New private college in Yellowknife says it will help the North — but its critics aren't sold

A new Yellowknife-based private college that's promising "transformational learning" for northerners has run into some roadblocks to accreditation, and critics say it's not clear what kind of programming it's offering or to whom.

The N.W.T. government formally rejected the College of Northern Canada's application to offer diplomas in global tourism management and global logistics, according to Chehrazade Aboukinane, the college's president. The college is still operating and offering non-accredited courses. 

In an interview with CBC, executives of the college defended the programming they want to offer and hailed it as a new education model that aims to help Indigenous people from remote communities. 

However, the college's tuition fees aren't public, it isn't eligible for student financial aid, and few details exist on the website for the college itself. A drop-down menu shows several courses with no description. Instead, applicants are instructed to call "an advisor."

Despite its diploma programs being denied by the N.W.T.'s Department of Environment, Culture and Education (ECE), the college is still offering other training: a logistics pathways program that welcomed a cohort of students at the beginning of May.

Louis Blais, vice president of business development and marketing for the college, said the program grants a Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation (CITT)-Certified Logistics Professional (CCLP) designation.

"It's a great way to unlock access to a lot of great-paying careers and jobs in logistics because, as we all know, in northern Canada and especially in the territories, logistics is a very, very in-demand job," Blais said. 

CITT's website lists several trucking organizations as industry partners. 

Shaun Murray, a regional manager for Det'on Cho Landtran Transport, a trucking company in Yellowknife, told CBC he'd never heard of the CCLP designation. He said work experience is really what matters. 

Pina Melchionna, president and CEO of CITT, who is also listed on the college's website as faculty, said the course's mandate isn't for truck drivers specifically — it's more focused on office jobs. 

Blais said the school has about a dozen potential employers and companies willing to place students who go through the program, but declined to share that list with CBC. 

"No further information will be shared until after the grand opening," Blais wrote in an email, but didn't say when the grand opening would be.

As for the diplomas, college president Chehrazade Aboukinane said the college is still in discussions with ECE about the rejection and "there is little information" she can reveal.

CBC News reached out to Caitlin Cleveland, the N.W.T.'s education minister, about why the applications were rejected.  A department spokesperson responded by email.