Foreign students in Canada residing in a roadside encampment.

Approximately 25 students from Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario, are currently residing in a makeshift encampment along Commerce Crescent.

Their intention is to remain in this location until Canadore College either secures affordable accommodation for them or reimburses them 100% of their fees.

In recent interviews with local media, multiple students shared their concerns regarding the substantial financial burden they face, with tuition fees amounting to approximately $14,000 and housing expenses ranging from $700 to $1,600 per month. To raise awareness and advocate for their cause, they organized a demonstration just outside Canadore College’s Commerce Court Campus on Wednesday morning.

They are advocating for housing expenses to be reduced to a range of $250 to $630, citing the significant disparity between their tuition fees and those of domestic students.

According to Manpreet Kaur, the situation is dire for 50 to 100 students, many of whom are grappling with housing challenges. Regrettably, 50 to 60 students have already been forced to leave North Bay due to the lack of housing options and have chosen to enroll in another college located in southern Ontario.

Kaur, originally from India, is an international student in her first year of the Project Management IT program at Canadore College.

“We never expected accommodation problems when we arrived,” she said.

“The college residences are full and there are no suitable accommodations. We are staying in the tent as of Tuesday. It’s cold in the night.”