Algonquin College suspending seven programs due to low enrollment, financial pressures

Algonquin College scrapping seven programs CTV Ottawa’s Leah Larocque reports on why Algonquin College is suspending enrollment in seven of its programs.

Algonquin College is suspending enrollment in seven of its programs across its three campuses.

The college’s President Cheryl Jensen says it is because of low enrollment and financial pressures.

This year the school is facing added financial pressures as part of Bill 148, or The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.

Jensen says, “This is something that we do every year, now of course with the Act we are facing additional pressures but these are programs that have for at least three years, had problems meeting there financial targets.”

According to Bill 148, as of April 1^st, all employees, full or part-time, must be paid the same if they are doing the same job.

The college estimates the new provisions in Bill 148 could cost and extra $20-29 million dollars more a year- representing about 7% of the college’s annual budget.

“It’s not to say this new model of paying of part time here at Algonquin won't affect our programs down the line,” says Jensen.

The college has a three-year plan on how to deal with the changes and how to foot the bill of these additional costs.

Senior Vice President Academic Claude Brulé says all employers in Ontario are facing challenges.“Everybody has had to make adjustments whether it is the academic sector whether it’s the non-academic sector, this affects everyone,” he says.

The following programs will not be accepting students for the fall 2018 term:

-          Office Administration – General, Ontario College Certificate (Perth)

-          Office Administration – Executive, Ontario College Diploma (Perth)

-          Social Service Worker, Ontario College Diploma (Perth)

-          Masonry – Heritage and Traditional, Ontario College Diploma (Perth)

-          Carpentry and Renovation Technician, Ontario College Diploma (Perth)

-          Motive Power Technician, Ontario College Diploma (Pembroke)

-          Kitchen and Bath, Ontario College Graduate Certificate (School of Media and Design, Ottawa)