Rising Phoenix International Inc.

Rising Phoenix International Inc., a Montreal, Quebec-based student recruitment company, and various related entities, certain of which operated private colleges in Quebec, obtained CCAA protection on January 7. The vast majority of the students at the colleges are international (95% from India) and are attending the colleges as part of the "Study, Work, Immigrate" program implemented by Immigration and Citizenship Canada. The insolvency of the companies is attributable to, among other things: (1) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) untimely and improperly financed expansions; (3) changes to the immigration process for international students; and (4) certain litigation and public relations issues faced by the companies related to the propriety of recruiting large numbers of English-speaking international students from India, the quality of education at private colleges and the fact that students were not required to learn French. Richter was appointed monitor. Counsel is Kaufman Lawyers for the companies, Stikeman Elliott for the monitor, Fishman Flanz and TGF for Firm Capital Mortgage Fund and KRB Lawyers for Gestion Levy Inc., the DIP lender.