Conestoga offers sneak peak of new Stratford campus at Brch & Wyn breakfast

Conestoga College construction services project manager Andrew Vanner is leading the renovations for the college’s new Stratford campus. "We're excited because we can show off what we're building for everybody," he said at the Conestoga Stratford breakfast on Feb. 6 at Brch & Wyn.

Conestoga College offered a glimpse of what its new Stratford campus will look like during a breakfast at Brch & Wyn on Feb. 6.

Conestoga’s Stratford campus, which will continue to offer its personal support worker (PSW) program and academic upgrading, will move to 60 Erie St. The 22,700 square foot building will host hundreds of students enrolled in the new programs offered at Stratford campus starting in September 2025. Those programs include:

• General Arts and Science – Diploma

• Media Foundations

• Office Administration – General

• Health Office Administration

• Early Childhood Education

• Payroll and Bookkeeping (optional co-op)

• Business – Marketing

The Stratford campus will also offer event management and other programs starting in January 2026.

Brch & Wyn was filled with many local leader from throughout Stratford and the surrounding area including Mayor Martin Ritsma as well as leaders from organizations such as the Downtown Stratford Business Improvement Area (BIA), the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance and the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.

Paula Gouveia, academic vice president at Conestoga, said the enthusiasm for the event began the moment it was suggested. The campus will provide networking opportunities for Stratford stakeholders and prospective students, and give Stratford and area residents a chance to study closer to home.

“There's lots of excitement in the room and … we're hearing this morning and that this is allowing students to start in Stratford then stay in Stratford,” Gouveia said.

Andrew Vanner, who is construction services project manager at Conestoga College, said the campus will have four typical classrooms, a student lounge, testing sector, staff space and a bed lab for PSW students with six beds.

"You might have 200, 300 or 400 students at any given time,” Vanner said.

Conestoga will welcome guests to Stratford city hall for a Stratford Site Preview between 2 and 3:30 p.m. March 1. The event will show the renderings of the new campus and similar events will be held on the same day at at Conestoga College’s other campuses.

“It will feel like an open house because our faculty will be there,” Gouveia said. “So, prospective students can come and ask them questions about what's the curriculum like, what are the courses, where would I do a field placement if I were to do that? So, it helps students to imagine who they're going to learn with, where they're going to learn and how successful will they be."

More information can be found online by visiting www.conestogac.on.ca/about/campuses-and-locations/stratford.