‘It’s devastating,’ says local union representative of announcement that Orillia campus will close as of August, 2026; mayor ‘deeply saddened’ by news
It was a black Friday in Orillia as Georgian College announced it would be closing its Orillia campus as of August 2026.
“It’s devastating,” said Angela Foster, president of the local OPSEU branch representing workers in Orillia.
She said they were told this morning that both the Orillia and Muskoka campus locations will be closing next year.
“This is my home and I care deeply for the people here,” said Foster, who has worked at Georgian since 2001, mostly at the Orillia campus.
She said it was not announced as a “permanent” closure but the fact they’re moving all the programs to Barrie is telling.
An official announcement from the college is expected soon.
Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac said he is “deeply saddened by the decision to close the Orillia campus.”
The closure, he said “marks a significant change for the City of Orillia and we recognize and understand the challenging circumstances” that led the college to make this difficult decision.
“Orillia is known as a strong post-secondary education hub north of the Greater Toronto Area, and the Georgian College Orillia campus has been a foundation of education in this city since the late 1960s,” McIsaac told OrilliaMatters.
“The campus has served as a key economic driver for the city, and a place where students could live, study and flourish in a small and welcoming community.”
He said the municipality “remains committed to fostering higher education within our community and will collaborate with the college where possible to support those affected during this time of transition.”
It’s the end of an era in Orillia that began in 1969 with a temporary campus in downtown Orillia.
The almost 45-acre site on Memorial Avenue opened in 1980 when then-premier Bill Davis was the guest of honour.
Over the years, the campus grew to have a footprint of almost 87,000-square-feet that includes a veterinary clinic, theatre, pub, cafeteria, career development centre, a 5,000-square foot fitness facility, spin room/studio and a 4,000-square-foot single gymnasium.
The school also has three, four-storey residences that house 192 students. The first residence opened in 2013.
There are about 1,600 full-time students at the Orillia campus and more than 200 employees.
The Orillia campus offers diplomas and degrees in human service programs, community safety programs and veterinary care.
At the Orillia campus, a student could obtain a diploma as a developmental services worker, early childhood education or social service worker and, with a third year, could earn an advanced diploma in child and youth care. An honours bachelor of counselling (psychology) degree program is also offered.
Graduate certificates were also available in addictions and mental health, autism and behavioural sciences and therapeutic recreation.
Under the community safety umbrella, a student could obtain a certificate in pre-service firefighter education and training or seek a diploma in community and justice services, police foundations, and protection, security and investigation. An honours bachelor of police studies degree program was also offered.
And, there were programs for veterinary assistants and veterinary technicians.
A reporter is at the Orillia campus and we will have much more on this story as the day progresses.