Reflecting a trend in colleges across Ontario, Fleming College has announced it is eliminating another eight programs as of the fall.
The decision to suspend the programs was approved by the college’s board of governors on Wednesday (March 26).
“As part of our commitment to fiscal responsibility and continuous program evaluation, Fleming regularly assesses its offerings to align with enrolment trends, graduate employment outcomes, local market demands, and financial sustainability,” reads a statement on the Fleming College website.
According to the statement, despite having eliminated 29 programs last year, implementing a hiring freeze, and reducing operational and capital spending, the college — which has campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay, and Haliburton — is still projecting a “significant deficit” in 2026-27.
“This decision was influenced by chronic underfunding of Ontario colleges, coupled with the ongoing provincial tuition freeze and the federal cap on international student permits announced in January 2024,” the college states.
These are the same reasons Fleming College gave for eliminating 29 programs in April 2024, which followed the elimination of 13 programs the previous year.
The statement says Fleming College has made the “difficult decision” to eliminate the eight programs listed below, effective fall 2025, after “a thorough, evidence-based review.”
- Advanced Water Systems Operations and Management
- Community and Justice Services
- Esthetician – Spa Management
- Health Information Management
- Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations
- Paralegal
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Wireless Information Networking
For current students of the suspended programs, Fleming states “We are committed to supporting them through program completion.” Students who have applied for these programs for the fall “will be provided with an alternate program offer.”
As for the faculty who are involved with the cancelled programs, Fleming states “We will work closely with OPSEU to follow a robust employment stability process, consistent with the collective agreements.”
Fleming College’s decision to suspend the eight programs is part of a broader trend across the province.
Of Ontario’s 24 colleges, 16 have recently eliminated more than 300 programs for the same reasons cited by Fleming College: the federal government’s decision to reduce international student permits and the province’s cap on tuition fees.
Just this week, Confederation College in Thunder Bay announced it was suspending 11 of its programs. Earlier in March, Loyalist College in Belleville suspended 24 programs and cut its faculty by 20 per cent. In February, Ottawa-based Algonquin College announced it was eliminating 41 programs and closing its campus in Perth.
