How the international student crackdown will affect BC post-secondary education

Good morning,

Sometimes something is mentioned so often, the ridicule is so strong, that you can’t help but change how you’re writing to prevent yourself from facing potential embarrassment.

I am of course speaking about Justin McElroy’s light-hearted (or not!) criticism of anyone, but mostly online TikTok food reviewers, using the term “hidden gem” to refer to very popular places that really aren’t hidden.

Now, I’ve used hidden gem a couple times to describe some restaurants. And I promise you they are not very popular. But even so, Justin has a point. It’s a word that is often overused, to the point of rendering it meaningless.

It’s something I’ve thought about a lot as I cover the food scene in Vancouver. It’s also been on my mind lately as we’re about to launch something new related to local food next week. Stay tuned for that!

Today we’re breaking down some big news items about the crackdown on international students and what that means for BC.

Let’s get to it. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 6 🌡️ -3 | ⛅️ 

Thursday: 6 🌡️ 1 | ⛅️

Friday: 4 🌡️ -3 | ⛅️

EDUCATION

How the international student crackdown will affect BC post-secondary education

What happened: Canada and BC’s education system is undergoing serious changes, and increasingly feeling the stress, as both levels of government address the spiralling problems associated with a massive increase in international students and the system that benefits from that growth.

Two key changes: The most impactful change was the federal government instituting a cap on international undergraduate students. Last year Canada hosted 800,000 of them, according to CBC. The second big issue is the recent announcement by the BC government cracking down on international students enrolling in new post-secondary institutions, according to CBC, as the province accuses private post-secondary schools of providing “poor quality education” and “a lack of instructors.” 

Background: The rise in international students was partially due to the fall in post-secondary funding, according to University Affairs. Universities needed to find alternative forms of revenue, a big part of that being international students who can be charged much more than domestic students.

The impact: The importance of international students for university budgets is becoming clear, as major universities announce cuts to their operating budgets for the 2024-25, according to the Vancouver Sun. For example, UVIC says they will slash their budget by $13 million to deal with lower international enrollment. Those students account for only 11 percent of enrollment but one-third of tuition revenue. 

There are 175,000 international post-secondary students in BC, with 54 percent enrolled in private institutions, according to CBC. 

• At UBC, there were 60,607 students enrolled at UBC, of which 19,909 were international according to The Ubyssey. Prices for programs vary, but an arts degree for a Canadian student is $5,960 per year, compared to $47,189 for an international student.  

Issues for students: The BC Federation of Students criticized the system, calling it exploitative in how it uses international students for financial gain. International students have also criticized these programs for charging huge fees, many providing only online classes, according to the Vancouver Sun, not to mention lower quality education. International students are also increasingly filling lower-wage jobs in Canada, according to CBC. 

Larger impacts: One of the more recent criticisms has been that the rise in international students is pushing housing prices up. Steve Pomeroy, a senior research fellow at Carleton University’s Centre for Urban Research, told the National Post that the impact is greatest on rentals, since these people need places to live. 

• One expert noted that the international student visa changes won’t impact housing, calling it a systemic issue and won’t solve the supply issue, according to Global. Another told the Varsity that the real problem is the lack of coordination between immigration and housing policies.

Crackdown: Two private colleges, including East West College whose school is in the second floor of a strip mall on Robson, have had their certification cancelled by the province, according to the Vancouver Sun. There are 280 private colleges and universities in BC. 

What it means: It’s still too early to say just how big an impact this will have, as most BC universities have yet to announce the overall impact. The real impetus for change was tying the issue to housing. But the scale at which this issue has generated public attention, after so little push back, illustrates how the issue of housing is being used to affect other seemingly unrelated policy issues. 

Looking ahead: BC says it will work with public institutions to create caps on the number of international students that they can enroll. Premier David Eby noted that it was “premature” to be acting this early to cut budgets, according to CHEK News. Could schools end up getting more funding like what was recently announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford?

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

🛢️ $30,000: The amount the Parkland refinery may have to pay Burnaby for the time firefighters spent dealing with the incident that caused the smell in January. [Global]

🏨 5: The number of stars the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver and Fairmont Pacific Rim ranked in the Forbes Travel Guide. Take a deep breath before checking out the nightly pricing at this hidden gem (I kid)! [Business in Vancouver]

🛫 25 million: The number of passengers at YVR in 2023. [Urbanized]

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DREAM HOME

Look, I’m not saying a one-bedroom is my idea of a dream home. But there’s something about this unit that’s really nice.

Maybe it’s the 749 square feet of space, or the location in Kitsilano. Maybe it’s the bright living room along with a lovely semi-private patio that makes mornings a real treat. Whatever it is, it’s a lovely spot to call home.

The price? It’s what you’d expect for Vancouver…

THE AGENDA

The Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nation are seeking seats on the Vancouver Police Board. It comes as the province is in discussions with the Musqueam Indian Band to add one of their members. There are currently three empty seats on the board. [Vancouver is Awesome]

❄️ The city has issued an extreme weather alert until tomorrow because of the below-freezing temperatures. Extra shelter spaces have been opened during that time for anyone sleeping out in the streets. [Twitter]

🚆 Monday afternoon was a tough time to travel on transit — a medical emergency caused the Canada Line to shut down all SkyTrain stations between Waterfront and Olympic Village. Service was eventually restored at around 8 pm. [CTV]

🪧 Pro-Palestinian protestors shut down the Burrard Bridge Monday night. The bridge closure happened for 90 minutes as the group called for the violence to end in Gaza. [Vancouver Sun]

🌳 Lighthouse, Whytecliff and Nelson Canyon Park will have paid parking next year. For non-West Vancouver residents, the cost will be $3.75 per hour. [Global]

👮 Two teens were arrested this weekend after an alleged break-in, with one injuring an officer while driving into them on a scooter. After a search, the police discovered a loaded handgun and knives. [Vancouver is Awesome]

👎️ Everyone’s favourite ath-leisure company (started by everyone’s not-so-favourite CEO) Lululemon may be misleading the public about how much emissions it’s generating, according to a Stand.earth. The organization alleges that the company has doubled its emissions while claiming they are doing the opposite. [Vancouver Sun]

🤖 Canadian actors, directors and musicians are raising concerns about AI, and are calling on the government to protect them with legislation. It’s related to a government committee studying AI and big data, to create a framework to protect the public. The movie industry plays a big role in Vancouver’s economy. [Business in Vancouver]

EVENTS

Theatre

Vancouver’s Opera show Don Pasquale is getting rave reviews. It’s a comic opera about a reclusive old man who loves cats. Fun! [Vancouver Sun]

Music

There’s still time to grab tickets for François Houle and friends, a musical exploration of 1960s South African Jazz music, at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts on Feb. 17 and 18.

Hot off his Super Bowl performance, Usher announced he’s coming to Vancouver, with a stop on his North America Tour. He’ll be in town Nov. 7, with tickets going on sale Feb. 16. [Vancouver is Awesome]

Vancouver is getting not one, but two Pearly Jam concerts in May. [Vancouver is Awesome]

Movies

VIFF has a mix of art house and classic movies this week, like Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, new ones like Anatomy of a Fall, and Oscar shorts including live action, animation and documentary.

It’s a weekend of Oscar movies at Rio, with Killers of the Flower Moon and Oppenheimer both showing over the weekend

Art

Vancouver-raised stand-up comic Andrea Jin is recording a special at the Biltmore Cabaret on Feb. 18 and 19, with her act focused on her time living with her grandparents. [Stir]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Monday marked 14 years ago that Vancouver hosted the Olympic Winter Games. Here’s a photo from the ceremony.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• The tunnel boring machine building the Broadway Subway continues onward! You can read about the update here. [Daily Hive]

• Last minute planning for Valentine's Day? These 25 restaurants are offering specials for that special day. [Vancouver Magazine]

• Sadly Metro Vancouver’s last drive-in theatre will be closing this year, but there’s still time to visit one last time. [Vancouver Sun]

• Monsters of the Abyss is a great title for the new exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium. It’s on until Sept. 2 [Vancouver is Awesome]

• I am a huge H-Mart fan so this thread on a person discovering H-Mart was a real joy to read. It’s a great alternative to Canada’s grocery monopolies. [Reddit]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

VANCOUVERGUESSER

Congrats to everyone who guessed yesterday’s quiz. The answer to “How below average was Metro Vancouver’s rainfall last year” was 40 percent.

Today’s Vancouver Guesser is a SkyTrain station. Can you guess which one it is? Reply with your name and the correct answer to be featured in the newsletter.