Support staff strike: Student and public FAQs

A union is an organization made up of workers who join to speak with one voice when talking to their employer about things like pay, benefits and job security. 

Collective bargaining is the process where union representatives and the employer meet to negotiate a contract. Contracts cover important work-related issues like wages and hours.  

A strike is a legal form of work stoppage that occurs when contract negotiations between workers and their employer are unsuccessful. A strike is a tactic to pressure the employer to agree to the union’s demands by withdrawing all of their services.

1. Bookmark this web page
2. Continue to check your Georgian College email for updates
3. Visit the College Employer Council webpage or the OPSEU website for the latest news  

It is unknown how long the strike may continue.  Strikes can last for a day or for an extended period of time.  

No. The strike impacts all 24 publicly funded colleges in Ontario.

No. Strikes are part of the collective bargaining process protected by law. Neither Georgian nor any individual college can force striking employees back to work. Only the provincial government has the authority to pass legislation that could end the strike and require a return to work. 

Classes will continue as planned, though there may be delays getting on campus due to picketing. See information posted above about picket lines.  

Some labs will be rescheduled and some classes may move online. Your instructor will advise you directly of any changes to class schedules.  

All Lakehead-delivered courses continue as planned. Some classes or labs may need to be rescheduled or moved online. Your professor will advise you directly of any change to class schedules.  

Georgian@ILAC courses continue as scheduled. 

All classes continue as planned. The college will email you if there are any changes.

For questions, please email coned@georgiancollege.ca. 

All classes continue as planned. The college will email you if there are any changes.

For questions, please email ol@georgiancollege.ca

School Within a College (SWAC/FLEX) and dual credit programs across all campuses will be delivered with some modifications. For more information regarding a specific course or program, please contact the guidance office at your high school. 

• Co-op and Career Preparation (CPHR 0001) classes is paused, but content will remain available for students.  
• Co-op work terms will continue, and students still seeking a co-op are encouraged to continue to job search and enter their work term record in GeorgianConnects for review/validation.    
• Clinical placements continue.  
• Support with co-op projects, work term approvals, work term concerns and time sensitive questions will be provided Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please email careerandcoop@georgiancollege.ca  

Please note, Co-op Consultant and Employer Relations Consultant inquiries sent to direct emails will not be answered during a strike.   

Yes. Your instructor will advise of any change to how your courses are delivered, such as online or remote.   

Immigration Advising  

• Students should search MyGCLife immigration resource page and if needed submit an inquiry through ServiceNow  

Military Connected  

• Military Connected advising support will continue to be provided through militaryconnected@georgiancollege.ca for all locations and in-person at the Barrie Campus (K241) – Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  

Student Success Advising  

• Student Success Advisors will not be available to provide direct support. Students should seek resources through the MyGCLife and learning hub.

WSIB student supports

• WSIB-sponsored students can reach out for support by emailing wsib-ssa@georgiancollege.ca

Current students should check with their faculty to see if their courses have moved to remote delivery. Inquiries from new students can be sent to acpbarrie@georgiancollege.ca. More information is found at Academic and Career Preparation (ACP) – Georgian College.

Due to the strike, graduation letters will be processed in mid-October if the strike continues. However, we will do our best to audit your record for graduation, if you are able to submit a copy of your visa/study permit as proof of the upcoming September 30, 2025 expiry date. Submit it to the Office of the Registrar by submitting an inquiry and attaching the visa/ study permit through MyGCLife here.    

No. Your classes are continuing, and you are expected to continue your studies or work-integrated learning as normal. If you have immigration-related questions during the strike, review the resources available on MyGCLife. As a study permit holder, you are expected to remain compliant and follow all conditions of your permit.

Classes will continue and you would still be eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes that a strike would be beyond your control and your status as a study permit holder should not be affected.

If you were eligible to work off campus 24 hours per week prior to the strike, you can continue to work maximum 24 hours per week and up to full-time hours only during the periods that are considered regularly scheduled breaks (e.g. Holiday break, Study Week, etc.).

More information can be found on the Government of Canada website.

Yes, you must pay your semester fees.  

If your account has an unpaid balance, a hold is placed on your student account, which prevents you from registering into future courses, receiving letters of enrolment, graduation, and transcripts. Please be sure to pay your fees. Learn how to pay your fees here.   

Yes, student fees were due on Sept. 16.  
 
Due to the strike, we will not apply late fees at this time; however please be sure to pay your fees.  Learn how to pay your fees here.  We’ll update further as the situation evolves.  

No. Late fees will not be charged.  

Refer to the How to check your fees for the upcoming term in Banner student guide on the Student Systems Resources page, or visit the Payment Information page on the Georgian website to watch the instructional video.    

No. If you’re a domestic student and your OSAP is in progress, do not pay fees. A late fee will not be assessed. If it should be assessed in error, it will be removed.  

Yes, however, the awards will be posted to your student account after the strike.  To view your Account Summary balance please go to Banner / View Academic Records and Fee Account Details /  View Account Summary by Term.   

Only tuition payments made via Flywire, CIBC and Canadian bank payments are being applied to student accounts during the strike. Learn how to pay your fees here.    

Awards, scholarships, bursaries, and third-party payments are not being applied to your student account during the strike. Third-party payments include cheques, bank drafts, sponsorships, band payments, WSIB, electronic funds transfers (EFTs), OSAP and OSLG payments, payments made to collections. These payments will be applied once the strike is over.  

Any refunds will be issued 6-8 weeks after staff return. No refund requests or E-transfers are being processed. 

Yes, there are several changes to transit routes.

Barrie Campus

• Barrie Transit buses will divert around the regular college stops (stops 330, 331, 327, 328 and 335). Please use the temporary stops on Georgian Drive and Duckworth. Refer to the Barrie Transit map for details. 
• Simcoe County LINX stop 110 at the Barrie Campus is temporarily closed, with an alternate stop at Royal Victoria Hospital. View the LINX route one map for details. 
• Direct connections will be maintained between Georgian College and RVH, via Routes 8, 100, 101 and the 400. The Routes travelling from RVH to/from Georgian College will be servicing Georgian College from the bus stops on the north and south side of Georgian Dr., just east of Governors Dr.
• The City of Barrie also offers Specialized Transit for those with accessibility needs. Please call 705-792-5033 to book your ride. You need to be a registered, active client of Specialized Transit to be eligible for this service.

Midland Campus

• Simcoe County LINX stop 600 at the Midland Campus is temporarily closed during the strike, with an alternate stop at 990 Jones Road. View the LINX route six map for details. 

Orillia Campus

• Simcoe County LINX stop 390 at the Orillia Campus entrance is temporarily closed, with an alternate stop on Memorial Avenue. View the LINX route three map for details. 

We understand that students and employees have questions regarding parking permit refunds due to the ongoing support staff strike. Once the strike concludes and operations resume, parking inquiries and refund requests will be assessed based on the criteria outlined in the college’s Parking Policy.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this disruption.

Yes, students will be able access libraries as follows:  

• Barrie Campus – Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.   

• Midland Campus – Monday to Friday, 10am to 2 p.m.  

• Orillia Campus – Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

• Owen Sound Campus – Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

Visit https://library.georgiancollege.ca/main for information and resources.  

Yes. Students living in Georgian’s on-campus student residences in Barrie, Orillia or Owen Sound will continue with their existing lease agreements. Picket lines, however, may delay the time it takes to reach your residence. 

Students in residence should remain in contact with their residence support and leadership team as needed.  

Students are encouraged to access the housing portal for detailed information and resources to support off-campus housing.   

Time sensitive/urgent housing support is available virtually by raising your hand in Navigate360. After hours emergency housing can be accessed through Campus Security, 705.722.5100.

Returning students previously registered with accessibility services and receiving accommodations are encouraged to request that their current accommodations are sent to their faculty through ClockWork. 

Semester 1, new to Georgian and returning students who have not previously registered with accessibility services can request services by completing this form. 

If you’re a returning student who has previously met with an accessibility advisor or needs adaptive technology support, please use this form for inquiries related to updating your accommodations or submitting additional documentation. 

You can pick-up your academic resources or Georgian swag in-person at the Barrie or Owen Sound Campus locations or order online and have them shipped to you.

Check our webpage for our hours.

For tutoring, math and writing support, check availability through Navigate360.

Testing Services is available to support students who qualify for accommodated testing, as determined by Accessibility Services.  To request a test, raise your hand in Navigate360  click on “I want to schedule an accommodated test” and you will be prompted to complete a test request form. Download the Navigate Student app in your Appstore. 

Accommodated test times will be scheduled by Testing Services in coordination with you and your faculty, and you’ll receive confirmation by email approximately 2-3 business days ahead of your test. Students will not be able to schedule individual tests in Clockwork during this time, the booking system is closed.  

Tests may be scheduled Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and may take place outside of your regular class hours.

The Career Hub is open to provide resumé, cover letter, interview and job search support.    

• Barrie Campus (M240) – Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., M240  
• Virtual support available for all locations through emailing  GCCareerHub@GeorgianCollege.ca  
• Additional resources can be found on the Career Services portal page.   
• Career Consultant support, however, will not be provided.   

Wiidookdaading Indigenous Resource Centres remain open at the Barrie, Orillia and Owen Sound campuses.   

• Indigenous Services Barrie operations will be reduced. Manager and Director will be available to support students.
• Indigenous Services Orillia operations will be reduced. Manager, Indigenous Services, will be on the Orillia campus on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the Visiting Elder and Niwijiagan Peer Mentor is on campus. 
• Indigenous Services Owen Sound operations will remain the same: Visiting Elder on Mondays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Indigenous Student Advisor on Tuesdays – Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

There are no changes to Varsity Sports at this time. 

Athletic Centre facilities will operate as follows:  

• Barrie Campus – regular hours, but reduced recreational activities .
• Orillia Campus – regular hours, but reduced recreational activities.
• Owen Sound Campus – closed .

• The Georgian College Student Association will remain available for support.   
• The food locker can be accessed by raising your hand in Navigate360.   
• Peer Mentor support will continue to be provided drop-in and virtual  

Barrie

• Monday – 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Tuesday – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Wednesday – 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Thursday – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Friday – 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Orillia

• Monday – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tuesday – 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Wednesday – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Thursday – 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Friday – 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Owen Sound

• Office hours are being adjusted weekly
• Follow https://www.instagram.com/gcsaowensound/ for posted and updated hours

Orangeville

• Available by email only – sharon.kruizenga@mygeorgian.ca
• Tuesday – Thursday – noon- 1 p.m.

ONEcard support will continue to be provided at the Barrie Campus through the Athletic Centre and virtually provided to all campus locations through ONEcard@georgiancollege.ca. Card pickup locations will continue to be the Athletic Centre in Barrie and Orillia. For the Owen Sound Campus, ONEcards can be picked up at the library. 

Counsellors are available to support students with mental health needs virtually and in-person through booked appointments and drop-in support.  

• Barrie (Library) and Orillia (A200) – Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  
• Owen Sound (D105) – Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.  
• For appointments students can raise their hand in Navigate360, email studentsuccess@georgiancollege.ca or call 1-877-722-1523.  
• Getsid/Indigenous Student Counsellor is available in-person on the Barrie campus at the Indigenous Resource Centre (M137) or virtually. To book an appointment please email Karen Dowan or call 249.388.0836. 

External supports

• Good2Talk provides free, confidential support services for all postsecondary students living in Ontario. Call 1.866.925.5454, text “GOOD2TALKON” at 686868, or chat via Facebook Messenger 
• First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples can contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1.855.242.3310.
• International students have access to Guard.Me which is a free multi-cultural counselling service that can be accessed by phone or virtually online. This service can be used anytime. GuardMe Student Support Program: call 1.844.451.9700 or download the MySSP app 
• Student Insurance covers mental health expenses for private providers. For support or questions regarding student insurance students are to contact georgianplan@mystudentplan.ca 

Due to the ongoing full-time support staff strike, Georgian made the difficult decision to postpone the Oct. 9 and 20 ceremonies. New dates will be shared once the labour disruption is resolved.  Please check back at GeorgianCollege.ca/graduation.  

Registration for the fall 2025 semester has ended. The last day to add/ drop courses was September 15 (the 10^th day of the semester).  

Should you wish to withdraw from your courses or program without academic penalty (no refund), you must submit your withdrawal request before November 15, 2025. You can find more information and how-to-withdraw steps in MyGCLife Knowledge Article.

If you applied to graduate for summer and you have not received a notification of your graduation status, the following are possible reasons:

1. You are ineligible to graduate because:

a. you are missing requirements (e.g. co-op grade or other course(s) showing incomplete), or

b. you are currently enrolled in fall 2025 classes and your application to graduate has been moved to the fall graduation audit group

2. Your graduation audit is still in progress or pending the return of support staff when the strike is over.

Next Steps

1. You should review MyPath (link) to understand the status of your program requirements.

2. Consult with your program coordinator to determine your next steps for course enrolment/ program completion.

3. For our international students, you may wish to review information or consult with an immigration advisor if you have questions about graduation delays and your visa/ study permit.

There is no in-person service at Office of the Registrar, as we are focused on digital requests that come from our call centre (705-722-1511) and via MyGCLife. QR codes are posted outside the offices to connect you with self-serve information. 

At the Barrie campus, there is some in person support in the lobby of the C building first floor.

The deadline to withdraw with refund was September 15, 2025. 

The last day to withdraw from your courses or program without academic penalty (no refund) is November 15, 2025 deadline. Follow the steps below or review more information at MyGCLife Knowledge Article (link). Please refer to Georgian’s Important Dates page.  

If you choose to withdraw from the term/college during the strike, your withdrawal request will be accepted and processed once the strike is over.  Please follow the instructions below to proceed with a withdrawal.   

If you want to drop/withdraw from a few courses, this is done through the add/drop feature on Banner. Dropping courses may not result in a refund or credit on your account. It’s recommended you check your fees and contact your Financial Aid Officer if you’re an OSAP recipient. Part-time students will need to complete and submit the Withdrawal from part-time courses form.  

If you wish to withdraw from the entire program, you must complete and submit the withdrawal form.  International students should refer to the International Withdraw Package on MyGCLife.  

The official date of withdrawal is the date your form is received by the Office of the Registrar. You’re not officially withdrawn if you don’t attend classes or verbally notify faculty, registration staff, student success advisors, counsellors, or any other college employee. Without official withdrawal, even if you don’t attend classes or participate in college activities, you’ll remain enrolled. You’ll be required to pay fees for that term and grades will be recorded as appropriate to the work you have submitted. If you withdraw after day 10 of the term (or published deadline) you’re responsible for paying full term fees charged.   

Use this link for more information on requesting an enrolment letter.   

Enrolment letters are available for request through MyGCLife self-serve option, if you’re enrolled in classes full-time with no holds on your file, and no outstanding fees owning.  

If you’re enrolled in co-op for this term, submit an inquiry through MyGCLife to request an enrolment letter.   

You can view your fees for the upcoming term in Banner. To check your balance owing:  

1. Log into Banner .
2. Select Make a deposit payment and choose the upcoming term to see your fees.  
3. Subtract any existing credits on your account. Find your balance by selecting View account summary by term in Banner. Credits will show as a negative balance.  

Refer to the How to check your fees for the upcoming term in Banner student guide on the Student Systems Resources page, or visit the Payment Information page on the Georgian website to watch the instructional video.  

If your learning is affected by the strike, decisions on refunds will be made by the provincial government, not individual colleges.  

You can review your MyPath record. This will reflect all final grades entered and show you if you meet the graduation requirements for your program. If anything is missing or you have questions about your program requirements, please reach out to your program coordinator for assistance.    

Yes, you must apply to graduate. You can find the link to apply to graduate via: 

1. MyPath- access through MyGCLife.ca and select “MyPath” from “My Quick Links”. The preferred and recommended browser for seamless use is Google Chrome.  

2. Banner (link) 
3. Convocation website 

Due to the strike, the audit of your records to determine graduation is delayed. Approximately 70% of graduate audits are complete for those students who applied to graduate in summer 2025. We hope to finish processing the remaining summer 2025 graduate audits by mid-October.   

All other graduating terms will be processed after the summer 2025 group is completed.    

An exception will be made for students with a job offer or if visa/study permits have an expiry deadline of September 30, 2025 (proof of the job offer letter or visa/study permit is required with the request).    

Once deemed a graduate, an official graduate letter and PDF version of your transcript will be available in your MyGCLife (Quick links) Document Hub for free. You don’t need to request these documents. Please ensure you download and save them once they are uploaded. Documents will only be available in your Document Hub for four months.    

You can view your unofficial transcript at any time by logging into your Banner account and selecting View academic records and fee account details.   

Due to the strike, graduation letters will be processed in mid October. We will do our best to expedite graduation audit of your record if you submit your written offer of employment to the Office of the Registrar. Submit an inquiry and attach your offer letter through MyGCLife here.    

Due to the strike, graduation audits will be prioritized for summer 2025 students who applied to graduate or students who have proof of a job offer letter or whose visa/study permit will expire on or before September 30, 2025. Submit a request to registrar@georgiancollege.ca and include the following information:

• full name
• date of birth
• name of your program
• dates of attendance, e.g. fall 2023 and winter 2024, and if possible
• Student ID number

Please do not send more than one request. We ask for your patience as you await a reply. 

The fall awards cycle closes Sept. 30. There may be an impact to the timeline for adjudication and distribution, depending on the length of the strike.   

Potentially eligible students will have been contacted already. Final eligibility and distribution of the bursary will be processed after the strike.

If you’ve submitted an email about your OSAP or OLSG or have documents that require processing, these will be processed after the strike in date order of when they were received (oldest to newest). There may be some delays to OSAP processing. To avoid further delays, be sure to log into the OSAP portal and check your message centre for instructions.  

Log into the OSAP portal, review the information on your dashboard/ landing page, and check the Message Centre on the OSAP portal and follow directions within your messages. (OSAP login) https://www.ontario.ca/page/osap-ontario-student-assistance-program 

When all documents are received and approved, and everything matches between Banner and OSAP, then confirmation of enrolments are being processed daily and automatically. 

Delays occur when manual review is required. You may be in the manual queue because your program does not match, your courseload is different or your information does not match between Banner and OSAP. Manual confirmations of enrolment are being processed but are delayed, due to the support staff strike. 

If you are expecting OSAP, do not pay your tuition. There will be no late fee. OSAP and OSLG payments will be applied to your student account once the strike is over and staff have time to process payments. 

These typically take 3-6 weeks to be processed from the date of upload and will be delayed further due to the strike. When staff return, they process the documents in the order in which they were received.  

Fall 2025 documents will be prioritized in the order in which they were received. 

Refunds will be processed after the strike. 

If you’re back in school full-time and have previous OSAP loans, then you must ensure that they are placed into interest-free status. When your loans are in interest-free status, you don’t have to make payments on the interest and principal. 

See OSAP webpage for details: https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/PRDR019241.html  

How to reset OAN or password if you have set up challenge questions or validated your email address:

1. Go to the OSAP website and click the “Log in” button.   

2. Select the “Forgot OAN or password?” link on the login page.   

3. Follow the prompts to answer your security questions or to receive a password reset link to your email address.  

If you have issues resetting your password, please contact financialaid@georgiancollege.ca to set up an appointment.  

Refunds are subject to the refund policy. If you’re eligible for a refund and consistent with OSAP policy, the college would send the full amount of any tuition refund to the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC) for credit against your outstanding loan balance.  Please note refunds will be processed after the strike.  

All BSWD applications will be paused until after the strike. Applications will be processed in order of receipt.   

Yes, we’ll continue to host our Thrifty Thursday workshops. Visit our website for more information. 

Financial Aids and Awards will confirm eligibility for employers who request it during the strike. Hiring timelines are set by the employer and therefore hiring may be paused by the employer.  

Please email financialaid@georgiancollege.ca and include a brief description of what you need, your full name (first and last) and your student number.  

• Check all our knowledge articles through MyGCLife and webpages:
• OSAP/financial aid  
• OLSG  
• Work Study Program  
• Support for students with disabilities  

For questions about the status of your application, you can visit your Applicant Portal. You can track your application using the admission requirements checklist and accept your offer by clicking on the link to OCAS.

• Your username is your 9-digit student ID #########@student.georgianc.on.ca (this is different from your student email address) .
• The first time you log in, your password is your date of birth (YYYYMMDD) .

If you still have questions, please contact us at admissions@georgiancollege.ca.   

Domestic applicants should request transcripts through their OCAS application.  

International applicants can submit any admissions-related documents within their IAS application.  

For all other admissions-related documents (e.g. study permit, supplementary forms, etc.), send via email to admissions@georgiancollege.ca.   

Yes. We’re currently accepting applications for the Winter 2026 and Summer 2026 intakes. You can submit your application through the Ontario College Application System (OCAS). The 2026-27 application cycle will open on the OCAS website later this fall.   

Please see our Transfer services webpage for information about your transfer options. If you have any questions, please contact CPL@georgiancollege.ca.  

For other transfer information such as how to pay the PLAR or LOP fee this is where you can find our additional resources.  

You can check the status of your petition from your system dashboard. Please login to the system here. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact CPL@georgiancollege.ca  

Yes, you should pay your tuition deposit before the October 15, 2025 deadline to secure your seat. Your tuition deposit will enable you to register for courses. Learn how to pay your fees here.