Atlantic province universities under budget pressures

Canada’s Dalhousie University is facing a CA$20.6 million (US$15 million) budget deficit come the 2025-26 school year. While the number is stark, it’s not the only university in the red. In fact, most universities across Atlantic Canada are struggling under budget pressures, writes Rachel Morgan for City News Everywhere.

The latest blow to these school’s financial situations was the decision by the federal government in March 2024 to put a cap on international student enrolment. International student tuition is a major source of revenue for universities as well as their communities, with tuition costs three to four times that of domestic tuition. In Nova Scotia, universities are the second largest export generating sector.

A report from the Association of Atlantic Universities found universities in the Atlantic region received a total of 2,983 fewer foreign students in 2024-25 compared with the 2023-24 academic year.
Full report on the City News Everywhere site