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John Harris
Business News
Toronto’s Harris Institute to Close After Nearly 40 Years: ‘We’ve Had a Good Run’
The long-running music school's decision is reportedly a result of the provincial government's changes to post-secondary education, including visa restrictions for international students and the elimination of grants for private college students.
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In December, Toronto’s Harris Institute close its doors. The Canadian music education institution, located at 118 Sherbourne Street, will cease operations after 37 years.
According to the organization, the decision follows major changes to the Ontario government’s post-secondary education plans, including the restriction of student visas for private colleges, the Ontario Student Assistance Program’s (OSAP) freeze on student loan payments and the elimination of grants for private college students.
Founded in 1989 by its namesake, John Harris, the centre has become a well-known Canadian institution for its specialized programs focusing on music production, arts management and entertainment business education.
“We’ve had a good run and now it’s time to celebrate,” Harris writes in the institution’s official closing announcement. “We have made a difference in people’s lives and helped to build a bigger and better music industry in Canada."
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Throughout its nearly 40-year run, the college has curated hands-on programs in partnership with global post-secondary institutions, including the International Fund for Ireland, the University of the West of Scotland, Moscow International Film School and Edinburgh Napier University, among others.
In 2017, international students attended from 19 countries, including Japan, France, England, Bermuda, Korea, Tanzania, Cuba, Scotland, Spain, Brazil, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Mexico, Iran, India, Jordan, Colombia, China and Nigeria.
Many of its graduates have established successful careers across the music and entertainment industry, including Sony Music Publishing's Mishelle Pack, Eric Ratz, Matt Snell, Bernie Breen, Jamie Appleby, Jamie Porter, Merilee Yortson and, perhaps most notably, Henry Walter, known professionally as Cirkut.
Multiple alumni have earned the industry's highest honours, including Grammy and Juno awards.
Earlier this year, Cirkut won producer of the year at both of those major award shows, becoming the second-ever artist to achieve that feat, following David Foster. The Halifax-born hitmaker is known for the global Rosé and Bruno Mars hit “APT,” and his work with Lady Gaga, The Weeknd and Charli XCX, among others.
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“I'm proud to be Canadian. I think I put a little bit of that into everything I do,” he told Billboard Canada at the time of the feat, mentioning the Harris Institute as part of his Toronto upbringing in the music industry.
While the organization will be winding down operations in a couple of months, Harris is looking back on the institution’s nearly four decades with fondness: "I got to work with extraordinary people until I was almost 80, and it doesn’t get better than that," he says.
For alumni, faculty, staff and friends who want to commemorate and celebrate the college’s history, an invite-only event is being planned for Feb. 20, 2027. Short quotes and memories are encouraged and will be included in a Book of Memories to be published on the day of the event and those interested are invited by Harris to RSVP via this email.
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