An Ontario college has announced it will end its decades-old English language program, citing a decline in international student enrolment as the entire post-secondary sector continues to struggle.
George Brown College in Toronto confirmed Thursday it was ending its English for Academic Purposes course in 2026 and said a lack of international students had caused the decision.
“All currently enrolled students will have the opportunity to complete all levels of the program by the end of the 2025-26 academic year,” the public college said in a statement.
“This decision does not reflect the immense value of the EAP program, which has meaningfully contributed to our institution, the broader community, and countless students over the years. GBC remains committed to supporting our current students, faculty, and staff through this transition.”
The union representing staff at the college said the language program had been in place since 1969.
OPSEU, which represents staff at George Brown College, lamented the end of a program it said had been a “signature” offering at the institution for decades.
“As an academic preparation program, it also ensures that students embarking on studies in other programs at our College have the tools they need to succeed,” the union said in a statement sent to its members.
“We believe that management failed to demonstrate that they considered other alternatives or budgetary measures to ensure that the program was sustainable at the College.”
The cuts come as Ontario’s public colleges continue to struggle with a sudden drop in international students, forced by a federal cap introduced last year.
In Ontario, post-secondary education advocates have said that years of frozen domestic tuition and growing costs have left the sector increasingly reliant on international students for funding, with their uncapped tuition accounting for almost one-third of all public college revenue.
The Ontario government unveiled more than $1 billion in support for the sector in 2024, but the number fell short of recommendations made by its own expert panel.
Announcing the closure of its English language program, George Brown appeared to point the finger at the federal and provincial governments.
“The COVID-19 pandemic significantly worsened the downward trend in international enrolment in this program,” the statement said.
“Subsequent Government policy changes around international student enrolment have created profound challenges for the Canadian post-secondary sector and George Brown. For the EAP program, the most recent challenges made continuing unsustainable.”
Global News contacted the Ford government for comment on the program closure.