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She said she’s heard from fellow MPPs and other ministries about “the impact this is going to have on our economy” and that the tourism sector in particular “is going to be devastated without these students” given the number of post-graduation work permits will drop.

“That’s why, when we’re working with the federal government on the allocation, we will be looking at the labour market needs across regions in Ontario as a number one priority.”

Also, “ensuring that there is guaranteed housing for international students coming to our campus will be a priority, and ensuring that the economic needs of each region are a concern as well. There is going to be an impact across Ontario and the federal government did absolutely no consultations with the provinces or with the sector.”

Last month, the federal immigration minister — feeling the pressure of the growing housing crisis — chopped the number of new study permits issued to international students by 35 per cent, with spots to be allotted based on each province’s population. Ontario, where more than half of Canada’s current international students study, will see a 50 per cent drop. 

New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler (London West), her party’s post-secondary critic, said “colleges and universities are bracing for the impact of a 50 per cent reduction in international study permits at a time when the sector is already at a (financial) breaking point.”

She said the province has seen decades of “chronic underfunding by this government and the Liberals before them, which has put our post-secondary institutions starved for resources and now they are on the brink,” with 10 of 23 schools running deficits.

Premier Doug Ford has already ruled out a tuition increase this fall for domestic students — as recommended by the government’s blue ribbon panel — but it remains unknown if Ontario will boost funding for colleges and universities as the panel also urged. 

“We will be announcing our path forward shortly,” Dunlop said.

Liberal MPP Adil Shamji (Don Valley East), his party’s colleges and universities critic, said schools “have been suffering for years” and the government should have already increased funding. 

“There’s not a moment to lose,” he said, adding schools were forced to turn to international students to make up for gaps in funding — they pay three to four times the tuition of domestic students — but that they “should not be the piggy bank.”

“What I really worry about is with a cap on international students, without the kind of funding that universities are asking, without the support that they need, what we’re going to see is universities have no choice but to either cut back on programs, cut back on staff, or cut back on student services.”