St. Lawrence College merging with Fleming College to build ‘larger, more capable institution’

The sign outside St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ont. is shown on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020.

St. Lawrence College in eastern Ontario is merging with Fleming College in Peterborough, with the two colleges saying the move will “build a stronger institution for students and communities.”

The two colleges announced on Friday they have “agreed to integrate as equal partners,” saying the announcement begins a “formal process to create a stronger institution with greater scale, broader access for students to programs and services, and improved long-term financial sustainability.”

According to St. Lawrence College, it has 10,000 full-time students at its campuses in Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall and enrolled online.

The “new college” will have a single management team, led by St. Lawrence College president and CEO Glenn Vollebregt, but the colleges insist there are no planned changes to “local brands, programs, campuses, services or student supports.”

“Today’s announcement marks a significant step toward building a larger, more capable institution that can expand access and strengthen long-term sustainability,” the colleges said.

“The integration reflects a shared vision to create greater scale and capability, while better aligning programs and capacity with regional labour market needs. Over time, students will benefit from expanded academic pathways, increased access to specialized programs, enhanced research opportunities, and broader work-integrated learning experiences.”

Vollebregt said the integration will serve more students moving forward.

“We are committed to ensuring that students have the tools, programs, and support they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy,” Vollebregt said.

“This integration gives us the scale and capability to serve more students, offer more opportunity, and build a stronger institution for the long term.”

Fleming College interim President Theresa Knott will serve as the initial Associate President and Chief Academic Officer of the new college.

The boards of both Fleming College and St. Lawrence College approved the integration framework agreement that sets out the steps to a full integration, according to the colleges.

Fleming College operates campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton and Cobourg.

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