NEWS REFERENCE
According to a report by CTV News, published on May 6, 2026, Fanshawe College is cutting approximately 60 more positions by August 2026 to reach a target of 500 full-time equivalent reductions. The cuts span administration, support staff, and instructors. The college’s deficit has been reduced from $50 million to $10.9 million, with a surplus projected by 2028-29.
Fanshawe is eliminating positions through three routes — retirements, voluntary exits, and layoffs — driven by a sharp drop in international student enrolment following federal admission limits. The college has been open about the process, which union leadership has publicly acknowledged. About 60 more positions need to go before August.
Transparency is appreciated. But it does not change what employees are legally owed.
If You Are an Employee — Your Rights
If you are unionized (OPSEU or CAAT-A): Your collective agreement governs everything — layoff order, bumping rights, recall periods, and severance. Contact your union representative before responding to anything the college puts in front of you.
If you are non-unionized: Ontario’s ESA and common law apply. You are entitled to termination notice, severance pay if you have five or more years of service, vacation pay, and potentially significant common law reasonable notice depending on your role and years of service.
If you were offered a voluntary exit: Do not sign anything before getting advice. A voluntary exit comes with a release — and once signed, all future legal claims are gone. Make sure what is being offered actually reflects what you are owed.
Part-time and sessional staff: Do not assume you have no rights. Consistent long-term engagement with the college may entitle you to more than a simple non-renewal.
If You Are the Employer — What to Be Aware Of
Follow the collective agreement precisely. Seniority-based layoff and bumping procedures must be followed in order. Skipping steps is one of the most common sources of grievances in institutional restructuring.
ESA mass termination rules may apply. If 50 or more employees are terminated within a four-week period, enhanced notice requirements kick in — up to 16 weeks — and a filing with the Director of Employment Standards is required.
Voluntary exit releases must be legally sound. A poorly drafted release can be challenged. Ensure every agreement is reviewed before it goes out.
The reason for the cuts does not reduce obligations. Enrolment declines and government policy changes do not lower what the college owes departing employees.
What To Do Right Now
- Unionized staff — call your OPSEU or CAAT-A rep today
- Non-unionized staff — get independent legal advice before signing anything
- Everyone — apply for EI at Service Canada promptly if your employment is ending
The bottom line: Fanshawe College has been more transparent than most institutions going through a financial crisis — and that matters. But transparency is not the same as fairness, and a clear explanation of why cuts are happening does not guarantee that what you are offered reflects what you are legally owed.
Whether you are a support staff member, an instructor, an administrator, or a part-time employee — know your rights before you respond to anything the college puts in front of you.
