Cape Breton University cuts international enrollment amid job and housing shortages

In Sydney, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton University has recently witnessed an explosion in the enrollment of international students. While the impact of this surge on issues like housing shortage and part-time employment is yet to be confirmed, statistics indicate that the University in Sydney, NS, admitted over 3,000 international students in the past year. Approximately 77% of these students, out of a total of 9,100, hail from foreign countries, and many of them have enrolled in two-year business programs. The university is planning to restrict enrollment in its popular programs, with an expected reduction in the student population to 7,000 over the next five years.
In March of the previous year, the president of the Student Union stated that up to 100 students per week were utilizing the university's food bank. This increase in demand is attributed to rising living costs and a lack of part-time job opportunities. Professor Scott Stewart, who has been teaching philosophy at the university for 33 years, emphasizes the positive role that international students play in the community, but points out that they are facing severe housing shortages. He notes that five years ago, the total student population was around 3,500, and the university now has a pressing need for more classroom space on campus.

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