September 16, 2025

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at the University of Manitoba is receiving $20M from the Government of Manitoba to build a permanent home. This new facility—located on land gifted by UManitoba—will be what MB Premier Wab Kinew calls an “international learning lodge” that includes exhibits, ceremonial spaces, and places for educational programming and research. It will also house documents related to the residential school system. “With this support, we will be able to build a space that honours survivors, protects their truths, and welcomes people from across Canada to learn and walk the path of reconciliation,” said NTCR Executive Director Stephanie Scott.

Humber Polytechnic will be launching its first master’s program, a Master of Engineering in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering that will start in Fall 2026. This program is designed to address skills gaps in Ontario and drive the province’s productivity and economy. Students will complete two years of study, including research and scholarly activities that address industry challenges and an Applied Research Industry Project. Their education will prepare them to work within the ON manufacturing sector. “In today’s global climate where trade tensions and tariffs are reshaping supply chains, we must invest in building and keeping our manufacturing capacity here at home,” said Humber President Ann Marie Vaughan.

Simon Fraser University recently celebrated the grand opening of its First Peoples’ Gathering House. This longhouse offers Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and communities a space to connect and practice cultural traditions. The $25M longhouse was designed through collaboration with the four host First Nations—xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem)—and includes a Great Hall with house posts carved by each host First Nation overlooking it. “This is a place where our Indigenous students, faculty and staff can come and rejuvenate their spirit and connect with each other in ways that we haven’t been able to thus far,” said SFU Indigenous Executive Lead Chris (Syeta’xtn) Lewis.

Canada’s higher education system needs a fundamental shift if the country is to address its productivity crisis, argue David Finch (Mount Royal University and University of Calgary) and Joseph Marchand (University of Alberta). Despite high levels of postsecondary attainment and investment, Finch and Marchand state that Canada continues to lag in addressing issues related to productivity, graduate underemployment, and key competencies such as adaptability and literacy. The authors thus call for a move from Canada’s single-stage PSE model to a lifelong, open learning system that embraces diverse learning pathways. Central to this shift, according to Finch and Marchand, is “unbundling” learning and credentialing in order to enable learners to follow flexible, self-directed paths while having their skills assessed by independent, government-backed bodies.

Union negotiations continue across the country. At Assiniboine College, college workers represented by MGEU Local 71 have ratified a three-year agreement that includes general wage and benefit increases. At Dalhousie University, Global News reports that the faculty lockout is entering its fourth week. Talks resumed on Friday with a conciliator, and the employer and union members say that there has been progress at the bargaining table. Ontario college staff represented by OPSEU also remain on strike with no negotiations currently planned, reports the Toronto Star. CTV News details the impact that the strike has had on events such as convocation and services such as day care.

The University of Calgary will recruit a new genitourinary cancer researcher, thanks to a $2M donation from the Prostate Cancer Centre and Remington Development. The new position—based at the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute in the Cumming School of Medicine—will focus on advancing diagnostics and treatment for prostate, bladder, kidney, and other genitourinary cancers. “It is so important to recognize that generous gifts like this help bring the best to Calgary and [accelerate] research to unlock new understandings and more effective diagnostics and treatments,” said UCalgary Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute Director Jennifer Chan. The new researcher is expected to begin in 2026.

Collège de Maisonneuve has inaugurated its newest building, Bloc F. The four-storey building is designed in keeping with sustainable development practices and LEED principles by reusing heat produced by laboratories, using high-performance glazing, and promoting biodiversity in the outdoor green spaces. Bloc F is connected to the college’s main facility by a footbridge and contains a mix of learning and office spaces, including computer labs, classrooms, and a help centre. Outside, near the green spaces, the college has installed a seed-shaped sculpture by artist Linda Covit called Brillance bleue. The project was supported by a $50M investment from the Government of Québec.

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law is launching an animal law program, which the university says is the first full program of its kind. Led by U of T Law Professor Angela Fernandez, the program will offer courses, fellowships, research opportunities, and advocacy outreach focused on animal law and policy. The program aims to support students pursuing diverse legal careers while raising awareness about animals’ legal status, personhood, and welfare. Stakeholders from the legal and animal advocacy communities have praised the initiative as a step toward broader recognition of animals’ rights under Canadian law. “It does […] feel like a long time coming,” said Fernandez.

The University of Lethbridge has launched the Centre for Feminist Research (CFR). The CFR will offer mentorship and experiential learning opportunities for students while supporting collaboration across disciplines and with external partners. “The Centre for Feminist Research is an opportunity to bring together an interdisciplinary group of world-class scholars and students from across campus who are committed to the study of women, gender and intersectional power structures with the goal of creating a more just society,” said ULethbridge Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Science Janay Nugent.

Capilano University has launched a six-day workshop to train Indigenous filmmakers in production management. Offered through the university’s Indigenous Digital Accelerator, the program equips participants to manage productions from script to post. “There remains a severe underrepresentation of Indigenous filmmakers working in below-the-line roles,” said CapU Director of the Bosa Centre for Film & Animation Doreen Manuel. “This training will help fill that gap.” The online program was designed to accommodate working professionals and is offered to participants at no cost through a partnership with REEL Canada. Participant Rachel CrowSpreadingWings of the Kainai First Nation called it “an opportunity to explore employment” and build networks for Indigenous storytellers.