OPSEU/SEFPO's statement in the issue is forthcoming, as an increasing number of members work in different capacities in Colleges and Universities, provincewide.  

But when asked for our input, the DivEx communicated the following overarching points:

• We stand together with international and domestic students, and believe that they deserve quality education and the supports that they need to benefit from that education, including housing

• Like OCUFA, we believe that the primary issue is not international students, but provincial underfunding.  Ontario famously has the lowest per-capita postsecondary student funding in Canada.  If Colleges and Universities were funded appropriately, Colleges would base international student targets on educational priorities, not fiscal ones.

We note that some College Presidents and senior administrators have wasted no time in turning to the language of scarcity and austerity, predicting program closures and layoffs if Ottawa carries through with its plans.  We believe that this is irresponsible, and not supported by their record-setting profits in recent years.

We urge you to find ways to inoculate your membership against these scare tactics, which are designed to whip up public support for an exploitative status quo, and to prepare our members for hardship.  To that end, we are sharing with you the publicly-available data (compiled by Ravi Ramkissoonsingh), showing that the 24 Colleges reported surpluses of almost $4 billion in the last 19 years, of which $2.66 billion was earned in the last eight years.

The second thing to consider is the explosive growth in International students recently.  This year, Ontario reports approximately 500,000 international students in its postsecondary institutions.  Preliminary research suggests that a reduction of 50% in the number of new permits provided over the next two years would merely have the effect of returning the number of international students in Ontario Colleges to roughly what we saw in 2018 or 2020.  You can look at your own college's 2018 surpluses, to determine whether it is reasonable or appropriate for your College President to sound the alarm about your College's financial health if International students returned to those numbers.

Lastly, you may yourself be asked to join in the call to oppose the federal government's new policy.  We would instead encourage you to consider asking your College's managers to join in the call for increased provincial funding, so that our College's do not need to rely on international students and privatization.

As Locals begin demand-setting meetings, we're happy to provide whatever information and support that we can to help members feel confident in the importance of their own priorities at their workplace.

Yours in Solidarity,

Your CAAT-A Divisional Executive