Sep 11, 2026
When people think of restraining orders, they typically picture legal protections issued to keep individuals apart. In Ontario, however, the provincial government recently deployed the enforcement mechanism against a renowned arts institution.
The Superintendent of Career Colleges issued a restraining order against Randolph College for the Performing Arts, forcing the iconic Toronto school to immediately cease operating as a career college.
Advertisement
The regulatory action has sent shockwaves through Canada’s performing arts community, abruptly ending decades of triple-threat training in acting, singing and dancing.
Thanks for subscribing!
The best of Money.ca delivered weekly.
By signing up, you accept Money.ca Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.
The official particulars posted by the Government of Ontario cited severe contraventions under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.
A storied history in Canadian theatre
Founded in 1992 by George C. Randolph Jr., the Randolph College for the Performing Arts emerged as a pioneer in Canadian performing arts education. Located inside a historic former church building at 736 Bathurst St. in Toronto, the institution was established to offer rigorous, multi-disciplinary training for aspiring musical theatre performers.
Over the past three decades, the college carved out a reputation as a major talent incubator for Canadian stage and screen. Alumni went on to perform on Broadway, in major Toronto productions and in regional theatres across North America — some have even gone on to work in major film and television productions.
For generations of young performers, gaining admission to Randolph’s intensive programs was seen as a key gateway into the professional entertainment industry.
Must Read
- Are you paying too much for car insurance? Here are 3 clever ways to slash your monthly bill
- Here are 5 'must-haves' that Canadians constantly overpay for. How many of these are sabotaging your budget every single month?
- Here are the 5 biggest differences between rich and poor Canadians — which side do you fall on?
Join 19,000+ readers and get Money.ca’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
Operating without registration
Despite its prominent reputation, the institution ran into major regulatory hurdles earlier this year. According to provincial enforcement records, Randolph College’s official registration expired on Feb. 1, 2026.
Under provincial law, institutions offering vocational programs that charge more than $1,000 must maintain active registration with the Superintendent of Career Colleges.
Between Feb. 1 and Aug. 28, 2026, the school continued to operate, recruit students, advertise and collect tuition fees without active registration. The province highlighted that Randolph was charging $13,710 per academic year for its 101-week Performing Arts Program.
Advertisement
According to CP24, the Superintendent issued four specific directives under the restraining order:
- Immediately cease operating a career college.
- Immediately stop offering or delivering unapproved vocational programs.
- Immediately cease charging or collecting tuition fees.
- Discontinue all advertising and promotional materials related to unapproved programs.
The province has ordered Randolph College to submit a complete list of students enrolled since Feb. 1, 2026, and mandated that the institution refund all tuition fees collected after Jan. 31, 2026.
Fallout for students and the community
This sudden legal move leaves dozens of current and prospective students in limbo, as many had paid thousands of dollars in tuition fees for the upcoming academic session, assuming the school’s paperwork issues were administrative delays that would be quickly resolved.
While the restraining order prevents Randolph College from functioning as a certified vocational college, the province noted that the order does not restrict the business from carrying out other lawful business activities unrelated to its career college operations. However, the loss of career college status effectively shuts down its primary musical theatre diploma curriculum.
The closure marks the end of an era for Bathurst Street and leaves a significant void in Toronto’s independent arts training ecosystem.
You May Also Like
- This 7-step plan from Dave Ramsey is designed to help you ditch debt, save more and build wealth — here’s how it works
- Prioritize these 4 critical investments and watch your net worth skyrocket
- Here are 8 solid money moves that could free up real cash every month — here's where to start
- Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks. Here’s where their money is going
The most expensive financial mistakes are often the ones you don't see coming. Join 19,000+ Canadians who get the money moves, risks and opportunities shaping their finances — delivered free each week. Subscribe now.
Leslie Kennedy served as an editor at Thomson Reuters and for Star Media Group, followed by a number of years as a writer and editor and content manager in marketing communications, before returning to her editorial roots. She is a graduate of Humber College’s post-graduate journalism program and has been a professional writer and editor ever since.
