Algonquin College to phase out adult special needs program amid continuing financial challenges

Algonquin College says a program for adults with special needs will be phased out as the school continues to face financial challenges.

The Academic Assistance for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (AAADD) program has been offered at the college since 1997, providing academic and social skills for adults with developmental disabilities.

The college says the program will conclude on April 30, 2026 to allow students currently enrolled to finish their studies. Seventy-three students are currently enrolled in the program but no new students have been accepted in three years.

AAADD students are given a certificate of completion and not a formal credential approved by the Ministry of Education when they finish their studies.

The college says amid its financial difficulties, it is focusing on credentialed programs that align with its mandate.

“We have made the decision, given the financial and fiscal challenges that we are facing, to exit out of other activities that did not fit that particular mandate,” said Julie Beauchamp, Algonquin College’s senior vice-president of academics, in an interview.

The school says no other alternative programming is being planned at this time.

“The reason we are announcing it now is to give not only the students ample time to be accommodated, but the parents amble time to find alternative opportunities for these students and to find accommodations that will meet their needs,” Beauchamp said.

AAADD runs 40 weeks per year, according to its website. Students can attend day or night courses part-time for a maximum of four years. Courses are facilitated by a coordinator and adult development counsellors.

Beauchamp and Jane Trakalo, Dean of the School of Wellness, Public Safety and Community Studies, say staff in the AAADD program will be accommodated through to its last day.

“Any staffing issues that would result from the changes would be addressed through the respective collective agreements,” Beauchamp said.

The college already announced wider cuts earlier this year, including the suspension of 41 active and dormant programs, the closure of the Perth Campus and the offering of voluntary exit packages to staff, citing a drop in international student enrollment and a tuition freeze.

Staff say enrolment is projected to drop 11 per cent in 2025-26.

Algonquin College reported in January that it was projecting a $32 million loss in revenue for 2024-25, and a $60 million loss in 2025-26 and $93 million for 2026-27.

The board of governors approved the $479 million 2025-26 school year budget last month, using $41 million in reserves to cover the multi-million-dollar budget deficit and to support projects and initiatives at the college for the next school year.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle