A year ago, the halls of Biztech College, located inside a large Mississauga office complex were buzzing with student activity enrolled in various programs.
Today, classrooms and training labs are largely empty.
“It’s dead,” said college founder and president Harpal Dharna.
As CityNews first reported last January, the college lost accreditation for one of the programs offered here, Cardiac Sonography, and the college was forced to reimburse students for tuition they paid. Then, just months later, the college lost accreditation for its General Sonography Program as well.
“When we started these programs we had them approved and assessed. We got accredited with conditions,” Dharna said.
But according to Accreditation Canada (A.C.) — a federally governed body tasked with ensuring college programs meet certain standards — the college failed to meet those conditions, something Dharna says he was working with A.C. to correct. Dharna says during that process, Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security got involved.
“It revokes the program and orders us to refund every student’s money, tuition fee, amounting to $1.5 million. I just paid like a million dollars for the cardiac program in 2024. I don’t have unlimited funds.”
The Ministry says it was just enforcing the law. No accreditation, no program approval.
Left in the middle of this fight — students who were just months away from finishing the programs.
“It’s two years of life that’s missed. It’s time that got ripped off unfairly. It’s not the money only, it’s that time as well,” said Hareetinder Gill, who was enrolled in the DMS program and months away from finishing.
Gill, joins several other students who don’t want a refund. Instead, they want the Ministry to give the college time to meet the standards so they can finish the program.
The Ministry, which is so far doubling down on its decision, communicated with students impacted instructing them to try and apply for credit transfers at other approved colleges.
“And we did reach out to basically all the colleges all across Canada that offer this program and all the answers that we get back is that we cannot accept the credits from Biztech,” said DMS student Manpreet Sodhi. “We don’t understand why the Ministry can’t just give the college time.”
But a Ministry Spokesperson says it has heard from many other students who are demanding an immediate tuition reimbursement, which so far Biztech has failed to fulfill as it fights the issue in the courts, a legal battle that so far has not gone in their favour. Last spring, Dharna lost in his request to stay the Ministry’s decision.
“Our government firmly stands with hard working students who deserve refunds from a program that is no longer accredited so that they can pursue the education needed to get a good paying job in their field — and the court agrees,” Bianca Giacoboni with the Ministry said.
Dharna says Accreditation Canada has agreed to work with him and fast track the application process. A.C. could not confirm as it does not comment on any open case.
“But the Ministry doesn’t care. They refuse to give us time to meet the condition which we believe we have, it doesn’t make sense,” Dharna said. “We have offered them like three options where there is no damage to anybody versus maximum damage to the college and students. MCU taking the position of taking the worst-case scenario every time.”
Dharna says if tuition is not reimbursed, he is at risk of losing all other college programs, including its Paramedic Academy.
“They went so far to cancel my OSAP for all the programs. That means I can’t enroll any students and we have nearly 55 students ready to enroll in paramedic program,” he said. “This decision will devastate us financially.”
The Ministry again stating, it’s simply following the law saying BizTech’s obligation to provide refunds to students in these circumstances is set out in the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, the agreed upon OSAP performance standards, and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act.
“We will continue to take necessary action to protect BizTech students, and all students in Ontario, from disreputable practices to ensure their hard-earned money is providing them a world class education that prepares them for successful career,” Giacoboni said.
Dharna is still fighting the issue in the courts.
“The legal battle continues, we’ve gone to what they call a licensing tribunal but my lawyer is not very hopeful that it will result in a win, we’ll see.”
“The whole thing is devastating,” Sodhi added. “From what we know Accreditation Canada is actually willing to work with BizTech and they’re ready to reassess the program, if we have that option, why are we being denied that option?”
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