BROCKVILLE — The government is cutting red tape and removing barriers so Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges can create innovative and entrepreneurial partnerships to provide all students with high-quality education and training that prepares them for Ontario’s workforce.
Minister Romano was at St. Lawrence College today to announce that Ontario is introducing a new policy to support public college-private partnerships that allow colleges to be more financially competitive. In return, the economic advantages from delivering their programs to more students in more locations can be invested back into the colleges’ main campuses and local communities.
« Through these partnerships, students will get the education and training they need for good jobs, so Ontario businesses have the skilled workforce to grow and make Ontario open for business and open for jobs, » said The Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. « These partnerships will strengthen communities across the province by encouraging international students to study at campuses outside the Greater Toronto Area, and to remain there after their studies. »
« Our colleges are among the best in the world, » said The Honourable Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. « St. Lawrence College is a participant in these innovative partnerships with private providers. With these new guidelines for partnerships between publicly assisted colleges and private providers in place, more students will have more choices to get the training and skills they need to land a good job. And in turn, Ontario businesses will have the skilled workforce they need to grow. »
« Today’s announcement is an exciting one, » said St. Lawrence College President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt. « We know the people who study at colleges in Ontario are driven, dedicated, and come from diverse backgrounds. These guidelines will allow us to continue to connect our students with an education that helps them be prepared for a rewarding career. When you consider that a large percentage of our students stay in our Eastern Ontario community after they graduate, we also know this is going to support industry and employers connect with the talent that they need to continue growing and succeeding. »
The new policy on college partnerships will give colleges more flexibility to meet strong demand from international students for Ontario’s high-quality postsecondary education.
Quick Facts
- St. Lawrence has two existing partnerships, one with Alpha International Academy in Scarborough, and one with Canadian College in Vancouver.
- Six publicly assisted Ontario colleges (Cambrian, Canadore, Lambton, Northern, St. Clair and St. Lawrence) currently have private partnership agreements for the delivery of programs leading to an Ontario college credential in Canada.
- International students with a credential from an Ontario public college may apply for a work permit for up to three years under the federal Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- These partnerships will help strengthen communities across the province by encouraging international students to study at campuses outside the Greater Toronto Area and to potentially remain there after their studies.
- This new policy supports colleges in being financially competitive so that they can invest that economic benefit into their main campuses and in their local communities.
Additional Resources
Full Article found HERE.