Patrick Brown says the rapid rise in international students living in Brampton placed major pressure on housing, municipal services and local infrastructure, describing the situation as “out of control” during its peak.
Speaking on the Greg Brady Show on 640 Toronto, Brown said the city experienced a dramatic increase in international students over recent years as dozens of private colleges opened in Brampton to capitalize on growing demand from students seeking education and immigration opportunities in Canada.
Brown estimated that at one point as many as 100,000 international students were living in the city.
“Frankly, international students, for several years, were out of control in terms of what was coming into Canada,” Brown said during the interview.
The mayor said the surge created significant challenges for the city, including pressures on housing availability, health-care services, waste collection and social support systems.
“It just wasn’t sustainable,” Brown stated. “The system was broken. At one point, we had 80 officially recognized colleges in Brampton, and I think only a handful were reputable.”
Canada significantly expanded international student admissions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to help address labour shortages and support economic recovery. Colleges and universities also increasingly relied on international tuition fees amid financial pressures, leading to rapid growth in enrolment and private educational institutions.
Brown said responsibility for the situation was often debated between governments.
“The federal government said it was up to the province to accredit schools, and the province would say it is the federal government that admits the international students,” he said.
He noted that both the federal and provincial governments have since introduced measures to tighten oversight of colleges and reduce international student intake.
Brown added that Brampton is advocating for future policies that would link international student approvals to the availability of adequate housing and support services.
“Obviously, there are still a large number of international students in Canada,” he said. “But going forward, I think we are going to see visas linked to credible institutions that can provide housing.”
Recent data released by Statistics Canada shows international student enrolment in Canada has dropped sharply following federal caps introduced in 2024, with numbers now returning to levels seen during the early pandemic years.