Most of them-even those who used to have surpluses-provide for a deficit in 2025-2026.
Nova Scotia universities forecasts in 2025-2026
- Université Dalhousie : deficit of $ 20.6 million
- University of Cap-Breton (CBU): $ 6.8 million deficit
- Université Acadia : $ 2.8 million deficit
- Université Saint Mary’s (SMU): $ 2.8 million deficit
- St. Francis Xavier University (StFX): deficit of $ 1.966 million
- Université Mount Saint Vincent (Msvu): deficit of $ 1.59 million
- Université NSCAD (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design): $ 1.245 million deficit
- University of King’s College : deficit of $ 750,000
- Atlantic School of Theology : surplus of $ 7,551
- Sainte-Anne University: unknown forecasts
It is a fairly steep change of fortune for some of these establishments. Dalhousie, CBU et Msvu had presented surplus for five years before the current financial year.
What happened?
For a long time, most of the operating income of universities came from the financing of provincial governments.
Throughout the country, the share of operating income from government funding has decreased. It increased from 55 % in 2012 to 40 % in 2023.
In Nova Scotia, it only amounts to 33 %, even if the province increased by 2 % its funding to universities this year.
Several universities have turned internationally to compensate. Students from the outside pay much higher education rights than Canadian students, sometimes double or even triple.
In the Atlantic, around 30 % of university students come from outside the country, while in other regions in Canada, this proportion is around 20 %, according to Peter HalpinManaging Director of the Association of Atlantic Universities.
The University of Cap-Breton, in particular, threw itself on this windfall.
During the year 2023-2024, no less than 77 % of students in CBU came from outside Canada.
The University of Cap-Breton is located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. (Archives photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Jonathan Villeneuve
In several other universities in Nova Scotia, around a quarter of registrations are those of foreign students, as Saint Mary’s (28 %), at the Sainte-Anne University (27 %), at Dalhousie (21 %) and Mount Saint Vincent (21 %).
In January 2024, the federal government announced that it was capping the number of foreign students admitted to the country for two years, which represented a 35 % drop in 2023.
The Trudeau government claimed to make this decision to, in particular, remove pressure on the demand for accommodation (new window). In September 2024, Ottawa decreed a new reduction of 10 % (new window) the number of studies permits to foreign students.
The consequences were immediate for universities that were betting strongly on the international.
The CAP-Breton University, which had 6,974 foreign students in 2023-2024, lost 1200 in 2024-2025 and expects to lose the fall that comes.
The Acadia University is located in Nova Scotia. (Archives photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / CBC / Robert Short
In Halifax, Mount Saint Vincent anticipates a 5.5 % drop in registrations from outside Canada, while Dalhousie provides 3,382 foreign students in 2025-2026-while it had 4,279 in 2023-2024.
University Acadia had 489 full-time foreign students in 2023-2024; She expects to have 374 in 2025-2026.
Acadia said that in March, the applications submitted by potential students outside Canada had dropped by 58 % in one year.
According to Peter HalpinNova Scotia universities lost more than 2,000 foreign students last year, or more than 14 % of their registrations.
This represents a major loss of income for several establishments, and 2025 appears just as gloomy
he said in an interview.
Among the other reasons contributing to the financial difficulties of post -secondary education institutions, there is inflation, the fluctuation of interest rates, contractual obligations and increases in school fees limited by the provincial government (new window).
How did universities react?
In response to this drop in inscriptions, universities have taken certain measures, which range from the rise in tuition fees (new window)abolition or suspension of study programs. Retirement of staff members, the non-renewal of certain contracts (new window) or the sale of property is envisaged.
This dependence on foreign students could not last, says the former president of the Canadian Association of University Professors (ACPPU), Peter McInnis.
It was going to be always unstable and volatile
he says.
Dalhousie, member of U15 Canada, the group of the most important research universities in Canada, celebrated its bicentennial in 2018. (Archives photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada
Despite the difficult situation that universities are currently experiencing, they always deserve to be invested in and supported them, declares Peter McInnis.
We have in this province a very dynamic education system, and this is something that we must maintain
said the one who is a professor at St. Francis Xavier.
They make such a precious contribution to the economic growth of Nova Scotia, the attraction of talents, the orientation of research and the creation of new businesses that I think there will always be a place for strong and competitive universities in the province
says for his part Peter Halpin.
According to the report of Frances Willick (CBC)
