1st-year enrolment at Sudbury's Laurentian University down 33%

Enrolment of first-year students at Sudbury's Laurentian University dropped by about 33 per cent this fall compared to the same period last year, although universities provincewide have seen a slight rise in newcomers, according to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). 

Enrolment numbers published Wednesday by OUAC show Laurentian had 1,024 new students this year, compared to 1,531 in the fall of 2020.

Domestic enrolment, from recent Ontario high school graduates starting at Laurentian, was down 32.6 per cent compared to last year, while enrolment from international and mature students was down 33.8 per cent.

Across Ontario, first-year enrolment among high school graduates was up one per cent, compared to the same period last year, while mature student and international enrolment was down 0.6 per cent.

At the high end, Sault Ste. Marie's Algoma University saw a 26.3 per cent increase in first-year enrolment of high school graduates, while the Université de Hearst, which has a small number of students, saw a 70 per cent decrease.

Laurentian's steep decline follows the announcement in February that the university had filed for insolvency. It became the first public university in Canada to file for creditor protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), allowing it to operate while dealing with its financial situation.

In April, the Sudbury institution cut more than 30 programs to reduce its operating expenses. More than 100 faculty and staff members were also terminated.