Officials with Belleville’s Loyalist College say no further program suspensions or staff cuts have been announced, despite some recent media coverage suggesting that they are pending.
A report in one local media outlet quoted the college’s Annual Report as saying that Loyalist was facing a dire funding shortfall next year, with multiple sources saying that another round of program and staff cuts were already being planned, in addition to those announced in January.
We have contacted the college directly, and an official source told us that notice was provided to the Local OPSEU President and the College Employment Stability Committee members on August 19th regarding 36 full-time faculty positions connected to those changes and ongoing program sustainability.
Those all relate to the previous announcement (In January) that there would be a cutback affecting 30% of programs and 20% of staff for the fall semester.
They also provided the following statement, ” No further program suspensions have been announced. Consistent with past practice, however, the college may also suspend program intakes that are limited to a location, a specific semester intake, or for a limited term. While our audited financial statements reflect a snapshot as of March 31, 2025, they do not capture the measures already taken to strengthen our financial position. Loyalist College remains confident in its near- and long-term future and has taken significant steps to ensure sustainability. The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security’s continued support for the Ontario college sector further reinforces this confidence.”
(PAUL MARTIN)
