‘Strongly invested’: Perth council stands firm on keeping education at former Algonquin campus site

The Town of Perth says it is reaffirming its long-standing commitment to maintaining post-secondary education on the Algonquin College Perth campus property, following recent public discussion about the future of the site.

Since Algonquin College announced the impending closure of the Perth campus a little under a year ago, the town has undertaken advocacy efforts aimed at keeping post-secondary programming in the community. According to a media release from the town, those efforts have included meetings with the local MPP and provincial representatives, participation in discussions at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, and providing a signed letter of support to assist with meetings at Queen’s Park. Senior staff and members of council have also offered ongoing support for initiatives focused on preserving post-secondary education in Perth.

“We want the community to know that Perth has been, and continues to be, strongly invested in seeing education remain at this site,” said Mayor Judy Brown in the media release. “Council’s actions, motions, advocacy, and discussions over the past months speak clearly to that commitment.”

Council further reinforced that position on Nov. 25, 2025, when it unanimously passed a motion recognizing the Perth campus as a vital public asset. The motion emphasized the value of trades and heritage programming, acknowledged the significant public investment made in the campus over time, and underscored the importance of maintaining post-secondary access for rural residents. All members of council spoke in favour of keeping education on the site.

Planning and zoning considerations

At the same meeting, council considered a delegation request to rezone the property to “Private School Only.” Following a legal and planning review, council determined that a private school is already a permitted use under the existing zoning and that pursuing a site-specific rezoning for a proponent who does not own the property would be atypical and could pose planning and legal risks.

Council was also advised that limiting the site to a single use could reduce its marketability and long-term viability and increase the risk of appeals to the Ontario Land Tribunal. As a result, council supported maintaining the current zoning, providing due diligence information to interested parties, and working with a future purchaser through the standard planning and approvals process.

Commitment to collaboration

Town officials say they remain committed to supporting efforts to continue trades and heritage education in Perth, noting that maintaining access to post-secondary programming remains a shared priority among council, staff, community members and local partners.

“Our priority has always been to see education continue in Perth,” said Brown. “We’re committed to supporting those working toward that goal and will continue to do everything we can to help move this vision forward.”

Next steps

The town will continue to monitor developments related to the sale of the campus and provide support where possible. Residents can review council materials, including the Nov. 25 motion, through the town’s website.

Information taken from a media release from the Town of Perth