After a tough loss against the Durham Lords on Jan. 17, the Wolves extended their season record to 9-4 following a win against Fleming at home
Jaiden Martin
Photos: Jaiden Martin
January 22, 2025 Revised: January 22, 2025 12:18pm
Photo: Jaiden Martin
Simon Desta, Wolves all-time scoring leader, drives to the basket against the Fleming Phoenix at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre.
The Algonquin Wolves men’s basketball team came out firing on all cylinders on Jan. 18 against the Fleming Phoenix, beating them by more than 20 points at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
Ted Braden led the charge, using his six-foot-seven frame to his advantage. He finished the first quarter with eight points and two rebounds. Going into the second quarter, the Wolves led 24-10.
Ted Braden does for a layup against the Fleming Phoenix at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre.
It was a slow second quarter for the Wolves, as the Phoenix came out in a full-court press. Fleming wasn’t going out without a fight, and Mani Maynard was bringing unmatched effort, scoring five points in the quarter while grabbing two rebounds and dishing out an assist.
At halftime, the Wolves carried a nine-point lead over Phoenix. The Wolves wanted to enhance their 45-36 lead — and did exactly that.
OCAA league leader in points per game Tesloch Luk and Wolves’ all-time points leader Simon Desta took over the game in the second half. With Desta being a threat from long range and Luk facilitating the floor, the Phoenix defence didn’t know what to do.
Tesloch Luk brings the ball up the court against the Fleming Phoenix at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Jaiden Martin
Desta’s success against Fleming stemmed from his prior game against Durham College.
“I started the game off aggressive (against Durham) and I kind of got away from that in the second half. This game, I wanted to be aggressive the whole time out,” Desta said.
Desta finished the game with 21 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Luk was on each end of the floor all night, whether it was taking advantage of mismatches on the offensive end or snagging rebounds on the defensive end. Luk was making all the right decisions against the Phoenix, scoring seven of 12 from the field, while going three for six from beyond the arc.
From Luk’s perspective, the team succeeded because everyone got their jobs done. “We’re very close-knit together, and everybody played their role tonight,” Luk said.
Luk finished the game with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Wolves led the Phoenix 72-60, and they never looked back. The Wolves ran away with the lead and sealed the 96-74 victory.
During the game’s final seconds, the Phoenix double-teamed a Wolves player to steal the ball and go for a layup. Wolves players did not like this and took action. The teams needed to be separated and escorted off the court by their coaches.
Wolves head coach Trevor Costello was unimpressed with his player’s actions. “I didn’t like the way it ended, but I like our intensity and that was good,” Costello said.
The Wolves look to build off this win and are on the road next weekend, facing off against the Seneca Sting on Jan. 24, and the Georgian Grizzlies on Jan. 25.
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Students react to Trudeau's decision to step down as PM and Liberal leader
Lara Simard
Photos: Lara Simard
January 22, 2025 Revised: January 22, 2025 12:13pm
Photo: Lara Simard
A Canadian flag waves outside the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council on Jan. 15.
Some Algonquin College students say they aren’t surprised that Justin Trudeau is stepping down as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Trudeau made the announcement outside Rideau Cottage on Jan. 6
“I don’t follow politics like that, but I believe he had it coming just because of the prices and the cost of living,” said first-year policing student May Kay.
Students at Algonquin College are not surprised by Trudeau’s decision since several Liberal MPs have been asking him to leave the job.
Approaching the end of Trudeau’s nine-year leadership, polls for the Liberals dropped to a record-breaking low of 16 per cent on New Year’s Eve. According to the Angus Reid Institute, an independent research firm, Trudeau was recorded to have the worst voter intention in the party’s 157-year history.
Western Departmental Building of Parliament Taken on Jan 15. Only Nine Days After Trudeau's Resignation Photo credit: Lara Simard
Many blame Trudeau for skyrocketing inflation, housing problems, and facilitating a high immigration rate. In 2024, 46 per cent of Canadians said the Prime Minister should resign, while 59 per cent of current Liberal supporters said it was time for him to step aside and call for a party leadership contest, according to the Angus Reid Institute.
A Canadian flag waves outside the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council on Jan. 15. Photo credit: Lara Simard
Because of this, some Algonquin College students are not confident the Liberals will have a chance in an expected federal election this year.
“In reality, I don’t think it’s gonna change anything. The Liberal party has been floundering for the last little while. Everything he’s done for the last little while will pretty much taint the next person,” said construction maintenance student Zachary Zuiderveen.
Zuiderveen thinks Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has a good chance in the political race.
“Poilievre, everything’s pointing that way. Fiscally he’s the most sound. In this economy, we need to start cutting our spending if we want to have a chance of reducing our debt at all because, since COVID-19, we’ve been compiling it like crazy,” Zuiderveen said.
Mikael Malette, a Level 4 electrical engineering tech student, feels indifferent about most political parties and does not think Trudeau’s resignation will have an impact on Canada’s economy.
“I feel like every single political party does not have the interest of most people at heart, so I don’t think it will make much of a difference,” Malette said.
Like Malette, Kay does not believe it is in a certain party’s power to change society, but in Canadians to voice their needs.
“(It) doesn’t matter if it’s Liberal or NDP, (or) you know, Conservatives. We the people have the power, and we have to tell the government what we need to see,” Kay said.
Top stories in your community and around the world by Algonquin Times journalists
Vasileios Tselios
Photos:
January 22, 2025 Revised: January 22, 2025 12:39pm
Local
CTV: O-Train Line 1 service was disrupted for two hours due to a switch issue in eastern Ottawa Tuesday morning.
OC Transpo stopped service between Blair and Tremblay stations after a train was brought to a safe stop east of Tremblay station at approximately 6:20 a.m.
R1 bus service ran between Blair and Hurdman stations until full service resumed between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations at approximately 8:27 a.m.
National
CBC: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to President Donald Trump’s plans to implement tariffs, promising “robust” and “rapid” responses Tuesday morning.
At Trump’s inauguration, the new president suggested placing a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian products starting Feb. 1.
In a special cabinet meeting in Montebello, Que., Trudeau said he is willing to retaliate economically against the U.S. tariffs.
“Everything is on the table and I support the principle of dollar-for-dollar matching tariffs,” Trudeau said. “It’s something we’re absolutely going to be looking at if they move forward. We are prepared for every possible scenario.”
International
CTV: A fire broke out inside a popular ski resort hotel in northwestern Turkey, killing at least 66 people early Tuesday.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya claimed at least 51 people were injured in the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, Bolu.
The fire broke out at the start of a two-week winter break for schools so the hotel was filled, hosting 238 registered guests.
The Turkish government appointed six prosecutors to investigate the cause of the fire. It is believed the fire started in the hotel’s restaurant section.
Four people were detained for questioning including the hotel’s owner, according to Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc.
The Algonquin Wolves almost complete a come back after falling behind two sets to the Canadore Panthers
Nathan Heatherington
Photos: Nathan Heatherington
January 20, 2025 Revised: January 20, 2025 11:17am
Photo: Nathan Heatherington
Mahmoud Abdelaziz of the Wolves scores a kill against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
The Algonquin Wolves lost 3-2 at home against the Canadore Panthers in a back-and-forth game on Jan. 10 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
After falling behind two sets, the Wolves men’s volleyball team battled back to tie it up 2-2. The final set was a close battle, with both teams inching ahead by one point, until the Panthers seized the lead at 12-11, finishing the final set 15-11 with an ace serve.
“It’s about motivation and consistency. We keep getting in situations where we have to fight,” said Jelle Kooijman, head coach of the Algonquin Wolves. “The Panthers are good, they battle hard, they’re competitive, they always bring 100 per cent and they go right to the end.”
Both Wolves and Panthers showed their tenacity, battling back and forth to keep the game close. But the Wolves seemed to lose their drive when they spiked the ball into the net giving the Panthers a two-point lead in the fifth set.
“We need to do a better job staying steady. We have high highs, but we dip low way too easy,” said Liam Arnold-Paquette, the outside hitter for the Algonquin Wolves.
Liam Arnold-Paquette of the Wolves spikes the ball to score a kill against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics Centre. Photo credit: Nathan Heatherington
“It’s a mix of resilience, but ultimately we need to stay level-headed.”
Arnold-Paquette shone with 17 kills for the Wolves. “You have to make sure you don’t hit the blocks. I think I did a good job finding the balance to get around the block and get the kill,” he said.
“You have to keep killing the ball. You need to continue to have coverage and not lose your aggression,” said Mahmoud Abdelaziz, the outside hitter for the Algonquin Wolves.
Nick Gauthier Barber and Karl Rawlins of the Wolves put up a wall to block a spike against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Nathan Heatherington
“We were a little timid when the Panthers were taking their offence.”
After starting the season with high errors in his service, Abdelaziz scored an ace for the Wolves against the Panthers.
“Individually my serve has improved. I found my groove,” said Abdelaziz.
Malcolm Spence, the libero for the Algonquin Wolves, kept his team in the game with six digs. “It’s a six-man team. I did my part but it’s a team sport,” said Spence.
“As a team I think we played well. It’s small things like attention to detail where we were lacking. I think we can come back from this loss and learn from it.”
Goals for 2025 range from injury prevention, to landing a job, to simply feeling optimistic
Kendra Mendrisky
Photos: Kendra Mendrisky
January 20, 2025 Revised: January 20, 2025 10:53am
Photo: Kendra Mendrisky
Students head into the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on a snowy evening.
For many people, the new year presents a fresh start, a chance to set goals and strive for them in the following months.
Alex Lacroix, an Algonquin College student in the welding and fabrication techniques program, has not made any new year’s resolutions, but he has a good feeling about 2025.
“This is my year, I say. I don’t have anything set in stone, but 2025 will be my year,” said Lacroix.
Prior to starting his program in May 2024, Lacroixtransitioned from life on a reserve to life in the capital of Canada.
“It was hard to make the transition…On my reserve I’m not a minority, nobody considers that at all,” he said.“I guess with everything that I’ve been through, this is where I can see it, like my efforts from trying to go to school and everything.”
Alex Lacroix is not working towards a particular goal, but feels positive about the year ahead.
Lacroixwill graduate this spring.
Marcus Aiello’s new year’s resolution is also focused on overcoming obstacles in his life.
“I’ve had a few injuries, so it’s mainly just trying to hit a certain weight and strength goal for my athletics,” said the bachelor of commerce student. Aiello is determined to get back into rugby stronger than ever and limit his injuries playing the sport.
Marcus Aiello knows from past experience that actions speak louder than words when it comes to new year's resolutions. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky
He said he’s “definitely on the right track so far.”
Some people find new year’s resolutions daunting and often give up because they’ve set goals that are unrealistic or too ambitious.
Algonquin College student Marie-Noé Charbonneau recommends taking a large goal and breaking it down into smaller goals.
“Having different goals either for the month or the year itself, and even having shorter goals, so it can be a week,” she said. “Really having different time frames with it helps, so you don’t get overwhelmed with having to finish it by the end of the year.”
Her goals for the year are to network within her program — bachelor of event, sport, and entertainment management — and find a balance with her personal life and school life.
Marie-Noé Charbonneau hopes to achieve academic and personal success this year. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky
Rebecca Buschman, a student in the same program as Charbonneau, thinks new year’s resolutions work well for some people, but does not find herself very successful with following through on them.
“I just kind of make goals as I go through my daily life,” she said. “A goal for this summer that I’m really hoping to do is make sure I can get a job that aligns (with) something I’m trying to work for, for my co-op next year.”
Rebecca Buschman hopes to work with Ottawa Bluesfest or another music festival this summer. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky
How does one go about achieving their goals?
“I do keep an agenda with me to write my goals…for not just the year but also for five years, but what I can do in the year to eventually get to that point in the years to come,” said Charbonneau.
Algonquin College has its own webpage,which features tips for setting and achieving goals, the first of which aligns with Charbonneau’s advice: write it down.
Another one of the school’s tips is to make “SMART”goals: specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented and time-based.
Although Jan. 1 has come and gone, Emma De Varennes, a student in the dental hygiene program, believes it is not too late to set a goal for the end of the year, the end of the month or even the end of the week.
“It being connected with new year’s, I don’t really see the point, if that makes sense,” said De Varennes.
Emma De Varennes doesn't have a resolution, but sets goals throughout the year.
Alex Lacroix agrees.
“I just find it funny that people wait for a day to do something about it,” said Lacroix.
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On the back of a dominant home performance, the Wolves advance to 9-3 for the season with playoffs on the horizon
Vasileios Tselios
Photos: Vasileios Tselios
January 17, 2025 Revised: January 17, 2025 5:12pm
Photo: Vasileios Tselios
Wolves outside hitter Carys Tenthorey hits a spike against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 10.
The Wolves women’s volleyball team beat the Canadore Panthers on Jan. 10, sweeping all three sets at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
The Wolves’ exceptional serving and play around the net led them to a comfortable victory as they won every set by a minimum of eight points.
“We served really, really well today. We only missed six serves in three sets, so that was great,” said head coach Everton Senior.
Aside from being scarily accurate, the Wolves’ serves were also deadly as the team racked up 16 served aces.
However, this performance was not necessarily surprising as Algonquin’s Grace Pate and Carys Tenthorey are both in the top five players in the OCAA for aces per set.
Wolves outside hitter Carys Tenthorey hits a spike against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 10 Photo credit: Vasileios Tselios
Algonquin’s middle blocker Jillian Dawson had a particularly good run of serves in the first set, ultimately giving the Wolves the lead.
“We were serving really hard, and really consistently. One of our best serving days today,” said Isabella Tourangeau, the Wolves’ middle hitter.
Tourangeau, who is among the top three in the OCAA for blocks per set, led a very strong effort at the net for the Wolves as well. The team scored 49 kills on 100 attempts, outscoring the Panthers by 22 in that department.
“I preach aggression as much as we possibly can, but you have to be smart aggressively. The girls did well with that. I don’t have any real complaints today,” said Senior.
Natasha Lauzon was a particular standout around the net, as her 17 kills were the most in the game. Speaking on the team’s performance, Lauzon said, “We all connected really well today. I think everyone played really well.”
Wolves opposite hitter, Natasha Lauzon hits a serve against the Canadore Panthers at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 10. Photo credit: Vasileios Tselios
Canadore tried to match Algonquin with their own offensive firepower, with Kassidy Dyer and Elise Churman having more than 10 kills each. The Wolves’ defence stood up to the task though, as the team accumulated 35 digs in the game, led by the libero Jordan Faig with 10.
“We communicated well (and) we played in unison. We couldn’t ask for a better game,” said Faig.
“This game, specifically, was important for us because they were a hard game when we played in their gym,” said Dawson. “The crowd brought us a lot more energy, which is something we really need.”
Looking ahead, the Wolves have six more regular season games until the playoffs, and the team spirits are high.
“I can only see us going up from here. We are just getting better every practice, every game. We are meshing better together. The chemistry is there,” said Tourangeau.
“I’ve seen it, we’ve hit another level before,” Lauzon added.
Currently at 9-3, Algonquin is tied with Durham for second place in the eastern conference of the OCAA.
Dawson predicted big things for the Wolves if their stellar play continues.
“I think we could be one of the top teams in the east if we wanted to,” Dawson said.
Tesloch Luk puts the team on his back, scoring 21 points in a close 78-75 win against conference counterpart Centennial Colts
Jackie Beeston
Photos: Jack Beeston
January 17, 2025 Revised: January 17, 2025 3:24pm
Photo: Jack Beeston
Tesloch Luk drives the basket under defensive pressure at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
The Algonquin Wolves men’s basketball team began the new year in style with a 78-75 win over divisional opponents the Centennial Colts on Jan. 11 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
The Wolves started guards Jansen Balmacedal and Albert Opena with forwards Ted Braden, Christ Lachapelle and Tesloch Luk.
The Wolves started strong with Braden winning the tip-off and the team taking an early 5-0 lead.
It didn’t take long for the Colts to shake off the post-holiday rust and score seven straight points, taking a 7-5 lead.
The Wolves showed resilience. During the second quarter, they were down by 10 points with four minutes left until halftime.
Wolves head coach Trevor Costello was heard shouting from the sideline between quarters. The shouts were motivational and positive.
Whatever was said worked, as the Wolves and Colts went back and forth with Algonquin trailing by one point entering halftime.
The third quarter was the closest by far. The teams each scored 19 points and the Colts led at the end of the quarter 60-59. If the Wolves had a victory up their sleeve, they would have to pull out all the stops to secure this one.
The Wolves got their first lead since the first quarter, 62-60 with a three-pointer sunk by Simon Desta. A foul saw Devonte Brooks make both his free throws improving the lead by four.
Desta did not stop sinking shots, making another three-pointer to pull the Wolves ahead by seven points. Desta is shooting 42.7 per cent behind the three-point line this season and earned 14 total points this match against the Colts.
The Wolves show off their defensive prowess, blocking the shooting lane of the Centennial Colts' forward. Photo credit: Jack Beeston
A 9-0 run by the Wolves to begin the fourth quarter provoked a timeout by the Colts to discuss what went wrong so quickly.
The Colts clawed at the lead, bringing it to a 70-69 score, until the Colts head coach became furious, screaming at the officials for what he believed was a missed foul call.
Two technical fouls in quick succession would see the Colts’ head coach ejected from the match. Applause broke out in the stands as the Colts head coach made his way to the locker rooms.
The Women's Centennial Basketball Team looking in embarrassment at the Men's coach as he gets ejected from that match. Photo credit: Jack Beeston
The assistant coach of the Colts took over the head coach’s responsibilities for the rest of the match.
The drama would affect the Colts, seemingly distracted, until the final few minutes, when they began a scoring rampage. Despite this final push, the Wolves were able to hit some clutch shots and secure the win.
The win lifted the Wolves to 8-3 on the season and third place in the OCAA East Conference.
Wolves beat the Centennial Colts at home on Jan. 11
Lara Simard
Photos: Lara Simard
January 17, 2025 Revised: January 17, 2025 9:13am
Photo: Lara Simard
The Wolves' Dasia McDonald steals the ball from Centennial, making a quick breakaway during a game at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 11.
The Wolves women’s basketball team won 84-42 against the Centennial Colts on Jan. 11 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre, dominating in the first quarter and finishing strong.
Now on an eight-game winning streak, the Wolves were confident they can keep their game going for the rest of the season.
The Wolves played aggressively on offence in the first quarter, using short, consistent passes.
Wolves head coach Jaime McLean was impressed by his team’s performance in the first game after the holiday break.
“Really good for the first game back. We did well. The girls are starting to get the rhythm going. We got everybody rolling in the game today, which is nice to see. Good intensity, but we’ve got some things we need to fix, and we’ll get those ready for Durham next Friday,” McLean said.
McLean was happy with the eight-game win streak but believes the team can always strive to make a larger point difference each time.
“When we get into the playoffs and play in the west, it’s a stronger division, so we’ve got to be as good as we can be,” McLean said.
The Wolves huddle before the game against Centennial at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 11. Photo credit: Lara Simard
Dasia McDonald and Sydney Moore showed consistent teamwork throughout the game.
Collectively, Moore and McDonald scored a total of 33 points.
In the first quarter, McDonald made an impressive throw from half court to Moore at the three-point line, where she scored with a swish.
Six seconds later, as the Colts barely regained possession of the ball, McDonald stole it and scored an earth-shattering layup. The home crowd roared, and the Colts called their first timeout of the game.
McDonald has 46 assists this season and she made six of them in the game against Centennial.
Moore also had a great game, scoring 14 points, nine of which were flawless three-pointers scored in the first quarter, all assisted by McDonald.
“We’ve been working on those throughout the year. She’s our best shooter, the best shooter we’ve had. So, her (Moore) having her shot back and getting that confidence back is going to help us throughout the season,” McDonald said.
A young fan poses next to the Wolves mascot during the women's basketball game against Centennial at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 11. Photo credit: Lara Simard
Although outnumbered with only nine players on the team, the Colts showed strong defence in the middle two-quarters of the game. However, they committed many fouls, which cost them free throws for the Wolves.
The Colts’ coach was visibly frustrated, yelling at the referee after a foul was called with 21.7 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Wolves’ Cianah Miller scored both free throws after being knocked to the ground twice. Intensity grew in the fourth quarter as the Wolves picked up their offence.
“Our offence was probably one of the best, most consistent we’ve had all season,” McDonald said.
“We just gotta keep working hard, and, like, playing as a team. We didn’t really play as a team, especially on defence today, but it’s the first game back. It’s just improvements from here,” she said.
The Colts tried to distract the opposition by chanting, but the Wolves remained unfazed.
After the game, Moore said the team was a bit slow on defence and didn’t apply as much pressure as they usually do. Both she and McDonald credited the team’s victory to their family-like bond.
“A lot of us have played together for almost four years now, and anytime you add someone to that, they just become like family,” Moore said.
“We’re all capable of playing off each other and reading each other’s roles, which is really helpful,” she said.
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The campus, which opened in 1970, will be closing after the end of the 2026 spring term
Ernest Ko
Photos: Ernest Ko
January 16, 2025 Revised: January 16, 2025 11:25pm
Photo: Ernest Ko
Heritage carpentry and joinery students. They are building sheds as part of their first semester projects.
While Algonquin College students in Ottawa continue to navigate the new semester, those in Perth are still reeling from the news that their campus will be closing.
On Jan. 9, staff and students received an email from Algonquin College president and CEO Claude Brulé, announcing the college’s plans to close the Perth campus in 2026.
In the letter, Brulé attributed the closure to “unprecedented financial challenges for the entire post-secondary sector, including Algonquin College.”
When Perth’s Level 4 heritage carpentry and joinery student Isabelle Dudzinski read the email, she could not believe what she saw.
“It’s surreal,” Dudzinski said. To Perth students, “it came out of the blue.”
Isaac Hugh, one of Dudzinski’s classmates, immediately thought of their program.
Despite living in Gatineau — almost a 90-minute drive away from Perth — the tight-knit, small class sizes and the unique opportunities the program provides make it all worth it for Hugh.
There is not one ounce of doubt in either Hugh or Dudzinski: the campus and the program are everything they could have hoped for.
“(It) has deep connections with alumni and the nearby community,” Hugh said. “It’s special.”
Losing the campus is especially worrying for many in Perth — a town built on carpentry and home to many historical, well-preserved buildings.
Students in the heritage program often have opportunities to collaborate on initiatives from Ontario Parks, the National Capital Commission and other heritage and conservation-focused groups.
Currently, students in Dudzinski and Hugh’s class are creating new shutters for the Bigot House, part of a larger rebuilding project by Parks Canada in Louisburg, N.S.
Perth’s special relationship with the heritage program reflects its proud history in stonemasonry and heritage conservation.
The campus once had a masonry, heritage and traditional program. It was indefinitely suspended in 2018, alongside four other Perth-based programs due to low enrolment and financial challenges.
This time around, the Perth campus and its five remaining programs will continue operating until the end of the 2026 spring term.
“The college is planning to complete this transition and cease operations at the Perth campus by the end of August 2026,” Brulé’s letter said. “Every effort will be made to mitigate impacts on employees and learners during this transition.”
First opened in 1970, the Perth campus currently has 132 full-time students.
The main entrance of Algonquin College's Perth campus on a snowy day in January. Photo credit: Ernest Ko
Without more details from the college, students, alumni, and staff are left to wonder about the future of their campus — and the programs they hold dear.
Dudzinski and Hugh, who graduate this year, expressed worry that their program will disappear with the closure of the campus.
In such a small community, and an even smaller class, alumni are often present to guide new students. The prospect of not being able to pass his baton disappoints Hugh.
In a statement sent to the Algonquin Times, the college said it’s “committed to exploring ways to preserve the essence of the current program offerings and their critical connections to heritage and craftsmanship when they are transitioned to the Ottawa Campus at the end of the 2026 Spring term.”
Those who live and breathe heritage carpentry, though, remain skeptical.
From the log-splitting fields to the large woodwork projects proudly displayed on the grounds, the acreage needed for this program is substantial.
Sheds like this one are built by Level 2 heritage carpentry and joinery students. The sheds are eventually sold to businesses, some nearby, others further away. Photo credit: Ernest Ko
“Frankly, I’m just not sure there’s enough space,” Dudzinski said.
Current students like Dudzinski and Hugh are still on track to graduate before the closure, but some aspiring students are forced to reconsider their options.
David Rodriguez, a Level 2 business administration student at the Ottawa campus, was excited to discover Perth’s business agriculture program.
“I was looking forward to it as an exciting chapter of my life,” Rodriguez said, adding that he was hopeful for a new start, new friends, and a chance to live on his own for the first time.
Rodriguez hopes the college will transfer the business agriculture program to Woodroffe.
In the meantime, he plans to apply to one of Pembroke campus’ many environmental programs.
With less projected revenue and a provincial funding shortfall, the college is facing a revenue loss of $32 million in the current fiscal year. That figure is expected to grow to a $60 million deficit for 2025-26, and up to $96 million for 2026-27, Brulé said in his letter.
In November 2024, Brulé warned that reductions made by Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada to international student study permits and post-graduate work permits would carry “substantial consequences.”
The college would need measures and mitigations to “prioritize the needs of our learners and focus on the College’s financial sustainability,” Brulé said.
Perth resident and Algonquin College alumni Luke Arbuckle fears the campus closure will negatively affect the local community.
Arbuckle said students in the practical nursing program often complete clinical placements at local hospitals, gaining hands-on experience while alleviating staffing shortages.
“(The school) has also been such an important institution to the town by keeping good carpentry skills local, which is a big industry out here,” Arbuckle said.
“Losing the Perth campus,” Arbuckle added, “is going to leave a huge void in our community and our local economy.”
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“I wake up and I think about volleyball and I think about sport and then I go to bed and I wake up the next day and I do the same thing," Kooijman says
Agrani Tiwari
Photos: Ellen Bond
December 18, 2024 Revised: December 18, 2024 2:52pm
Photo: Ellen Bond
Head Coach Jelle Kooijman at the Algonquin Wolves game against the Loyalist Lancers volleyball game on Nov. 22 at Algonquin College.
Almost a decade ago, volleyball wasn’t yet the centre of Jelle Kooijman’s world. In his hometown of Doetinchem in the Netherlands, soccer dominated his childhood and teenage years, shaping much of his early identity as an athlete. But life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs or, in Kooijman’s case, volleyballs.
Now, Kooijman is the head coach of the Algonquin Wolves men’s volleyball team. He is also working as the technical and coaching director at Maverick Volleyball.
It all began with a simple suggestion from a roommate during his university years. “Why don’t you just come to volleyball practice with me,” Kooijman’s roommate asked him. “You’re tall, you can probably play,” he said.
Kooijman went to the practice and said that what attracted him to the game besides the game was the environment. “The environment is really friendly,” Kooijman said. “You will compete on the court and then afterward you shake hands, and you can have a good time, and I find that’s really nice.”
Kooijman’s volleyball career as a player was short-lived, just four years, but it gave him clarity about where he truly excelled: coaching.
Arriving in Canada, Kooijman quickly found his place in Ottawa’s volleyball community, joining the Maverick Volleyball Club. The club, one of the largest in Canada, gave him the platform to work with athletes of all levels, from six-year-olds holding a volleyball for the first time to national-level competitors.
Kooijman’s dream was to combine his love for sports and his passion for his studies in sports and exercise psychology and human movement science.
“I think what is interesting about it is that, when you start a career, but especially if you do it in a new country, you apply to so many different positions and so many different things,” Kooijman said.
“I always wrote down that I want to combine my interest and love,” he said. It was a couple of years ago he realised that he had done it.
“I suddenly looked at my schedule and stuff and think to myself that’s what I’ve done,” he said. “I wake up and I think about volleyball and I think about sport and then I go to bed and I wake up the next day and I do the same thing.”
As Maverick’s technical director, Kooijman became a key figure in shaping the club’s programs, ensuring every athlete received quality training and a positive introduction to the sport. His work there has not only cultivated top-tier players but also created a steady pipeline of talent for Algonquin College’s volleyball teams.
Head coach Jelle Kooijman conducting a practice session with the Wolves. Photo credit: Agrani Tiwari
Kooijman joined Algonquin in 2019 as the head coach, just before the world turned upside down due to COVID-19.
“We have so many of our current players, on both the men’s and the women’s side, that have come through the club here in Ottawa,” Kooijman said. “They got to play post-secondary here at Algonquin, but also across Ontario and Canada.”
Kooijman is also involved with the men’s national team. He works in so many roles, but he has never let the Wolves feel they aren’t worth his effort.
“He does so much coaching for so many high roles, he works with Team Canada. He works and coordinates for Ottawa Maverick, he coaches with us,” said Ryan Lincoln, an outside on the team.
“He spends so much time watching games and somehow in all of that we never feel like we’re not an option,” he said. “We never feel like we’re being sacrificed for it for another group. It’s always that we know that at the end of the day, he’s going to give us as much as he can.”
Kooijman’s coaching style reflects his view of sports as a means toward personal growth.
“I really care about autonomy. People have to make their own decisions and have to understand why they make decisions, and my job is to show what the right values are and what you should look for,” said Kooijman.
“But I don’t ever want to have to make decisions for people. You are your own person and don’t figure it out. And then if I did my job well, that decision you make will be in line with what I would expect from you. “
The experiences of Kooijman living in Greece, Finland, and Canada have been very influential in his approach. He admired the strong sense of community in Greece, while in Finland, he saw the value placed on individual excellence. These insights have helped him navigate the cultural nuances of coaching a diverse group of athletes in Canada.
“I think what those experiences taught me about coaching is I need to figure out what the cultural background of everyone is that I work with,” said Kooijman. “What’s important to them because, we all say we’re all Canadian, but we all have our own kind of unique backgrounds in terms of parents, friends, school, all that kind of stuff here in Ottawa.”
Kooijman knows what type of encouragement the team needs after tough games.
“I think a lot of that comes down to internally having discussions and getting players to respect others having one-on-ones or team chats,” said Lincoln. “Just like, ‘hey we appreciate what you’re doing’ or ‘we don’t think that this is being handled well’ and very open to making those adjustments.”
Despite this being only his furth year of coaching at the Algonquin College, the Wolves think that he has changed the team a lot and for the better.
“I’ve only ever had him as a coach here,” said Mahmoud Abdelaziz an outside hitter. “I know from the program history that since he’s taken hold of the program, we’ve been extremely successful.”
Kooijman knows that hard work is important but that does not always get success and that’s what he wants his team to always remember.
“If you don’t work hard, you definitely won’t get success,” said Kooijman. “I would want people to know that, ‘Hey, I’m going to work really hard, and I believe that that’s going to give me success, but it might not, and I’m okay with that.’”
Algonquin Wolves men’s volleyball team’s cheer and slogan is “put the work in” and they do just that with the help and guidance of head coach Kooijman.
