For general inquiries contact:

T: (905) 262 – 1239 ext. 200
E: willowbank@willowbank.ca

For inquiries about the academic program contact:

T: (905) 262 – 1239 ext. 200
E: willowbank@willowbank.ca

In-person or mailing address:

14487 Niagara Parkway 
PO Box 212
Queenston, Ontario, L0S 1L0

General Questions

What are the start and end dates of the academic year?

The Program runs from September to April each year.

When is the deadline for applications?

Normally we have rolling admissions, so we accept applications throughout the year for the next available start  however there is a pause in enrollment for 2023 and therefore applications will be open in the new year for the 2024-25 first year cohort.

What degree is awarded and where or how is the degree accredited?

A Diploma in Heritage Conservation is awarded. We are registered with the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) as a Career College, ID 103175.

The Diploma is a graduate degree, not a professional certificate.

What is my title after graduating with a Diploma in Heritage Conservation?

Graduates are Heritage Professionals. Students are encouraged to become members of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP).

How do I arrange a campus tour?

Anyone who is interested in the school should contact willowbank@willowbank.ca / 905.262.1239 X 200 to schedule a visit, anytime during the year. 

Do I need a particular background or undergrad degree in order to attend Willowbank?

No. There are no prerequisites to attending Willowbank. One of the great things about our students is the vast diversity of their backgrounds – some have worked in the heritage field and some have worked in a totally unrelated field; some are changing careers later in life and some are recent graduates. This creates a rich variety of perspective within any given class.

What type of employment can a student expect after graduation?

96% of our graduates go on to employment within the heritage field. Our graduates go on to be city planners, heritage consultants/advisors, heritage carpenters and masons, heritage conservators, and entrepreneurs, to name just a few options.

What is the 3rd year of the program or ‘3rd year placement’?

3rd year is designed as a transition year in which students ‘choose their own adventure’. 3rd year students are on campus for three weeks of class in September prior to their 6th month internship/apprenticeship/project/employment and they return in March for a further three weeks before graduation.

Third year students, with the support of the Education Coordinator, are encouraged to seek out opportunities in their particular areas of interest, which may or may not be what they decide to pursue after graduation. Our network of faculty associates and alumni are a huge asset in securing 3rd year placement as well as employment after grad.

What kind of accommodations/transit are available in the area?

The Willowbank campus is located in Queenston, Ontario. Transit hubs are located in nearby Niagara Falls and St. Catharine’s but there is no direct transit route to Willowbank. Students are encouraged to have their own transportation.

We do not currently offer on-campus housing, but we expect to have facilities ready by 2021. In the meantime, there is accommodation available in the neighbourhoods near Willowbank. The Education Coordinator will assist you in finding accommodation – contact willowbank@willowbank.ca for more information.

What forms of financial aid are available?

Please see our Fees & Financial Aid page.

What are Willowbank’s official values and mission?

Willowbank’s Mission:

Willowbank mission as an innovative institution is to shape new approaches to the stewardship of historic places and sustainable communities through a model balancing the theoretical and practical.  Its multi-disciplinary, experiential curriculum educates a new generation of leaders in the field of heritage conservation who are able to understand complex challenges across disciplines, from design firms to skilled trades to community development.

 

Willowbank’s Values:

  1. We are leading edge.
  2. We believe in ecology and embrace complexity.
  3. We appreciate everyone’s place in the past.
  4. We evolve and adapt.
  5. We are independently minded.

 

Willowbank’s Legal Mandates:

  • Not-for-Profit Provincial Corporation
  • National Historic Site
  • Charitable Tax Status
  • Ontario Heritage Trust property
  • Career College
  • Canadian Host of the International Network of Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism