Algonquin College recommends further program suspensions to Board of Governors
Reporting by Amanda Mcleod, Reilly Armstrong, Kindra Paul, Tyson Purvis, Ryan Harkness, Pedro Mendez, Mohamed Abdallah Jbili, Tyrell Taylor and Madelene Mcneely
Algonquin College students received an email Thursday morning from senior vice-president Julie Beauchamp announcing recommendations to suspend up to 30 academic programs.
“At the upcoming Feb. 23, 2026 meeting of the College’s Board of Governors, we will be bringing forward a recommendation to suspend 30 academic programs, effective Fall 2026,” the email read.
“If you are currently enrolled in an impacted program, or have been admitted for the Spring 2026 term in an impacted program, you will be given the opportunity to complete your studies and graduate as planned.”
Horticultural industries, manufacturing engineering technician, applied museum studies, design foundations, journalism, bachelor of culinary art and food science and law clerk are among the programs proposed to be suspended.
The recommendations follow the college’s announcement in early 2025 that 37 programs would be suspended and the Perth campus would close after the 2025-26 academic year.
Students at the Woodroffe campus had mixed reactions to the announcement.
Sabrina Ducharme, a second-year student in the horticultural techniques program, which is one of the programs on the college’s cut list, said she was disappointed by the decision.
“(I’m) mostly confused and concerned,” she said. “They said that we would still get to graduate our program, but they won’t be taking anymore intakes.”
She also raised concerns about the long-term effects of cutting the program.
“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, a first-year music, media and film foundations student, said she had planned to continue into the music industry arts program, which is also expected to be suspended.
She said she feels angry and frustrated.
“Last year I wanted to do a music program from home, but that got cut,” Foote said. “I was hoping to continue into music industry arts, and now it looks like that might be going too.”
Foote emphasized the importance of the arts, saying they should be supported rather than eliminated.
“The arts are very important, and if anything, we should be embracing creative people who want to share their work,” she said.
She added that cutting these programs has broader consequences.
“By cutting these programs, it takes away a lot of employment opportunities for people afterward.”
The proposed suspensions are also affecting students in programs not currently on the list.
Aimee Shields, a third-year development student, is the communications contact-person for the game development programs capstone project this year.
“My job is making sure everyone else has a job to do,” Shields says.
She said students are nervous about the future of their programs, citing what they see as a pattern of cancellations.
“Any program…that they feel isn’t leading to a career that the college feels is worthy of respect or that makes significant income is in danger,” Shields said.
“It’s really daunting. If programs like these in the arts and in humanities aren’t respected or really engaged with at the administrative level, then people won’t have the opportunity to make things like video games anymore.”
Shields is concerned if suspensions like these continue, the creative side of Algonquin College will be gradually eroded away.
The Board of Governors is scheduled to consider the recommendations at its Feb. 23 meeting. The full list of program suspension recommendations has been published on the college’s website.
