It is unclear how many jobs will ultimately be affected by Georgian’s announcement to close the campuses in Orillia and Muskoka/Bracebridge in 2026 and instead move programming to its main site in Barrie.
It is unclear how many jobs will ultimately be affected by Georgian’s announcement to close the campuses in Orillia and Muskoka/Bracebridge in 2026 and instead move programming to its main site in Barrie.
Barrie’s Georgian College is shuttering two satellite campuses — an announcement that came just hours after contract talks resumed in hopes of ending a strike by support staff across the province.
The Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union — which represents 10,000 staffers who walked off the job more than two weeks ago — had been seeking guarantees from the province’s public colleges that there would be no more campus shutdowns or any further layoffs.
Colleges have said they are in a precarious financial position given the ongoing tuition freeze, a federal cut to the number of international students — who pay much higher tuition rates — as well as limited provincial funding.
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It is unclear how many jobs will ultimately be affected by Georgian’s announcement to close the campuses in Orillia and Muskoka/Bracebridge in 2026 and instead move programming to its main site in Barrie.
However, in a letter to employees, president Kevin Weaver said “there’s no immediate impact on staffing.”
“As you know, Georgian is not alone in the sector in the tough decisions we’re having to make,” he wrote Friday. “The time to act is now to protect our college and ensure a sustainable future.”
Both campuses are to be closed as of next summer and will be sold off, including a student residence in Orillia.
“Ultimately, this decision helps us to expand enrolment, protect jobs and effectively manage our operating budget and cash flow,” Weaver also wrote.
The college has a $13 million deficit this year, and it forecasts “a significant deficit budget again in the next few fiscal years. Unmitigated, we’d run into serious cash flow challenges by 2027-28,” he also wrote. “These bold and decisive actions will ensure Georgian is able to serve our region for years to come.”
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The college will continue to have a presence in Orillia and Muskoka through work placements and other community programming.
The two satellites cost more to operate given “limited or diminished enrolment,” and closing them will save $23.5 million over five years, not including any profits from their sale, his letter also said.
About 1,340 students are affected.
Colleges across the province have been laying off thousands of staffers, cutting programs and shutting down campuses in recent months.
Georgian had previously put a hold on all programming at its Collingwood campus.
Meanwhile, talks between the College Employer Council and OPSEU continue with the help of a provincial mediator.Â
But the council, which bargains on behalf of Ontario’s 24 publicly assisted colleges, said it had already agreed to $145 million to fund wage hikes, improved benefits and some job security, but warned it would not agree to a ban on college mergers or job losses, saying that would “cripple” the system.
Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based senior writer covering
education for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: .
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