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Humber College announces plans to close Orangeville campus in 2021

October 1, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Baker

Humber College has announced it plans to close its Orangeville campus, located inside the Alder Recreation Centre, in June of 2021. 

In a release to media on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 25), Humber president Chris Whitaker stated the college was grateful to have had the Town of Orangeville as a “supportive partner” over the past 12 years. While Mr. Whitaker did not provide a quote as to the specific reasons the college was pulling out of Orangeville, it was noted in a press release distributed by the Town that “ongoing enrolment challenges, increasing operating costs, and recent reductions in tuition revenue” were contributing factors in the decision.

As of the 2019/20 school year, Humber College has 205 full-time students enrolled at its Orangeville campus. The post-secondary institution offers five core programs in the community: Early Childhood Education, General Arts & Science College Transfer, General Arts & Science University Transfer, Police Foundations and Social Services Worker. Since 2007, the college has seen more than 1,200 students graduate from its programs. 

On top of its regular programming, Humber College also runs a duel-credit program at the high school level, which has had students enrolled from Upper Grand District School Board, Dufferin Peel Catholic School Board and Peel District School Board work towards commendations in four academic areas, including Police Foundations and Early Childhood Education. 

In a recent interview with the Citizen, Joe Andrews, the Orangeville councillor and Campus Principal of Humber College in town, indicated the lowering of tuition fees – rolled back 10 percent by the Ontario government earlier this year – would have a direct impact on the operational budgets of colleges and universities across the country. 

“This particular decision means $12 million less funding to Humber based on tuition in the upcoming fiscal year. We have to look at ways of supporting the operational needs,” Mr. Andrews told the Citizen back in April.

The news release put out by the Town indicated Mr. Whitaker recently met with Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown and CAO Ed Brennan to provide advance notice of the closure. 

Humber College has been offering programs in Orangeville since 2006. Originally operating out of a County-owned satellite facility, Humber moved into the brand new Alder Recreation Centre in 2007, leasing space on the second floor of the facility from the Town. Humber College signed a new three-year lease agreement with the Town back in January of 2018 to continue operations in Orangeville until 2021. 

While the news came as a shock to the municipality, Mayor Brown said the Town would take its time in assessing its options over the next few months.

“The news is disappointing, but we have appreciated the partnership with Humber,” Mayor Brown said. “The anticipated enrolment growth at Humber College did not materialize, so a difficult business decision was made.”

He added, “In turn, the Town will look at the best uses of the space in the Alder Recreation Centre. We will look ahead at growing our Community Services programming and future new uses for the space. This is an opportunity to look at new ideas and the recreation master plan process will include redeveloping part of the recreation centre. This launches us into some interesting conversations.”

In a seperate news release, received later on Wednesday afternoon, Georgian College announced plans to increase its programming in Orangeville – bringing Early Childhood Education and Social Service Worker courses to its campus starting in September 2020.

“Georgian has delivered academic programming, as well as career and employment services, in Orangeville for decades,” said Dr. MaryLynn West-Moynes, Georgian’s President and CEO. “We want to assure the community Georgian is committed to offering programs that will ensure quality graduates are ready to serve them and meet the demands of employers.”

As the first college established in Orangeville, dating back to 1972, Georgian has an extensive history in the community. The college boasts more than 50 staff, faculty and administrators working in a full-time or part-time capacity at the Orangeville campus, located on Centennial Road, in the Career and Employment Community Services centre at the Edelbrock Centre, and the outreach office at the Mel Lloyd Centre in Shelburne. 

As of the current school year, Georgian College has 178 full-time students enrolled across its mostly business and health related programs. Out of its Orangeville campus, Georgian offers Practical Nursing, Personal Support Worker, Acute Complex Care for Internationally Trained Nurses and Business Fundamentals and Therapeutic Recreation, as well as several part-time continuing education courses, to students. 

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