Students and faculty in the paramedic program are happy a new lab is almost finished
Mitchell Ansell
Photos: Mitchell Ansell
October 23, 2025 Revised: October 23, 2025 11:48am
Photo: Mitchell Ansell
The lab in the P-building that will help accommodate the growing program.
When learning to save lives, paramedic students need the space to do it. Thankfully, the construction of a new lab at Algonquin College will give them just that.
The new lab was formerly a conference room and is located on the first floor of the P-building. It is in response to the growing number of students who will be attending the program. The increase in students follows the two-year diploma becoming a three-year bachelor’s degree.
Dominique Germain, the academic chair of the Police and Public Safety Institute, said the construction of the new lab began in June and that the lab is almost ready for students.
“We’re almost ready to welcome students into the new space, but it will take about a year until it is properly equipped as a full lab,” she said during an interview on Sept. 25. “Students will be able to use the space in a few weeks, but it won’t be as pretty as it will be in a year.”
While providing space as a standard classroom, the lab also needs to be outfitted with the proper equipment for the paramedic students to be able to effectively do their training and Germain explained what features will be in the lab.
“The new lab will be equipped with necessary equipment such as stretchers, mannequins, simulation defibrillators and even a mock bathroom to run simulations for students.
“It will be state-of-the-art equipment,” said Germain. “We are even hoping to get an ambulance simulation setup in the new lab.”
The simulation bathroom in the new lab. Photo credit: Mitchell Ansell
For the students of the paramedic program, the new space can’t come soon enough. Even though the lab is in anticipation of more students being present in P-building, some students are already feeling the squeeze.
Matteo D’Amore, a first-year paramedic student, is happy the new lab is on the way.
“I think it’s great we are getting more space. It can get cramped in our labs as it is. I’m excited to be able to move around more,” he said.
First-year paramedic student Matteo D'Amore, standing in front of the new lab. Photo credit: Mitchell Ansell
Erin Childs, another first-year student in the program, also commented the current lack of space and he hopes that the new lab will help.
“It’s definitely pretty cramped in there right now. I’m excited it’s happening, even though we aren’t allowed in yet,” he said.
According to Germain, the lab should be fully equipped by next fall.
Take a minute or two and plan out your fall before the December flurries arrive
Jade Louise Greenwood
Photos: Jade Louise Greenwood
October 22, 2025 Revised: October 22, 2025 1:59pm
Photo: Jade Louise Greenwood
Ottawa trails at Major's Hill Park in the morning.
Crunchy leaves, cozy outfits, and coffee cups are calling this fall.
Imagine standing with a warm cup in your hand, chatter radiating from the crowd around you. Your face, snuggled up against your warm wool scarf, softly laughing as the last coloured leaves blow down from the surrounding trees.
The following places are where Algonquin College students can get their sweater-weather fall dosages, some being close, others very far.
Grab your mittens, friends, significant other, that overpriced latte that you have been thinking about all day and plan your autumn.
The National Gallery of Canada – 380 Sussex Dr., Ottawa
The National Gallery of Canada library. Photo credit: Jade Louise Greenwood
Alyssa Larocque stepped into the National Gallery of Canada on a breezy autumn evening, Thursday to be exact, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., when admissions are free. She expected exquisite art, perhaps an emotionally moving piece. Instead, she was moved in a different direction.
“It freaked me out,” Larocque said.
Standing before her was an oversized baby head. Larocque described it as weird and “so accurate to an actual head.”
After that shocking experience, Larocque admired more artwork, specifically old European paintings, “which were really cool to see, because you see the perceptions of beauty.”
If you need a calm atmosphere where the air stands still, then perhaps a museum is the perfect place for you this autumn. Not to mention a great place for studying, if you need a different and, more importantly, quiet environment.
This museum has a public library on the second floor, at the back left of the building. It is a quaint, dark-wood-only environment with lamps that could rival those at The New York Public Library.
ByWard Market – 55 ByWard Market Square, Ottawa
ByWard Market in the morning where pedestrians watch birds fly. Photo credit: Jade Louise Greenwood
Instead of a quiet museum, some people enjoy the rush of events, the thrill of seeing friends in public, and the excitement of the unknown. ByWard Market does have “some interesting people,” as Louetta Reimer said, but that doesn’t stop her from going.
“The energy there, I feel like it’s very busy, something’s always going on,” Reimer said.
Not only are there events, but Reimer said there are “lots of landmarks to see. You can walk to Parliament from there.”
This season specifically has many planned events. There are many events planned. The Day of the Dead Festival comes to ByWard with fun and cultural significance and handmade goodies from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Think sugar skulls, vibrant colours and beautiful street performers, all for you, for free.
The Artisans’ Market by Minerva Ottawa is another free pop-up event running until Oct. 26. Biweekly on Sunday, vendors come together to show their craft from jams to jewelry.
This is the perfect time to put on a cute outfit, grab your partner’s arm and take a gander through the market.
Ottawa trails – Laurier Avenue East & ON-48, Ottawa
Ottawa trails at Major's Hill Park in the morning. Photo credit: Jade Louise Greenwood
So you finally decided to get out of your old school solitude and go breathe in some crisp autumn air. The ever-changing fall leaves mixed with the worn trails have been known as the best place to enjoy an adventurous bike ride, a sweaty run or a leisurely walk. Darian Cassidy, for one, has been exploring the trails of Ottawa one path at a time.
“There’s a lot of hidden, nice trails downtown just under bridges or through hiking trails areas that you can bike just alongside the city, like the canal, right on the city line,” he said.
Nothing compares to feeling the air touch your face in the fall, the smell of rotting leaves clouding your senses. There are many trails woven throughout Ottawa, from Major’s Hill Park to the walkways along the canal, just waiting for you to take the first step.
Abby Hill Farm – 1490 Bankfield Rd., Kars
Abby Hill Farm with pumpkins lined up for people to pick and buy. Photo credit: Provided by Abby Hill Farms website
Fifty cents per pound, pumpkins are being sold left, right and centre. Nikki Porco describes Abby Hill Farm as rows upon rows of orange, gold and tangerine, just waiting to be picked.
Lifting her arms out in front of her, Porco placed her hands three feet apart, “I had pumpkins, like this freaking big,” she said. “I got two pretty big ones and then seven smaller ones for 25 bucks.”
A decent price for pumpkins in mid-October? Now that is a steal.
Saunders Farm – 7893 Bleeks Rd., Munster
Above picture of the mazes at Saunders Farm. Photo credit: Provided by Saunders Farm website
Saunders Farm is perfect for a warm hat and a fuzzy pair of gloves…maybe even a few screams on a zipline?
“I’ve never seen her so scared in her life,” said Heather McLaughlin, who was the one who convinced her grandmother to climb the wooded tower and go on the zipline.
McLaughlin’s family got a free day at the farm, thanks to a relative in Ottawa’s police force.
Between leafy mazes, thrilling scares and excited families, Saunders Farm is a perfect destination for a blue-skied fall day or a terrifyingly dark night.
Now take a minute or two and plan that date, with friends or not, and have some fall fun before the December flurries.
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The Centrepointe Commerce Clock is back up and running after being out of commission for more than 10 years
Duncan Roi
Photos: Duncan Roi
October 22, 2025 Revised: October 22, 2025 12:14pm
Photo: Duncan Roi
The Centrepointe Commerce clock is working again after more than a decade.
After over a decade of inactivity, the Centrepointe Commerce Clock is working once again, marking a small but meaningful revival of one of Nepean’s most recognizable landmarks.
Originally built in the 1980s, the Centrepointe Clock became a familiar symbol when Nepean was still an independent city.
The Centrepointe Commerce clock is back in operation again. Photo credit: Duncan Roi
“The Centrepointe area was intended to be a sort of downtown for the city of Nepean,” said College Ward city councillor Laine Johnson. “The clock was installed as a focal point for Centrepointe Drive.”
Nepean formally amalgamated with Ottawa in 2001 but still maintained its own identity.
When the clock stopped working over a decade ago, it left some in the Centrepointe community questioning when it would be repaired.
“The clock did work when we moved in here a long time ago, and then it just stopped, and we just assumed it was a cost issue for the owner of the building,” said Centrepointe Community Association president Brian Grant.
However, the clock’s standstill was more complicated than it appeared. The clock sits on private property owned by Uniform Developments and needed rare parts from France to get it running again.
It wasn’t until this year that the property owner made a breakthrough that allowed the clock to be repaired.
“They found a supplier in Canada that they can get the parts from,” said Johnson. “So they’ve been able to repair it after many, many years of trying to chase down their French supplier. Now they’re using Canadian parts, and we can have a clock that works.”
With the current political climate and the Canadian government encouraging people to “buy Canadian,” it was fitting that a Canadian company provided the clock with its long-sought-after parts.
“There are a lot of people who lived in Nepean then and live in Nepean now that have a lot of attachment to the history of the town and want to make sure that its artifacts are preserved,” said Johnson.
For residents, the clock’s return marks a subtle but significant change.
The Centrepointe Commerce clock is working again after more than a decade. Photo credit: Duncan Roi
Grant said while it wasn’t an overly pressing issue for the community, it’s nice to see it back up and running. “I always wondered when they would get around to fixing it, so I would say it’s good that it’s back,” he said.
“In a community and in an organization, symbols are important,” said Grant. “If it’s back to working, it may rise again to the status of a symbol. I mean, it’s on a major street through the community. And so, it’ll certainly be recognized as being important.”
With only four teams left in the playoffs, the Wolves prepare to hunt for gold
Mickey Banks
Photos: Mickey Banks
October 20, 2025 Revised: October 20, 2025 3:14pm
Photo: Mickey Banks
The Wolves celebrate Cristian Aviles-Molina's first goal of the season. It would be the game winner as the Wolves took the game 1-0.
The Algonquin Wolves men’s soccer team defeated the Sheridan Bruins 1-0 at home on Oct. 18 to advance to the league semi-finals.
The finals will be held over the two days sometime between Oct. 23 and Oct. 26, according to the OCAA’s website. It was announced at the end of the quarterfinal game that the Wolves were scheduled to be the hosts, with the games taking place at the Algonquin Sports Field.
The other three teams competing are the Seneca Sting, the Conestoga Condors and the Humber Hawks, who beat the Wolves 2-0 in the OCAA gold medal game last year.
In their game against the Bruins, the lone goal was scored by Wolves captain, Cristian Aviles-Molina, 12 minutes into the second half, on an assist from Alix Basa.
Alessandro Vivolo races towards the ball as the Bruins goalie kicks it away. Photo credit: Mickey Banks
This was Aviles-Molina’s first goal of the season. Aviles-Molina missed six games in September due to a medial ankle sprain that happened in first game of the season at Durham.
“It was a relief for me, personally, to have my first goal,” Aviles-Molina said. “And also, relief for the team that we finally broke the deadlock.”
After the goal, the Wolves’ task was to hold the 1-0 lead.
“I think we defended well after that goal,” Aviles-Molina said. “Maybe we dropped a little too deep for comfort in my opinion, but I think we did well to keep them off.”
Wolves goaltender Nick Parry, who recorded his third shutout of the season, making six saves, felt the team’s overall performance could have been stronger.
“Wasn’t the prettiest today, but we got the job done, that’s all we needed to do,” Parry said.
Bruins head coach Alex Liguori said they focused on “finding a rhythm” in the first half and then upped the pressure in the second.
“We just started going at them, playing a little bit more on the front foot and playing more attacking, and today just wasn’t our day,” Liguori said.
The Wolves charging down the field in the second half of the quarterfinal game. Photo credit: Mickey Banks
Now the Wolves have their eyes fixed on the gold.
“If we stick to our game and stick to believing,” Aviles-Molina said, “then I think we can get the gold that we really want.”
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Algonquin College’s Perth campus community is adjusting to changes as town council prepares to discuss the property’s future at its next meeting
William Barritt
Photos: William Barritt
October 20, 2025 Revised: October 20, 2025 2:43pm
Photo: William Barritt
Heritage carpentry student Francis Arndt stands outside the joinery lab, a central part of the program that has drawn students from across the region.
What happens to a campus when it’s sold, but classes are still in session? That’s the question hanging over Algonquin College’s Perth students this fall as the satellite campus is officially up for sale.
The 12.34-acre property on Craig Street was put on the market earlier this month with the price tag being negotiable. The college says operations will continue until August 2026, but what comes after that is still a mystery.
The Perth campus of Algonquin College is listed for sale. Students and staff continue classes while the future of the site remains uncertain. Photo credit: William Barritt
Inside classrooms, students are keeping their heads down, trying to focus on their projects instead of the news. For many, the sale feels like the beginning of the endfor a campus that’sbeen part of Perth for more than 50 years.
Nick Malcom is a student at the Perth campus studying heritage carpentry and he believes there’s no place like Perth for this type of program.
“It’s disappointing not being able to do carpentry in the town of Perth,” said Malcom. “It’s so well-suited to the type of work we’re learning, and there are so many opportunities locally.”
His classmate Gus Dupuis agrees, saying that it’s tough to see a program with such a strong reputation lose its home.
“It sucks because it’s a really good trade school. The best carpenters and masons come from here, and I don’t think the same kind of thing will be carried out in Ottawa,” said Dupuis.
Gus Dupuis and Nick Malcom stand outside the Perth campus, reflecting on the upcoming sale and what it means for the trades programs they’re studying. Photo credit: William Barritt
The Perth campus opened in 1970 and was built for around 350 students, but enrollment has since dropped to just over 130 students full-time. This, paired with a college-wide budget deficit, led Algonquin’s board of governors to vote in February for the site’s closure.
The college plans to relocate three of Perth’s programs — practical nursing, heritage carpentry and joinery and business-agriculture — to the Woodroffe campus in Ottawa.
While the property is for sale, some people in town are trying to find a way to keep it as a place for learning. A community group called Save Perth College has been exploring options to preserve the space. One potential path has come from former Shopify executive Toby Shannan, who has proposed turning the campus into a not-for-profit training centre that would keep the trades programs alive.
Francis Arndt, another heritage carpentry student, said people are trying to stay positive even as uncertainty hangs over the program.
“The vibes have changed around here, but overall, it’s not so bad,” said Arndt.
The heritage carpentry and joinery program has been a key part of the Perth campus, known for training students in traditional building skills.
With the sale of the campus, the program’s future is unclear.
This uncertainty isn’t just limited to one department. Practical nursing student Akemi Mar Salas Vargas said she’ll miss the close-knit, personal environment the most.
“Here, they really know our names and what we need,” said Vargas. “It’s a small campus, but that’s what makes it special.”
Practical nursing student Akemi Mar Salas Vargas in the Perth campus foyer, one of the spaces she says made the campus feel close-knit. Photo credit: William Barritt
Vargas has been studying in Perth for several months but will have to return to the Woodroffe campus to finish her program.
Perth Mayor Judy Brown said in an email that council plans to discuss the property’s future at its Oct. 21 meeting. Brown added that the town is dismayed by Algonquin’s decision to close the campus.
Algonquin College did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
For now, students and staff can only wait to see what happens next, and make the most of the time they have left on the campus they’ve come to call home.
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Jays fever has hit the college and students aren’t shy about showing their team pride
Nicklaus Korim
Photos: Nicklaus Korim
October 18, 2025 Revised: October 18, 2025 12:25pm
Photo: Nicklaus Korim
Toronto Blue Jays hats outside of the E-building at Algonquin College on Oct. 17.
Toronto Blue Jays fans at Algonquin College are buzzing with excitement as their team battles for a spot in the World Series.
Gavin McLean, a graduate of the electrical apprenticeship program and a lifelong Toronto Blue Jays fan, could not be more excited about the Jays having a shot at making it to the World Series if they win the American League Championship Series.
“It means a lot to me and my family to see the boys in the ALCS,” said McLean.
McLean became a Jays fan after his mother, who went to Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), had season tickets to the Blue Jays in her youth.
“The Jays are always on in my house,” said McLean.
McLean said he’s extremely excited about the Jays right now and optimistic about the team’s future. Naturally, he was also over the moon after the Jays eliminated the New York Yankees in four games in a best-of-five series.
“As a Canadian, you gotta dislike the Yankees,” said McLean. “Nothing more patriotic than beating the Yankees.”
Along with his lingering excitement about the Jays beating the Yankees, McLean said there are a couple of Jays players this season making him more excited than ever.
“Vlad’s got to be my favourite player right now. He’s the leader of the team, and his bat’s hot right now,” said McLean. “Trey Yesavage has got to be the rookie of the year.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been the star of this Toronto Blue Jays lineup. In the regular season, he batted .292 with 23 home runs, 84 RBIs and an OPS of .848. If he hadn’t already won the hearts of Toronto fans, this season’s World Series run has done it. Whether it’s him showing off his power at the plate or his friendly demeanour on and off the diamond, he’s an electric player to watch.
Addison Adams and Cody Townend, both in the computer systems technician networking program, share the same sentiment most fans do about Vladdy and his bat.
“Good ol’ Guerrero Jr.,” said Townend when asked who his favourite player was.
Cody Townend and Addison Adams outside on the Algonquin College Campus Oct. 17. Photo credit: Nicklaus Korim
Adams was anticipating seeing the Jays make a run right from the beginning of the season.
“We’ve put on a great show, with that nine-game win streak this year,” said Adams.
The win streak was a huge factor in the Jays finishing the season with 94 wins and 68 losses in the regular season, winning their division in the American League East.
From outstanding performances at the plate to dominant outings on the mound, the Toronto Blue Jays have hung on long enough to take the team to the ALCS — and potentially beyond to the World Series.
During their qualifying match, the Wolves scored all the goals, including one on themselves
Mickey Banks
Photos: Mickey Banks
October 18, 2025 Revised: October 18, 2025 8:32am
Photo: Mickey Banks
Wolves captain, Cristian Aviles-Molina, believes the Wolves adapted well to the Falcons' defensive strategy.
The Algonquin Wolves men’s soccer team defeated the Fanshawe Falcons 4-1 at home on Oct. 15 to advance to the quarterfinals.
With this win, the Wolves were scheduled to face Sheridan Bruins on Oct. 18 at the Algonquin Sports Field.
Gershom Dupuy opened the scoring 26 minutes in on an assist from Alix Basa. It was the only goal scored in the first half.
Falcons’ head coach Rob Pereira said they tried to change strategies.
“I thought we did a really good job of that, limited their high danger scoring chances,” Pereira said. “But unfortunately, they got the one in the first half, and then we needed to open up a little bit, and then it hurt us when we switched.”
The change did not go unnoticed by the Wolves.
“We had to adapt, obviously, because we saw how they dropped deep really quick and gave us a lot of the ball,” Wolves captain Cristian Aviles-Molina said.
Aviles-Molina compared their strategy to that of the George Brown Huskies in their game on Oct. 11 and thought the Wolves adapted quicker this time around.
Basa scored 20 minutes into the second half, assisted by Alaa Mahfouz. Three minutes later, Mohammed Mecheri booted it in on an assist from Basa, giving Basa a four-point night.
Alessandro Vivolo scored with just a few minutes to spare, ending the game on a high note. Photo credit: Mickey Banks
Then about 87 minutes in, there was a mishap when Wolves goalie Nick Parry scored on his own net, fumbling a pass from a Wolves player.
“Obviously, (Parry is) going to be a bit annoyed with himself,” Aviles-Molina said. “But we as a team, we don’t feel (that) way about it at all. We know that Nick’s a quality goalie, and he hopefully bounces back quick, but I know he will.”
Then about a minute later, Alessandro Vivolo ended the game on a high note, scoring with an assist from Alaa Mahfouz.
Vivolo, who had the most points in the regular season with 38, had some chances earlier in the game, including a penalty kick.
“I feel like I should have had a couple,” Vivolo said. “Then I missed the pen, and then my head was gone. But I just had to take some deep breaths and just get back into the game. And luckily, I got one at the end.”
The women’s soccer Wolves also had a successful night, beating the Fanshawe Falcons 4-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. They were scheduled to face the Humber Hawks on Oct. 18 at the Algonquin Sports Field, with the women’s game at 12 p.m. and the men’s game at 3 p.m.
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The long-standing tradition marks the nurses' induction into the world of health care
Bradley Richards
Photos: Bradley Richards
October 17, 2025 Revised: October 17, 2025 3:41pm
Photo: Bradley Richards
Alexander McCaffrey (left), a graduating student of the practical nursing program, receiving his pin at the ceremony.
Studying in the practical nursing program often comes with a stressful workload and sleepless nights. Students and professors at Algonquin College say it can be intense.
But all the hard work pays off in that long-awaited pinning ceremony where students receive their practical nursing pin in front of their fellow graduates, friends and family.
On Oct. 15, practical nursing graduates took to the stage at the Algonquin Commons Theatre (ACT) to receive this symbolic pin, marking the transition from a student to a member of the wider nursing community.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” graduating student Anjali Chandel said. “We deserve to celebrate that hard work, the success, and the stress we took on over the two years.”
Chandel was the organizer for the pinning ceremony this year. She opened and closed the ceremony with inspiring words for her new nursing colleagues.
“As we leave this ceremony and take our first steps as professional nurses, let us go forward with courage, empathy and with an unwavering commitment to be the best nurses we can be,” Chandel said.
Anjali Chandel standing next to a sign she helped design that many graduating students were seen taking their own pictures next to before the ceremony. Photo credit: Bradley Richards
More than just a chance to celebrate graduation, the pinning ceremony was a moment to finally relax for graduates like Isabella Crowne.
“I feel relieved, honestly. It was hard, but I feel very accomplished,” Crowne said.
Describing the pressures as a student in the practical nursing program, Crowne said with a laugh, “my will to live dwindled several times, but I loved every minute of it.”
A poignant moment of the ceremony was when the new nurses receive their pins from another nurse of their choosing.
Many students chose to have their professors pin them during the ceremony; some chose nurses they worked with during their placements.
According to Kim Gray, an instructor in the practical nursing program, there have been cases of grandmothers pinning granddaughters and welcoming them into the field of nursing, one familial generation of nurses welcoming the next.
Kim Gray, an instructor in the practical nursing program, speaking at the pinning ceremony. Photo credit: Bradley Richards
The ceremony also has a rich history that began with Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who provided specialized pins to her hardest-working students in honour of their dedication to the program.
By 1916, it became standard practice to provide pins to all nursing graduates.
This was a big moment for the 2025 graduates of the practical nursing program and the audience made sure they knew it with the sound of clapping and cheering filling the theatre when each graduate stepped onto the stage.
“It feels like, not so much the end of a race, but the next part of a relay,” Alexander McCaffrey said about receiving his pin.
“This is the initiation into a profession, one that I hope I will be in for the rest of my life.”
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After five weeks of job action, both parties reached a tentative agreement
Ernest Ko
Photos: Ernest Ko
October 17, 2025 Revised: October 17, 2025 12:29pm
Photo: Ernest Ko
With the agreement announced early Wednesday morning, entrances and strike trailers were left vacant.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing the province’s full-time college support workers, reached a tentative three-year agreement with the province on Oct. 15, ending the five-week-long strike.
The details were presented to union members that afternoon, with picket lines closing across the province’s 24 colleges. The 10,000 striking employees have since returned to work.
Students at the college expressed relief after learning the news.
Alek Desjardins and Ethan Cleveland, both in the bachelor of event, sport and entertainment management program, drive to school every day. They said they’re happy it’s over and they no longer have to “struggle entering the parking lot.”
“Coming in at 8 a.m. was the worst, because everyone had class and nobody could get onto campus. So it’s nice to know we can now, and I don’t have to leave earlier,” Desjardins said.
“I understood the cause, but saying you’re helping students and then making them late for class, I felt their actions were going against their motives,” he said.
Fortunately, traffic was the worst of their troubles during the strike. Cleveland said he was not affected by the suspended operations due to the job action, but his patience was tested.
All entrances to the college were blocked on Oct. 2, causing confusion and frustration among many students. Photo credit: Ernest Ko
“I was supportive at the beginning,” Cleveland said. “But making it hard to get to school, for me, it was getting old.”
Grace Ellis, another Algonquin College student, had a different tone. She said she’s “happy” the staff found an agreement.
“The teacher’s aides need to be paid a good wage and have the right benefits. They’re the foundation of what we do and why we’re here, so it’s definitely fair for them to get what they deserve,” she said.
The strike, OPSEU says, was to advocate for public postsecondary education, alleging that the province was severely underfunding it. Photo credit: Ernest Ko
The deal was negotiated after weeks of bargaining, eventually with the help of mediator William Kaplan.
In a statement released by OPSEU, the union declared it had successfully negotiated wage and benefit increases, “enhanced job protections against technological changes,” and other significant gains.
Christine Kelsey, chair of OPSEU’s bargaining team, considered the agreement a success.
“We’ve won more than a contract,” she said. “The public now understands that our college system is being deliberately defunded as part of the collateral of (Premier Doug) Ford’s devastating privatization agenda.”
The tentative agreement will require ratification from union members before Nov. 4.
In a message to students, Algonquin College senior vice president academic Julie Beauchamp thanked everyone for their “patience and understanding over the past few weeks, and for the care and respect you’ve shown to one another and our community.”
“As we transition back to regular operations, some areas may take a bit of time to return to full capacity,” Beauchamp said. “We appreciate your continued understanding and encourage you to monitor your email for updates.”
Many of the college's operations, like the Centre for Accessible Learning, will resume normal operations now that its full-time employees have returned. Photo credit: Ernest Ko
This agreement may not completely mark the end of college strikes this year, however. Part-time college support staff recently held their own strike vote.
Should 50 per cent of members vote for a strike mandate, the part-time workers’ “bargaining team can call for a strike” if negotiations with the province remain unsuccessful. The union says it’s unsure when that point may be.
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Charae Degrow has reached a milestone, performing her first-ever stage show at LIVE on Elgin on Oct. 18
Matthew Grieve
Photos: Truthpix
October 17, 2025 Revised: October 17, 2025 12:07pm
Photo: Truthpix
Charae Alexandra opening for Active Mirror at the Rainbow Bistro.
Charae Degrow has turned her passion into a reality, all with the help of Algonquin College.
Once a psychology graduate, Degrow shifted her path to follow her true calling in music. Now, she has transferred her life-long passion to the stage, performing in her own self-made show.
Charae Degrow poses in front of a building. Photo credit: Ben Joldersma
It wasn’t until after earning her degree from McMaster University in 2017 that Degrow admitted she felt something was missing.
“In my family, going to college wasn’t really an option, you were expected to go the academic route, get a university degree, and find an academic job,” said Degrow. “But I’d always wanted to pursue a career in music. After finishing my undergrad, I worked for a couple of years in mental health, but I didn’t feel fulfilled. I started asking myself, ‘What is it I actually want to do?‘ I reflected back to high school, before people started telling me what I should do and realized it had always been music. So I decided to take a chance on it.”
After spending seven years in her previous career, Degrow decided to take a leap of faith and go back to school at the age of 29.
She is now a recent grad of the music industry arts program and has found immense success. Her achievements range from working live shows at venues like Club Saw, Dominion Tavern and the Bronson Music Centre, to shadowing radio frequency coordinator Wayne Hawthorne on the main stage at Bluesfest.
After supporting many successful performances, it’s now Degrow’s turn to put on a show.
For one night only, on Oct 18, at LIVE! on Elgin, she will be performing Dual Worlds, an original play featuring ten rock-opera songs, most of which are original. The songs intertwine Greek myth and metaphor to reflect her lived experiences. The story is a battle between the world she grew up in and the one she discovered through love. She will be accompanied by local rock group Polarized and world-renowned cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne to bring her story to life on stage.
Not only is she having success, she’s redefining the odds.
“It’s tough, especially being a woman in the music industry. It’s very male-dominated. Less than five per cent of non-artist roles in the music industry are held by women or gender-diverse people,” said Degrow.
“Here in Ottawa, I currently only know one other female audio technician. While I was working last week at a new workplace, there was a colleague that said, ‘I have never seen a woman pushing stage boxes before. I thought you were the client. I didn’t know that you were going to work with us.’ It can be really intimidating, but at the same time, it’s kind of exciting.”
When looking back at her time at Algonquin, Degrow knows the college added a feather to her wings.
Charae Degrow at Algonquin College's music industry arts studio in the N-building. Photo credit: Supplied by Charae Degrow
“I would say that the teachers in the program played a massive role. It felt like the teachers really wanted to be here. And in our program, all of the teachers have full careers happening in the industry actively. The majority of them are part-time, and so they’re choosing to be here teaching on the side.”
This is only the beginning for Degrow as she builds her achievements. Reflecting on her journey, she shared words of encouragement for others.
“You’re driving the car now, and the car is your career, and you have to make all the decisions as to where you want to turn, how fast you want to go,” said Degrow. “It takes a lot of work and persistence, and you must be comfortable with noes. You must be comfortable with rejection. There were festivals that said no. There were people who weren’t interested. There were interviews that didn’t choose me. And you just must keep pushing through that until you get those yeses.”
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