Ontario’s community college applications are up:

Applications to community colleges in Ontario jumped by 10 per cent this winter, one of the first signs that the failing economy is increasing demand for postsecondary education. The unexpected rise in applications – close to double the increase for the winter term last year – was felt across the province and was driven by individuals returning to school, said Linda Franklin, president of Colleges Ontario.

And an increase in university applications is anticipated:

Ontario’s high school students face fierce competition from a growing pool of applicants with high grades as they scramble to meet Wednesday’s crucial deadline for applying to the province’s universities. Last year, some 84,000 high school students applied for 64,000 spots at Ontario’s 20 universities. That was a four per cent increase in applications from 2007 and officials expect a similar increase this year.