Polytechnic says shortfall forcing dozens of job cuts

By Lethbridge Herald on April 8, 2025.

President and CEO Brad Donaldson talks to reporters on Tuesday about operational changes brought about by financial turmoil at Lethbridge Polytechnic. Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge Polytechnic will make some sweeping changes to operations to deal with a massive shortfall in funding.

The school announced Tuesday that, due to significant policy changes to international student levels and post-graduate work permits by the federal government, it has been forced to made several significant changes to their operations.

President and CEO Brad Donaldson spoke to media about the changes made due to an expected critical loss of revenue brought to the institution from international students in the upcoming year.  

“This $8 million shortfall has required an equivalent expense reduction in our upcoming budget, and today we announce that 53 permanent positions among all employee groups at Lethbridge Polytechnic, have or will be terminated by June 30,” said Donaldson. 

Of the job cuts, just over half were involuntary with the remaining 26 positions being vacated voluntarily through early retirements, redundancies or modified hours. 

Donaldson said the job cuts include leadership positions, administrative support and faculty, and they have been scaled proportionally across the organization. 

The 53 positions are added to the previously announced 19 positions affected by the English Language Centre closure, bringing the total to 72 positions being cut at Lethbridge Polytechnic because of changes in federal policies concerning international students. 

Donaldson said the shortfall is forcing leadership to look into other ways of increasing revenues, including recruiting into domestic programs, as tuition is the most significant opportunity for them to increase revenue. Grant funding for research is another way, as it has a student learning component, and they are also looking at opportunities to use the facilities for other purposes and into developing land. 

“Reducing our budget has not been easy, leading to a very difficult few months for all employees,” said Donaldson. “However, our institution faced these challenges with genuine caring and kindness shared by all employees.” 

Donaldson shared that having to let go of any staff member is difficult due to the close-knit relationships formed at the polytechnic. Though he has had to deal with similar circumstances in previous positions, this is the first time those working alongside him have cared enough to ask how he is doing amidst these changes. 

“In times like this, it’s easy to adopt a scarcity mindset to be consumed by what we can’t do because of lack of resources,” he said. “But it’s more important than ever to embrace a growth mindset, to be proactive, and take control of our destiny through innovation, trying new things, learning from mistakes, and changing to be a more sustainable institution.” 

He said that everything was “on the table” during their decision making. In addition to changes to academic programs, they made the decision to end the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE). 

“Aquaculture research began in 1989 and the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence, ACE as it is known, was created in 1989 laying the foundation for what has grown into our Centre for Applied Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE).”

Donaldson said the ACE team’s research has been adopted by industry, adding that applied research is about taking concepts to commercialization. ACE has accomplished that, and now they are looking forward to ongoing research in irrigation, sustainable agriculture, public safety and spatial technology. 

“Additionally, we are announcing the suspension of three programs and one diploma major,” he said. “Commercial Greenhouse Technician certificate, educational assistant diploma, Health Care Aid – Government of Alberta certificate and the Agricultural Sciences – animal sciences major.”

The school will continue to offer the Education Assistant certificate, and in the Agricultural Sciences students can continue taking the agronomy and agricultural businesses majors. 

Donaldson said the specific programs were cut based on student demand and hiring opportunities for graduates. But students who are currently enrolled in those programs will be able to complete them. 

“We don’t just stop the program,” he pointed out. “We have an ethical, moral and societal obligation to those students who entrusted their learning to us, to have them complete their program.”

Donaldson said he was unsure if or how many instructors in suspended programs were affected by the job cuts, but explained that whenever an instructor position has to be “reduced” they try to place them in a different area within the institution where they can continue to utilize their skills. 

“Suspending these programs frees up resources to work on new programs not offered in southern Alberta. Programs like dental assistant, powerline technician, and advanced care paramedic are just a few of the new programs we are considering.”

Administrators believe new students will be excited about those new offerings. Donaldson said that moving forward, the school needs to continuously assess its programs for relevancy, demand and student interest. 

“By sunsetting some programs, we can free up resources to create new ones,” he said. “But it’s important to remember the challenges we face as an institution. While some of our colleagues already concluded their time here, others will stay until June 30.”

While the cuts and challenges are difficult, Donaldson said Lethbridge Polytechnic remains committed to students in providing programs that lead to careers, work integrated learning and opportunities to build confidence as students make their way into a career. 

When asked about the possible over-dependency on international students for revenue and how that is now putting them in a position where so many jobs are being lost, Donaldson explained that provincial governments have not being able to fund the level to maintain that sustainability. 

“The dependency on international student revenue and the loss of it now, puts us in those difficult financial positions. We would love to say that we are not dependent on international students, and we are moving to that point.”