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The City of Ottawa says program cuts at Algonquin College could make it harder to recruit workers.
An internal city analysis reviewed roughly 30 programs the college was thinking of suspending and ultimately did cancel after a unanimous board of governors vote on Monday. The city found that the elimination of nine programs would affect its ability to hire staff in the future.
The Office of the City Clerk sent a letter with the findings to the college’s president and to Ontario’s minister of colleges and universities on Feb. 20. The package also included four letters expressing concerns from local industry groups, including local music and festival groups, the Ottawa Film Office, the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas, and the ByWard Market’s Métropolitain Brasserie & French Restaurant.
While the analysis says the immediate impact on city services is unclear, it says cuts may increase competition with other municipalities for skilled workers.
The programs flagged include:
Nursery Operator – Forestry Services, Public Works.Nursery Worker – Forestry Services, Public Works.Software development positions – Information Technology Services, Finance and Corporate Services.Museum collection specialist – Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services.Museum heritage specialist – Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services.Museum registrar specialist – Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services.Sign shop supervisor – Traffic Services, Public Works.Sign designer/fabricator – Traffic Services, Public Works.Law clerk – Legal Services.Paralegal – Legal Services.Graphic designer – Public Information and Media Relations.Communications officer (photo/video) – Public Information and Media Relations.Communications officer (event planning) – Public Information and Media Relations.Program coordinator – Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services.Departments most affected
The internal scan shows some departments will be affected more than others.
For the city’s recreation, cultural and facility services department, one of the biggest concerns involves the college’s applied museum studies program. It says the city hires graduates for entry-level collections and heritage specialist roles frequently. They also participate in its internship program.
Staff say the college’s undergraduate-level museum studies program is the only one of its kind in Ontario, and that its suspension will reduce the number of qualified candidates available.
The forestry services branch within the city’s public works department relies on graduates from Algonquin’s horticultural industries program to fill nursery operator and nursery worker roles. It also depends on design foundations program graduates for its traffic services branch, which hires sign designers, fabricators and supervisors.
Losing geographically close programs
The internal scan also highlights the potential challenges recruiting law clerks, who make up roughly a third of the city’s legal services workforce. A law clerk diploma is required for those positions, and staff say the majority of past and current staff got their credentials through Algonquin’s program.
Other areas — including graphic design, communications, and recreation programming — could also see a smaller local talent pool if programs disappear.
The city says, in some cases, similar training exists at other colleges or universities, but losing geographically close programs could still make recruitment more difficult.
Algonquin College was reviewing the programs amid financial pressures affecting post-secondary institutions across Ontario, including the federal government’s cap on international students — a major source of college revenue.
Despite the potential hiring challenges, the city says many departments — including Ottawa Public Health, transit services and emergency services — are not expected to see significant impacts from the cuts.