The union representing thousands of college faculty and support staff is slamming a newly announced merger between St. Lawrence and Fleming colleges, calling the consolidation a direct consequence of chronic provincial underfunding.
The fierce pushback comes after leadership from both institutions announced a plan on Friday to integrate as equal partners by 2027. OPSEU/SEFPO officials say the workers across the two colleges were completely blindsided by the news.
“Just as we warned that without provincial investment, college campuses would begin to close – and they did – we cautioned that mergers were on the horizon,” OPSEU/SEFPO president JP Hornick said.
Hornick pointed the finger directly at the Ford government, arguing that while billions in public dollars are spent to “subsidize private interests,” like corporate bailouts and alcohol privatization, public colleges continue to be starved of necessary resources.
“This government has clearly demonstrated an agenda to gut public services and education, so we know how this story ends: more cuts and less support for students and communities,” Hornick added.
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Local union leaders say they were intentionally left out of the planning process. Marcia Steeves, president of Local 351 representing Fleming College support staff, noted that government officials and college presidents have “sidelined direct questions about their plans for our colleges” for months.
“The decision to blindside workers like this is an insult to the years, even decades, of our lives we have dedicated to upholding our campus communities,” said Christina Decarie, president of Local 417 representing St. Lawrence College faculty.
College administrators, however, are painting a very different picture of the integration, framing it as a proactive and necessary step to protect the future of post-secondary education in their respective regions.
In a joint public statement, the colleges said merging will create a stronger institution with greater scale and improved long-term financial sustainability. Officials stressed that there are no planned changes to local brands, campuses or student supports as a result of the announcement.
“This integration represents a forward-looking investment in our students and communities,” said Theresa Knott, interim president of Fleming College.
St. Lawrence College president and CEO Glenn Vollebregt echoed that sentiment, noting the integration gives the schools “the scale and capability to serve more students, offer more opportunity, and build a stronger institution for the long term.”
Under the approved framework, the newly merged college will operate under a single management team. Vollebregt will serve as the initial president and CEO, while Knott will step into the role of associate president and chief academic officer.
The integration is slated to take effect on or before April 1, 2027. The colleges say the next phase of the process will involve detailed due diligence, operational planning and structured community engagement to gather input from key partners.
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