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(SAULT STE MARIE, March 13, 2020): Students pursuing a university degree at a northern university will be able to graduate with business skills that prepare them for employment opportunities in northern Ontario.

The Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) celebrates the signing of the Northern Business Fundamentals Co-Registration MOU at Algoma University. The MOU involves Algoma University, Laurentian University, Lakehead University, Nipissing University, Cambrian College, Canadore College, Collège Boréal, Confederation College, Northern College, and Sault College.

“The Business Fundamentals Co-Registration Initiative is a great example of a ‘made-in-Ontario’ plan to help more students get the top-notch education they need to graduate and find a rewarding career in an in-demand field,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “I’d like to congratulate ONCAT and all northern colleges and universities. This is a great example of what we can achieve when we work together.”

“This initiative supports students and helps them complete job-ready credentials in a shorter time. ONCAT is proud to support student mobility in communities across Ontario,” said Yvette Munro, Executive Director of ONCAT.

The Ontario government recognizes the importance of an efficient and effective transfer system and established ONCAT as the provincial organization to work with publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes. Every year, over 12,000 students transfer to another post-secondary institution and pursue different credentials or programs that prepare them for jobs upon graduation. There are over 60,000 transfer students in Ontario’s colleges and universities.

“Students are at the heart of everything we do,” said Asima Vezina, President and Vice-Chancellor of Algoma University. “We are committed to creating opportunities for students through college/university collaborations such as the Business Fundamentals Certificate. Our collective goal across the North is to ensure students in postsecondary are prepared for today’s competitive job market; in this case, the one-year certificate provides an opportunity for students to integrate business skills that complement any degree program they are currently completing. This is a win-win for our students.”

“This unique offering will allow students to remain in their communities to study and be better prepared to contribute to the economic growth of our region,” said Dr. Ron Common, President of Sault College and Co-Chair of ONCAT’s Board of Directors.

Students get to experience the learning environments, opportunities and academic supports and services offered by both a university and a college, providing them with additional skills for the marketplace.

The Northern Ontario Pathways Steering Committee (NOSC), a group founded and convened by ONCAT, supports collaboration among Northern institutions to create transfer pathways to meet student and labour market demand and fosters seamless transfer practices among postsecondary institutions.

Quick Facts

• ONTransfer.ca (a website operated by ONCAT) has over 1,969 pathways and 266,860 course to course equivalencies and provides information for students seeking to transfer.
• In 2018/19, ONTransfer.ca received more than 850 transfer searches for business-related programs in the north.
• In 2019/20, the Ontario government provided $7.5M in funding to ONCAT to enhance academic pathways and reduce barriers for students looking to transfer among Ontario’s public colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes.

About Algoma University

Algoma University, established in Sault Ste. Marie in 1965, offers a wide range of degrees and certificates spanning the liberal arts, sciences, and professional disciplines. The university also offers programming at campus locations in Brampton and Timmins. Algoma University has a special mission to cultivate cross-cultural learning between Indigenous populations and other communities. For more information, please visit www.algomau.ca.

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