For Immediate Release: April 20, 2004
Canadore To Extend Service To Parry Sound
Canadore College is moving forward to provide college programs and services to the Parry Sound area. Canadore's Board approved a proposal at their April 20, 2004 meeting, giving the College President, Barbara Taylor, the go-ahead to extend service to the area. Georgian College currently provides services to the area and will be working with Canadore to transition responsibility of the Parry Sound campus.
?The postsecondary needs of Parry Sound are very similar to those of the communities we currently serve,? commented Cindy Boston, Chair of the Canadore College Board of Governors. ?Extending service to Parry Sound is a natural progression, that clearly fits within our Canadore 2012 vision of working in collaboration with our communities to focus on excelling as a community college, as we meet the needs of Northern community sustainability and economic development.?
?Through a formal, collaborative agreement signed between Canadore and Georgian, the two colleges have recognized the vital importance of the colleges working closely together in exploring new and progressive ways of better serving our students and communities,? said Brian Tamblyn, President of Georgian College.
?I want to congratulate the Canadore Board of Governors for taking this historic step extending Canadore?s services to the Parry Sound area,? Tamblyn commented. ?Georgian remains strongly committed to working cooperatively with Canadore to ensure that the best interests of students continue to be served as part of a smooth and orderly transition at the Parry Sound Campus. I have no doubt that Canadore College and the Parry Sound community will have a long and mutually beneficial association.?
Canadore has indicated that its first priority is to ensure that the best interests of the students and staff at the Parry Sound campus are met. Both colleges are committed to ensuring that there is no disruption to students currently enrolled at Georgian College in programs including: Literacy and Basic Skills, Practical Nursing diploma, Personal Support Worker certificate, and other part-time studies courses.
?Community leaders and representatives have told us that they want to work with us to meet the needs of the Parry Sound area,? said Barbara Taylor, President of Canadore College. ?We have identified excellent opportunities within the area, to slowly build a sustainable level of programming with particular emphasis in skilled trades, hospitality tourism, and arts programming.?
Over the next several months, Canadore will be working with Georgian to assume full responsibility of the Parry Sound campus, likely by September 2004. Current levels of programming will be maintained over the next 12 to 18 months, as Canadore works with the community to develop sustainable programming models.
Canadore College does plan to provide continuing education courses with an arts focus beginning in the summer of 2004, along with continuing education courses of both a vocational and general interested nature, beginning in September 2004.
Background
In November 2003, the Canadore College Board of Governors directed President Barbara Taylor to investigate the feasibility of replacing Georgian College as the primary provider of college programming and services in the area.
Over the November 2003 to February 2004 period, a series of community and stakeholder meeting were held in Parry Sound. Canadore College representatives worked with Parry Sound area Mayors and Reeves, First Nations, the Near North District School Board, economic development organizations and concerned citizens to review community expectations and to determine if the communities wished to work with Canadore.
College staff also consulted with Georgian College, to establish a clear picture of the current financial status of the Parry Sound campus and to determine its sustainability at current levels of activity, as well as with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
