‘Tough times in the post-secondary sector’: Fanshawe College president says there will be more job losses

Fanshawe’s president is warning of 163 job losses despite the province committing billions more for post-secondary funding. CTV’s Gerry Dewan reports.

More job cuts are coming at Fanshawe College. The college’s president used a town hall meeting on Tuesday to deliver the dire news.

Peter Devlin made it clear that Fanshawe College’s struggles are continuing, telling the gathering, “Tough times in the post-secondary sector, particularly in the college sector and indeed at Fanshawe College.”

Devlin’s presentation took place in the London campus auditorium. He laid out how expenses continue to outpace revenues, projecting a $26.5 million deficit this year, which could balloon to over $54 million in 2027-28. He also noted that enrollment continues to decline.

Last year, Fanshawe College leadership announced they were cutting 400 positions. That number has now ballooned to 500 positions, representing about 40 per cent of the workforce.

Devlin clarified, “To be very specific, we need 163 more positions to have achieved that target of 500 positions.”

Devlin said the college has reduced its workforce through early retirements, voluntary exits and some layoffs.

In 2025, 300 positions were eliminated, and a second voluntary exit period that closed at the end of last month saw another 50 people choose to exit.

Last week, the provincial government committed $6.4 billion over four years for post-secondary education. It’s also allowing the raising of tuition by two per cent a year over the next three years.

Devlin cautioned that the approximately $1.6 billion worth of annual funding will be shared by 47 colleges and universities across the province, along with other institutions and programs.

He told the town hall meeting, “Listen, I’m encouraged by the announcement, but I wouldn’t want you to think it’s the answer to all of our challenges, because I don’t feel that it is yet.”

To this point, 40 programs have been cut at Fanshawe College, and Devlin said they continue to look for efficiencies, “Tough decisions follow, that is for certain. And I continue to be committed to you in terms of being open and transparent.”

Devlin also re-iterated that the college is embracing the province’s mandate to create training and education programs that will meet the needs of a changing economy, and said that should open the door to new programs being added, “By 2035, Ontario will need one million more, that’s more, college graduates in skills such as health, skilled trades, technology and advanced manufacturing.”

Mark Feltham is president of OPSEU local 110, the union that represents faculty at the college. He declined comment on Devlin’s latest update, saying the union is awaiting the impact of the province’s funding allotment.