After years of financial struggles and unanswered pleas for provincial and federal financial assistance, Algonquin College says it can no longer afford to run the current number of programs offered.
In a memo sent on Thursday, the college said it’s looking to suspend 30 more programs come September 2026.
“These recommendations reflect several factors, including shifts in learner demand,
changes in federal policy and provincial funding, and our focus on programs that
support strong career pathways,” wrote Julie Beauchamp, senior vice president in the academic department.
Programs proposed for discontinuation
Algonquin College’s proposed program cuts span multiple faculties. At the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence, programs listed include Sustainable Architectural Design, Horticultural Industries, and Horticulture Techniques – Apprenticeship. The School of Advanced Technology’s Manufacturing Engineering Technician program is also on the list.
Within the Faculty of Arts and Media Design, proposed cuts include Pathways to Indigenous Empowerment, Applied Museum Studies, Design Foundations, General Arts and Science – Aboriginal, Journalism, Music, Media and Film Foundations, General Arts and Science (excluding English for Academic Purposes), Music Industry Arts, and Illustration and Concept Art.
The School of Business and Hospitality list includes Bachelor of Culinary Arts and Food Science (Honours), Bartending, Business Development and Sales, Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management, Tourism – Travel, Law Clerk, Event Management, Financial Services, and Paralegal.
In the School of Health Studies, Pre-Health Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas and Pre-Health Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees are proposed for discontinuation, although the advanced diploma and degree pathway would continue to be offered at the Pembroke campus.
The School of Wellness, Public Safety and Community Studies lists Recreation and Leisure Services and Fitness and Health Promotion, with the latter still available through AC Online.
At the Pembroke campus, business, business fundamentals, computer programming, and the Environmental Management and Assessment programs are among the proposed cuts. The programs will still be offered at the Ottawa campus, and in some cases, through AC online.
Sabrina Ducharme, a second-year student in the horticultural techniques program, told the Algonquin Times she was worried what the cuts would mean for her industry.
It’s kind of scary to think where (people) will continue to get plants from if you don’t have the next generation of people to grow them,” she said. “It’s just wild to think that people expect to continue to get food if there’s nobody to grow it…good luck keeping the ecosystem in check.”
Ajax Foote is in her first year of the music, media and film foundations program and had been counting on advancing into music industry arts next year. With that program now expected to be suspended, she said the decision has left her feeling both angry and discouraged.
“Last year I wanted to do a music program from home, but that got cut,” Foote said to the Times. “I was hoping to continue into music industry arts, and now it looks like that might be going too. The arts are very important, and if anything, we should be embracing creative people who want to share their work."
Many of the programs are not offered at the college-level elsewhere in the Ottawa region, which could mean more people moving elsewhere to complete their education.
Increase in funding needed, says Algonquin
At a pre-budget consultation held in Ottawa last week, Algonquin College CEO Claude Brulé warned further cuts would come if the province did not increase funding for colleges.
Colleges Ontario, which represents the province’s 24 public colleges, is projecting a sector-wide deficit of roughly $1.5 billion by the 2028 fiscal year. The association says Ontario colleges are currently underfunded by about $5,200 per student each year.
Algonquin College was in a similar predicament last year, when its board decided to cut 37 programs, including the closure of its Perth campus. Its spring budget included a $34.8 million deficit, which they had to cover by dipping into their reserves.
Its financial outlook was already under strain in its 2024–25 budget, approved last April. The Treasurer’s Report pointed to federal immigration policy changes introduced in 2024 that tightened access to post-graduate work permits, making 62 per cent of the college’s programs ineligible. The shift was expected to significantly reduce international student enrolment, contributing to a projected negative net cash flow of $34.8 million in the 2025–26 fiscal year.
ONTARIO NDP leader Marit Stiles shares her thoughts on the proposed Algonquin cuts. X screenshot.
A statement from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities put the blame on the federal government.
A spokesperson argued the province has invested nearly a billion dollars into colleges and universities over the past year “to fund over 100,000 more seats in programs that produce graduates to meet Ontario's labour market demands.”
Chandra Pasma, the MPP for Ottawa-West Nepean where Algonquin College is located, said on social media that Ontario has an opportunity now to invest in colleges through the next budget “before it’s too late.”
If the Board of Governors approves the recommendations during a meeting on February 23, 2026, the listed programs will stop accepting new students beginning in the Fall 2026 term. Students already enrolled, as well as those admitted for Spring 2026, will be allowed to finish their programs, provided they continue to meet academic requirements.
