alleging chaos in the province’s post-secondary sector.

Minister Miller dismisses these claims as “complete garbage,” asserting that there were clear communications with Ontario about the need to address overreliance on international student revenue by some colleges.

The federal government’s decision to limit new international student intake, announced in January, has stirred controversy, particularly in Ontario, where institutions heavily rely on international student fees to finance their operations.

Colleges and universities in the province have expressed concern over the significant reduction in international student numbers, attributing it to the tuition fee cuts and freeze initiated by the Ford government in 2019.

Ontario’s response includes a $1.3 billion cash injection over three years, aimed at mitigating the impacts of the federal government’s intervention, although it falls short of the $2.5 billion recommended by an expert panel.

Minister Dunlop has criticized Ottawa for the disruption caused by the student cap, highlighting the lack of consultation as a point of contention.

In contrast, Minister Miller argues that there was communication between the federal and provincial governments, suggesting shared responsibility for addressing the challenges in the post-secondary education sector.