Dear student,
You may have heard that October 15th at 12:01 a.m. is set as the time when a strike of Ontario’s college faculty can legally begin. Please note that the establishment of this date does not guarantee a strike. At this point of the collective bargaining process, nobody knows for sure if one will happen and we will not have a clearer answer until next week at the earliest.
But as a student myself, I understand that this uncertainty can be frustrating. So here is what I can tell you today about how things will look in the event that a strike does take place:

  • Once the strike begins, daytime classes for full-time programs will stop; assessments and projects will be put on hold. However, courses offered through the Centre for Continuing and Online Learning will continue. There may be some exceptions, but you will be advised directly. If you are in a collaborative program with uOttawa, Carleton or Nipissing, courses taught by faculty from those institutions will continue.
  • Co-op placements will go ahead as scheduled. Clinical placements involving faculty will be put on hold. Any field trip activity supervised by either bargaining or non-bargaining academic employees will be suspended, but unsupervised field activities can continue.
  • Blackboard and Canvas will remain accessible to you. I recommend you keep reading and reviewing your learning materials so that you are prepared when classes resume.
  • Computer labs, study spaces and meeting rooms will be open so you can continue to study. Other labs that carry a health and safety risk due to a lack of supervision will not be accessible.
  • All three college campuses will remain open, with services operating as usual (such as Health Services, food services and the AC Hub). Residence will not be affected.
  • All Students’ Association facilities, such as Starbucks, the SA Sports Facility, the gymnasium, Algonquin Fitness Zone, The Observatory, The Landing in Pembroke, the Pride Centre, Food Cupboard and Clubs and Communities office will remain open. Events will run as planned.

The Students’ Association fervently believes that students belong in the classroom. We hope a province-wide collective agreement with OPSEU Faculty will be reached soon so we can all continue to focus on what’s most important: our learning.
If not, and there is a strike, the SA is committed to keeping you informed. Please go to or to for updates.
Algonquin College President, Cheryl Jensen, has committed to ensuring that all students will complete their year, regardless of a strike. But I know you will still have questions. Over the coming days, I hope to be able to provide you with more answers. I urge you to contact us with all your inquiries and concerns. As a member of this association, the SA is here to support you and advocate for your success.
Click here to contact Victoria Ventura, Algonquin SA President.