Good morning from the Region — three cities, one wire, zero time for small talk. Let's go.

### Your international student situation just got worse

You know how we’ve been talking about the crunch on international students here in the Region? Well, it looks like it’s going from a crunch to a full-on collapse, and it's hitting our local colleges hardest. We’re talking about Conestoga College, mostly, but really it impacts all our post-secondary institutions, even the universities, because we're all part of the same ecosystem. There's been a roughly 50% cut in the number of overseas students who can come to Ontario, and that’s causing some serious financial headaches.

Here's the thing about this region: we rely heavily on these institutions. The University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, and Conestoga College with its multiple campuses across Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, they’re not just schools; they're economic drivers. This isn't just about enrollment numbers; it's about the vibrancy of places like Uptown Waterloo's King Street strip or even the shops around the Kitchener Market on a Saturday. Fewer students mean less foot traffic, fewer part-time jobs, and a big hit to the rental market which, let's be honest, is already a mess.

* **Impact on Local Businesses:** Many of our smaller shops and restaurants, especially around the college and university campuses, depend on student spending.

* **Rental Market Woes:** While some might think fewer students mean more available housing, the sudden drop creates instability and leaves landlords scrambling.

* **Reputation Hit:** Our reputation as a global hub for education and innovation, something we're fiercely proud of at places like the Communitech Hub in the old Tannery building, takes a knock.

This isn't just some abstract policy change happening in Toronto; this directly affects our neighbourhoods, our economy, and our future. We’re a tech hub, yes, but we’re also an education hub, and you can’t have one without the other. This feels like a self-inflicted wound for a region that prides itself on welcoming talent from all over the world.

Anja Baumann-Fong, MiTL Sports Desk, Kitchener-Waterloo.

My colleagues unpack this more on the morning show — catch it live at mornings.live.