Universities scramble to find health insurance for international students after provincial cut

Winnipeg's universities are searching forways to provide private health insurance to international students after the province cut off theircoverage.

However, a student spokesperson says that help might not be enough to keep the students from relocating to provinces where that support exists. And ultimately, DeleOjewolesays, losing out on the economic impact that international students provide could be even more detrimental to Manitoba.

"With the elimination of health care, right nowthere's nothing keeping them in Manitoba anymore. It'snot really a province to have an affordable education system," said Ojewole, a former international student from Nigeriaand now the interim president of the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students.

Private health insurance requires students to pay upfront for care, something few can afford, he says, adding international students already pay three times the tuition that local students do.

The formerNDPgovernment instituted universal health care for college and university students from abroad in 2012.

Last week,theProgressive Conservativespassed an amendment to theHealth Services Insurances Actrepealing that clause. When it takes effect inSeptember it is expected to save the province $3.1 million a year.

However, Ojewolepointsout, a report from Global Affairs Canada,which lists the positive impact of having international students studying in Canada.

"After accounting for the Canadian scholarships and bursaries, total annual expenditure of international students including their visiting families and friends, contributed almost $11.4 billion to economic activities in Canada," the report from 2016 reads.

In Manitoba, there were 8,385 international students in 2016. Their total annual spending was calculated at$220.8 million.

John Danakas, a spokesman for the Universityof Manitoba, said theuniversity "is aware of the level of concern and confusion now among international students, and would like to do something for them to alleviate that stress."

The school's administration is exploring ways to address new health coverage for 2018-19 in its upcoming budget and, in the long term, will work with other post-secondary institutions to find the "best possible coverage."

The University of Winnipeg echoed those comments in an email to CBC News.

"In this time of transition, UWinnipeg will work with students and insurance providers to determine the best way forward to mitigate the impact of this decision," the email says. "Our operating budget will be presented to the Board of Regents later this spring."