Conestoga has plan to house students in Milton
New rules require schools to provide accomodations
The Milton Education Village (MEV) has been a dream of some in the municipality for more than three decades.
The 162-hectare development located along Tremaine Road is set to be the future home of campuses for both Conestoga College and Wilfrid Laurier University.
Once it’s fully operational, the town anticipates the MEV will be home to more than 12,000 residents, close to 5,000 jobs and around 15,000 post-secondary students. That reality isn’t expected until at least 2028 as the sites are currently dirt fields.
However, recent decisions by higher-level governments have led to questions about how the schools will operate locally. In January, the federal government announced it would be approving roughly 35 per cent fewer undergraduate study permits for 2024 than it did in 2023. Then, a few days later, the provincial government announced a series of rules that include a requirement for housing to be provided for all international students.
At a January meeting of council, Ward 4 regional Coun. Sameera Ali asked what the government changes would mean for the future operations of the post-secondary schools.
“Now, colleges and universities will have to guarantee housing and an address has to be included by that student who’s applying to be in your college,” said Ali. “How are we going to meet that challenge? It is a challenge.”
Conestoga College currently has about 30,000 international students across its locations.
In Milton, the college already operates three existing locations, serving more than 800 students as of 2024.
According to Gary Hallam, the senior vice-president of international education with Conestoga College, about 90 per cent of the existing Milton students at the college are international students. He said the new housing guidelines are not an issue for the city’s international students.
“Here in Milton, currently with our student count that we have, we have empty space in our residence. Every student that wanted housing at Conestoga was able to be offered housing in residence. Students know the cost before they come — long before they come,” said Hallam. “We know it’s a top priority and we’re waiting for clarity from the province of what does that actually mean, for us to move forward.”
Conestoga’s Park Hill Milton campus opened in early January of this year with roughly 700 students. The campus has capacity for 2,000 students at full enrolment.
The opening of the MEV would mean a significant increase in the quantity of both domestic and international students able to be served in the city.
Additional residences are planned to be built as part of the MEV development, but Hallam indicates they will be looking at even more housing options.
“We’re very aggressive right now. We are open for future discussions and continuing to develop housing in Milton,” he said.
The MEV is still early in its development and Halton Region is now working on a water and wastewater servicing strategy for it.
Jill Hogan, development commissioner with Milton, said they will be working with the college on housing solutions.
“We’re working very closely with our post-secondary partners, especially with the future planning at the MEV to ensure that there is adequate student housing. In the meantime, we’re looking at other solutions. I know Conestoga has been actively pursuing other options in the town, and we will certainly work with Conestoga in terms of what’s available, what can be available, and how we can think outside the box in advance of development,” she said.