St. Lawrence College cutting 40% of programs this spring

The main entrance of St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., photographed on Aug. 1, 2021. (John Last/CBC - image credit)
The main entrance of St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., photographed on Aug. 1, 2021. (John Last/CBC - image credit)
The main entrance of St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., photographed on Aug. 1, 2021.
The main entrance of St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., photographed on Aug. 1, 2021.

St. Lawrence College in Kingston in the summer of 2021. The college has announced it's cutting 55 programs, or about 40 per cent of its offerings, starting with new students this coming semester. (John Last/CBC)

St. Lawrence College says it's cutting 55 programs, or about 40 per cent of its offerings, at its Brockville, Cornwall and Kingston campuses starting next semester.

The cuts involve "program intakes," or new students, according to a news release issued Tuesday. Current students "can continue their studies as originally planned," it said.

The dozens of discontinued programs for the spring semester range from a number of business courses, police foundations and tourism to hairstyling and musical theatre.

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Automotive, cook, machinist and masonry apprenticeships are also being cut.

President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt said in the release the cuts are because of an unspecified "series of federal government policy decisions" over the last year or so that have led to "a long list of restrictions and cutbacks."

Ontario colleges have said the federal government's cap on international students is taking a serious toll. Vollebregt told The Canadian Press in November its foreign student enrolment had dropped by 50 per cent.

"As a driver of workforce growth and a community leader, we are committed to maintaining a presence in the communities that we serve," Vollebregt said.