Centennial College to Combine Two Campuses After Funding Cuts

Dive Right Into

Key Takeaways

Centennial College is merging Story Arts Centre with Progress Campus to address financial strain from reduced funding and international student caps.
49 full-time programs, including 16 in business and 14 in media, suspended for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Federal caps reduced international study permits by ~43%, cutting Centennial’s new international student enrollments by nearly 5,000 for 2024-2025.

Centennial College, one of Ontario’s leading post-secondary institutions, has unveiled a sweeping restructuring initiative to tackle the dual challenges of reduced funding and a federal cap on international student permits. On March 5, 2025, the college announced it would merge two of its campuses by relocating programs from the Story Arts Centre in East York to the Progress Campus in Scarborough. This decision marks a pivotal step in the college’s efforts to consolidate resources and stabilize finances amidst significant policy and economic pressures.

Major Changes at Centennial College

Centennial College to Combine Two Campuses After Funding Cuts

The restructuring reflects the impacts of broader shifts in education funding and policy across Canada 🇨🇦. Centennial College suspended 49 full-time programs earlier this year—a decision that affects offerings for the 2025-2026 academic year. These suspended programs span several disciplines, including 16 in the business school, 14 in the media school, and seven in engineering. This shift in program availability, along with the merging of the Story Arts Centre into the Progress Campus, illustrates the significant measures Centennial has been forced to adopt to secure its long-term survival.

The Story Arts Centre, known for hosting media and creative arts programs, has been an iconic space for innovation and student development. Its relocation to the larger Progress Campus symbolizes an effort to centralize resources and make operations more cost-effective, although specifics on the affected programs and the timeline for these changes remain unclear.

How Federal Policy Shaped the Crisis

At the heart of this restructuring is the federal government’s policy change regarding international students, which began in early 2024. The government capped international study permits to limit new student visas. Initially, the cap reduced permits by more than 33%, setting a target of 485,000 for 2024—down from the previous year. In September 2024, Ottawa introduced a further 10% reduction, slashing the number of permits for 2025 and 2026 to 437,000.

This steep decline in international admissions has severely impacted Centennial College. With fewer incoming international students, Centennial expects a 43% drop in new enrolments for the current academic year. This equates to nearly 5,000 fewer international students compared to the 2023-24 year, dealing a blow not only to the college’s student body but also to its finances. Such a shortfall illustrates the institution’s heavy reliance on international tuition, which has played a critical role in balancing its budget—particularly since Ontario reduced and froze domestic tuition rates starting in 2019.

Financial Strain and Its Consequences

Ontario colleges, including Centennial, have long depended on international tuition to offset domestic funding gaps. When the provincial government slashed domestic tuition fees by 10% in 2019 and froze them at that rate, institutions turned to international students to fill the gap. While this strategy worked initially, recent federal policy changes have revealed the fragility of this model.

Centennial College’s president and CEO, Craig Stephenson, underscored the necessity of the current measures. “We are doing what we must to position the college for long-term sustainability, so that we can keep producing job-ready graduates aligned with labor market needs and continue to serve our communities,” he said. To ease the transition, Centennial has assured students currently enrolled in the 49 suspended programs—ranging from journalism to financial planning and community development—will be able to complete their studies without disruption.

However, along with these program cuts, Stephenson noted that job losses among faculty and staff would be “unavoidable.” The college has not disclosed the number of layoffs, but the effects on the Centennial community are expected to be significant.

Broader Context: Ontario’s Post-Secondary Struggles

The challenges facing Centennial College are not unique. Institutions across Ontario 🇨🇦 are grappling with similar financial and enrollment crises brought on by changes to international student permits and government funding. For instance:

Algonquin College announced its Perth campus would close by August 2026 due to severe financial challenges.
Sheridan College suspended 40 programs in late 2024 across fields like applied science, business, and animation.
Seneca Polytechnic temporarily shut its Markham campus, anticipating a sharp dip in student numbers.
Mohawk College cut 20% of its administrative staff and suspended 16 programs set to commence in 2025.

These examples highlight systemic issues within Ontario’s post-secondary landscape. Many colleges have been forced to reexamine how their programs are structured and funded, leading to operational changes, program closures, and even the shuttering of entire campuses.

The Ontario government has tried to mitigate these challenges by allocating an additional $1.3 billion for post-secondary institutions over a three-year period starting in 2024. However, institutions have noted this funding falls short—covering only about half of the deficits they face. Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn’s spokesperson expressed optimism about the system, stating, “We are currently focused on making sure that post-secondary programs get Ontario students into rewarding careers that address the province’s current and future labor market needs.” Despite these assurances, the full extent of the financial crisis remains unresolved.

Impacts on Students and Staff

The changes at Centennial College carry profound implications for students and staff alike. For students, program suspensions limit educational choices; prospective students interested in the affected disciplines now face fewer options. On the other hand, the relocation of programs to the Progress Campus could result in logistical challenges, such as longer commute times or less access to specialized facilities currently housed at the Story Arts Centre.

Staff layoffs add another layer of complexity. Though specific numbers have not been provided, faculty and administrative reductions signify difficult times for college employees. Morale and job security within the institution are likely to be tested as Centennial navigates these ongoing challenges.

The Future of Centennial College

Despite the difficulties, Centennial College continues to offer 128 full-time programs and admits new students. The institution has left room for optimism, signaling that some of the suspended programs could potentially be revived depending on shifts in enrollment trends and funding availability.

The consolidation of resources—though challenging—could pave the way for a more efficient operational model in the future. However, Centennial’s restructuring highlights a larger trend of cutbacks and adaptation in Ontario’s educational sector as colleges adjust to reduced international student numbers and limited funding from provincial and federal sources.

As noted by VisaVerge.com, this restructuring at Centennial comes at a critical time not only for the institution but also for the broader higher education sector in Canada 🇨🇦. What unfolds at Centennial and other colleges will likely shape the future of international student policies and funding priorities across the country.

Conclusion

The realignment of Centennial College is emblematic of the pressures facing Ontario’s post-secondary institutions. The combination of reduced government funding and federal caps on international students has pushed colleges like Centennial to take difficult steps, such as program suspensions, campus mergers, and staff reductions. For students, faculty, and local communities, the ramifications are widespread, affecting everything from commuting patterns to job security and the availability of educational options.

For now, Centennial College’s leadership seems determined to adapt to these challenges in a way that secures the institution’s long-term sustainability. But the college, along with others in the province, must grapple with how to balance cost-cutting measures with maintaining the high standards and accessibility that students—both domestic and international—expect.

To learn more about study permits and policies impacting international students in Canada, readers can consult Canada’s official study permit page, which provides up-to-date, reliable guidance. In the shifting landscape of post-secondary education, staying informed will remain key for students, educators, and institutions alike.

Learn Today

International study permits → Authorization documents allowing foreign students to study at Canadian institutions, often tied to federal policy limits.
Program suspensions → Temporary or permanent discontinuation of academic programs by institutions, often due to financial or policy challenges.
Campus consolidation → The merging or relocation of campus facilities and programs to centralize operations and reduce costs.
Tuition freeze → A government policy that stops tuition fees from increasing, potentially affecting institutions’ revenue and financial planning.
Labor market needs → The demand for specific skills and professions within an economy, influencing education programs and institutional priorities.

This Article in a Nutshell

Centennial College Faces Change Amid Challenges

Centennial College merges campuses, suspends 49 programs, and braces for job cuts following federal caps on international student permits. This restructuring reveals Ontario’s post-secondary funding reliance on international tuition. As campuses consolidate and options narrow, Centennial aims for sustainability, signaling broader challenges reshaping education statewide—echoing a call for robust, equitable funding solutions.