Colleges in Ontario may refer to several types of educational institutions.College in Canada most commonly refers to a career-oriented post-secondary institution that providesvocational training or education in applied arts, applied technology and applied science. Mostpost-secondary colleges in Ontario typically offercertificate anddiploma programs.
There are 24publicly funded colleges in Ontario. Most are designated as aCollege of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT), although five are designated as aInstitute of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITAL).[note 1] In addition to certificates,apprenticeship, and diplomas, several public colleges have also received ministerial consent from the province'sMinistry of Colleges and Universities to awarddegrees. While any public college in Ontario may receive ministerial consent to offer degrees, degree programs at CAATs may only constitute 5 per cent of the institution's programming, while ITALs are capped at up to 15 per cent.
In addition to publicly funded colleges, the province has also authorized the establishment of over 500privately operated career colleges that provide certificate and diploma programs.
TheCanadian Armed Forces also operate several institutions in Ontario that also bear the name "college". However, one of these institutions is considered auniversity with full degree-granting authority, while the others are consideredstaff colleges that provideprofessional development courses for officers of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The modern college system in Ontario which focuses onvocational training was established throughBill Davis' Bill-153 on May 21, 1965. This legislation aimed to establish a distinct post-secondary educational system separate from universities.[2][3] All 24 publicly funded colleges in Ontario were established through theOntario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 1965, which outlined that these institutions were to provide "career-oriented, post-secondary education and training to assist individuals in finding and keeping employment, to meet the needs of employers and the changing work environment and to support the economic and social development of their local and diverse communities."[4][3] These CAATs represented a consolidation of the province's earlier vocational and career-oriented postsecondary institutions formed in the 1940s to 1965, including institutes of technology, institutes of trades, and vocational centres.[5]
Public colleges in Ontario historically only providedcertificate,apprenticeship, anddiploma programs,[6] and did not offerdegree programs, as the province had one of the most stringent regulations in North America in restricting degree-granting authority solely touniversities.[3] In 2000, theMinistry of Training, Colleges and Universities authorized colleges to offer a limited number of applied baccalaureate degrees under thePostsecondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000. However, in contrast to public universities, which possess full degree-granting authority through legislation, public colleges in Ontario can only offer specific degrees after receiving ministerial consent from the provincial government.[3][7]
In 2003, the province introduced a new designation,Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, to denote publicly funded colleges where up to 15 per cent of its programs awarded degrees, while colleges that retained theCollege of Applied Arts and Technology title were limited at 5 per cent.[3] In 2012–2013 approximately 74 degree programs were offered by 12 Ontario colleges.[8]
TheOntario Public Service Employees Union represents faculty and support staff working in Ontario's publicly funded colleges, though certain classes of faculty and support staff are not covered. These are divided into three bargaining units: academic, full-time support, and part-time support.[9]
There are 24 publicly funded colleges in Ontario.[10] Most operate as a "College of Applied Arts and Technology", although five are designated as an "Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning".[3][note 1]
English is the language of instruction for the majority of programs at publicly funded colleges in Ontario, although some programs are taught in French.[11] There are 22 publicly funded colleges operating as English-language institutions and two as French-language institutions.[12]
The following is a list of publicly funded colleges in Ontario:
| Name | Main campus | Established | Language | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin College | Ottawa | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Collège Boréal | Sudbury | 1995 | French | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Cambrian College | Sudbury | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Canadore College | North Bay | 1972 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Centennial College | Toronto | 1966 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Conestoga College | Kitchener | 1967 | English | Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning |
| Confederation College | Thunder Bay | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Durham College | Oshawa | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Fanshawe College | London | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Fleming College | Peterborough | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| George Brown Polytechnic | Toronto | 1967 | English | Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning[note 1] |
| Georgian College | Barrie | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Humber Polytechnic | Toronto | 1967 | English | Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning |
| Collège La Cité | Ottawa | 1990 | French | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Lambton College | Sarnia | 1969 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Loyalist College | Belleville | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Mohawk College | Hamilton | 1966 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Niagara College | Welland | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Northern College | Timmins | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| St. Clair College | Windsor | 1966 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| St. Lawrence College | Kingston | 1967 | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Sault College | Sault Ste. Marie | 1973[note 2] | English | College of Applied Arts and Technology |
| Seneca Polytechnic | Toronto | 1967 | English | Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning[note 1] |
| Sheridan College | Oakville | 1967 | English | Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning |
Ontario has over 500 career colleges (formerly known as private career colleges) that confer certificate and diplomas.[14][15] These colleges are regulated by theOntario Career Colleges Act, 2005. These are privately operated institutions which must be registered and approved by the provincial Superintendent of Career Colleges.[16]
The names of several military institutions based in Ontario include the wordcollege, and are all operated by theCanadian Armed Forces.
TheRoyal Military College of Canada is amilitary university based in Kingston, and offers undergraduate and graduate education for officers-in-training. Although the institution includes the wordcollege in its name, the Royal Military College of Canada is recognized as a university with full degree-granting authority.[17][18]
The Canadian Armed Forces also operates severalstaff colleges in Ontario, including theCanadian Forces College in Toronto and theCanadian Army Command and Staff College in Kingston. These institutions providesprofessional development programs for military officers in the Canadian Armed Forces.[19][20]