The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology is winding down operations over the course of the next year as a result of a steep decline in international student enrolment.
The small Winnipeg post-secondary institution announced Wednesday it will be closing after a federal cap led to a drop in international enrolment exceeding 55 per cent, making its current financial model unsustainable, a memo on MITT’s website said.
The memo says the provincial government decided to close MITT, and an undetermined number of programs will be transferred to RRC Polytech.
MITT says it will work with the province and RRC Polytech to make sure there’s a plan for students to complete their studies, whether they’re in post-secondary, high school, adult learning, industry training or English language programs.
The school provides training in a range of in-demand skills, from early childhood education to welding, carpentry and cybersecurity.
It also offers English-language classes and high school courses for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students and adult learners.
MITT had a total enrolment of 4,663 students across its various programs, its 2024-25 annual report said. It doesn’t specify how many of them were international students.
In a memo to staff, RRC Polytech president Fred Meier decried the impact of Ottawa’s cap on international students on Manitoba’s post-secondary sector, saying it doesn’t take the province’s unique market needs into account.
Meier said in the memo that there’s some overlap between the RRC Polytech and MITT in their offerings, and a review of MITT’s programs will determine which will be kept.
He acknowledged the news is hard for MITT employees and said the closure isn’t a reflection of the work they do.
