Council formally declares student debt a municipal economic concern

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Council has formally declared student debt a municipal economic concern, pointing to its impact on the city’s workforce, housing market, and long-term fiscal health.

The motion comes in response to the recent restructuring of the Ontario Student Assistance Program by the Province. The changes are expected to add more than $7,000 to the average student’s debt.

Councillor Conny Glenn, who brought the motion forward, said rising costs are already shaping students’ decisions about whether they can afford to stay in Kingston after graduation.

“Our community pays when a student in debt leaves because they can’t afford to stay. We don’t just lose this resident,” said Glenn. “We lose a doctor, a teacher, and yes, a taxpayer. And that loss is very real to us. It shows up in our housing market, our health care wait lists, our labor shortages. It shows up every day here.”

Listen to the full story here.