\u201cUnfortunately, as the staff and faculty voluntary retirement programs did not generate the required savings, layoffs are expected to be necessary to meet our financial obligations,\u201d Carr wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Concordia spokesperson said the university has yet to determine which departments or job types will bear the impact.<\/p>\n
Carr said Concordia faces \u201canother challenging year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The university must \u201crealize a combination of $34.8 million in cuts and new revenue generation. Once again, this is a tall order, particularly given all the efforts made these last four years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Staffing is its biggest expense, representing 72 per cent of total expenditures, Concordia said.<\/p>\n
The university said its finances are being squeezed because revenue is shrinking as high-paying international students disappear, while costs keep climbing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Federal and provincial policy changes have led to a decline in international student enrolment in Quebec and across Canada.<\/p>\n
In addition, the Quebec government has hiked tuition by 33 per cent for students<\/a>\u00a0from the rest of Canada enrolling at Concordia and McGill.<\/p>\n \u201cConcordia is particularly vulnerable to these pressures because of its historical reliance on revenues generated from international and rest-of-Canada students,\u201d the university said in a separate budget update.<\/p>\n Concordia has scaled back operations in recent years, cutting the number of classes offered, as well as shuttle-bus service and cleaning and security schedules.<\/p>\n However, Carr included a hopeful note in his message.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some indications that the most severe effects of government policy decisions are behind us,\u201d he wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn addition, as we track our enrolment numbers, there is finally room for some cautious optimism, although it would be premature to say more this early in the registration cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n Concordia is projecting \u201cmodest enrolment growth\u201d in 2026-27 \u2014 a 2.4 per cent increase in total full-time equivalent students.<\/p>\n \u201cGrowth is expected primarily among students from Quebec, while international student enrolment is projected to continue declining,\u201d the university said.<\/p>\n Concordia said it remains on track to achieve a balanced budget by 2028-29 under a recovery plan approved by the Quebec government.<\/p>\n McGill, Montreal\u2019s other English university, has also faced financial pressures.\u00a0<\/p>\n The university laid off 60 employees last year as it worked to eliminate a projected $45-million deficit.<\/p>\n For 2026-27, McGill\u2019s board of governors has approved a balanced budget, including a $10-million contingency.<\/p>\n However, in future years, expenses are projected to outpace revenue growth, and McGill is forecasting deficits of $33 million in 2027-28 and $55 million in 2028-29.<\/p>\n The numbers underscore \u201cthe need for strategic, recurring revenue and expense measures,\u201d the university said on its website.<\/p>\n McGill has said it plans to open satellite programs and campuses in other countries<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The university\u2019s board recently endorsed a proposed strategic plan that also calls for an increase in enrolment from French CEGEPs, particularly outside the Montreal region.<\/p>\n In addition, McGill wants to expand \u201cFrench-language services and academic offerings, recognizing the French language as central to Quebec\u2019s identity and public life.\u201d<\/p>\n
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