Area resident and former COO of Shopify Toby Shannan made a presentation to Lanark County council about keeping the Perth campus of Algonquin College in town and expanding its offerings.
Shannan explained how it would work.
The college announced the campus will close in June 2026 due to financial pressures.
Shannan has assembled a team of business and education leaders and they are planning to see the campus continue to offer all the courses they currently run, plus a new one.
He also said that some certification refreshers are planned to help existing tradespeople stay current in their fields.
Shannan stated he was not looking for any financial support from either the County or Perth but would like to see relief from property taxes and development charges on any new construction on the campus. Council’s committee voted to provide a letter of support to the plans.
story by Brian Turner