Two Saskatchewan colleges are merging together to provide better and more effective resources for their students.
Cumberland College and Parkland College will move forward and merge the two colleges effective July 1.
The colleges have been operating as a coalition since 2019 through a shared CEO and Board of Governors.
Approval of the merger was received from the provincial government last week.
“Saskatchewan’s Government fully supports the merger of Cumberland and Parkland Colleges,” Minister of Advanced Education Gordon Wyant said.
“By combining resources, the colleges will be better able to expand programming offered to students and increase opportunities for staff.”
Interim President and CEO, Alison Dubreuil, says that the merger will put the colleges in a better position to serve their students and communities through shared resources, increased partnership opportunities, and the development of new programming.
The new college will have shared values and an equal partnership that will support the local labour market and the demands of a growing Saskatchewan economy.
Ray Sass, Cumberland and Parkland College Board of Governors Co-Chair says, “By merging Cumberland College and Parkland College, we will be stronger together. This will position our merged college to be more robust and provide the opportunity to offer more programming to recruit and retain more students.”
Other Co-Chair Corinna Stevenson says, “The post-secondary landscape in Saskatchewan and Canada is increasingly competitive and we know significant change and innovation is required to ensure we continue to meet the changing needs of our students, communities, and partners.”
The colleges will spend the next five months preparing for an official merger to take place later this year.
The merger will follow a phased approach while ensuring student success and staff support continue to be a priority.
