Northern universities close shop in central Ontario.

Laurentian University and Nipissing University are closing satellite campuses in Barrie and Bracebridge, respectively.

Laurentian's board of governors decided Feb. 12 that it will no longer offer its art and management and social work programs in Barrie by May 2019.

A Laurentian news release said the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities imposed a program moratorium and did not approve of Laurentian's expansion plans in Barrie.

"These are not winning conditions to attract and retain top university students and faculty in Barrie or to fuel creativity and innovation in the community we serve," said Michael Atkins, chair of the board of governors of Laurentian, in a news release.

"They do not allow us to be competitive or sustainable in Barrie. Mayor Jeff Lehman, who has been an exceptional champion for university expansion, knows that we have left no stone unturned to fulfill our shared vision."

Most of Laurentian's 696 students in Barrie will be able to complete their degrees by April 2019. The remaining 219 will be able to complete their degree through a combination of on-campus, online and distance education options.

The 23 faculty in Barrie will be offered positions in Sudbury. The services of 32 Laurentian part-time sessional will no longer be required by 2019.

North Bay's Nipissing University announced it was ending all academic programming on its Muskoka campus this summer. All academic programs will be consolidated on the North Bay campus for the 2016-17 academic year.

The Bracebridge campus closes on June 30.

Nipissing established a presence there in 1996 and moved to its current location, a 26,000-square-foot, $6.6-million...

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