March 31, 2026

Thompson Rivers University’s Board of Governors has reportedly approved two initiatives related to its Williams Lake campus: The launch of a two-year planning process to reimagine postsecondary education in the Williams Lake region and a consultation on the closure and disposal of the grounds and facilities at the campus. The institution has not made decisions to close programs or facilities at TRU Williams Lake and TRU President Airini emphasized that these “board decisions are about beginning a careful, consultative process—not making final decisions.” TRU stated that the loss of international student revenue means that it no longer has the flexibility to cross-subsidize its regional operations. Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor said that he was “devastated” by the possibility of the campus’s closure and that the city intends to fight any proposal of a closure.

Parties across the Ontario postsecondary sector shared their reactions to the Government of Ontario’s 2026 budget last week. Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario’s Universities each welcomed the budget, with Colleges Ontario noting the budget’s alignment with their pre-budget submissions to the province. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce welcomed the measures related to postsecondary education, research, and training, but called for ON to create a long-term talent strategy and build stronger employer-informed training pathways. The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said that the budget “neglected” the ON postsecondary sector, citing the province’s lagging per-domestic student funding and updated OSAP formula.

Simon Fraser University and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand have created a new master’s pathway in speech language pathology. The pathway will allow graduates of SFU’s Certificate in the Linguistics of Speech Science to apply directly to the University of Canterbury’s Master of Speech and Language Pathology (MSLP) Program. The University of Canterbury will guarantee a limited number of seats and a 10% tuition fee reduction for SFU undergraduates. SFU Linguistics Department Chair Panos Pappas explained that acceptance to MSLP programs in Canada is highly competitive, and that this partnership provides more certainty for learners seeking further studies.

Niagara College has received $3M from the estate of Norris Walker in support of its new Health Education building on its Welland campus. When the building opens in 2027, it will enable Niagara to grow its educational offerings in applied health and offer more community services through initiatives like its expanded community dental clinic. In recognition of the gift, the main student and community gathering space in the building will be named “the Norris Walker Family Community courtyard.” The gift, combined with a previously announced $4M donation from the estate, is the largest legacy gift in the college’s history.

The University of Calgary has received a new $2M investment from Cenovus Energy in support of experiential education and industry-ready learning. The funds will support two dedicated spaces on campus—the Cenovus Energy Chemical Makerspace and the Cenovus Energy Trading and Finance Lab—that are intentionally designed to support student hands-on learning. “We rely on bright young minds from schools like the University of Calgary to fuel our long-term success, both as a company and an industry,” said Cenovus Executive VP of Corporate Development Jeff Lawson. “Opportunities where students can apply theory in a meaningful way give them practical insight before entering the workforce.”

Memorial University Students’ Union is set to vote on whether the student-run campus radio station CHMR will continue to receive funding. The union says that the move was made in response to its $300K deficit in 2024. “[W]e inherited a very significant deficit, and it’s very clear that in order for us to maintain the services that we do have, we need to have an honest assessment about what we do provide as a student union,” explained MUNSU Director of External Affairs Nathan Gillingham. CHMR Station Manager Rhea Rollmann said that the move came as a surprise to the station’s team, but that she plans to investigate alternative fundraising methods that have seen success at other student radio stations.

Red Deer Polytechnic and ILAC Education Group have launched a new partnership called ILAC@RDP. Through this partnership, ILAC will offer its English as a Second Language pathway on RDP’s campus. Learners who enrol in the pathway will be able to seamlessly continue into an academic program at the polytechnic. “By welcoming ILAC’s proven academic preparation and ESL pathway to RDP, we are creating a seamless, supportive transition into our programs and creating a new international recruitment stream for potential students,” explained RDP President Stuart Cullum.

Several postsecondary institutions in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario are considering tuition hikes. In AB, NAIT and the University of Alberta have approved 2% tuition increases for domestic students for Fall 2026. Both institutions are also reportedly seeking exceptional tuition increase adjustments for select programs. In MB, University of Manitoba President Michael Benarroch says that he anticipates the university will increase tuition by 4%. In light of ON’s tuition freeze removal, institutions such as Algoma University and Cambrian College have also announced a 2% tuition increase.

Bishop’s University and Desjardins Group have renewed their partnership for the next three years. As a part of the partnership, Desjardins will continue to support a variety of initiatives, including an internship grant program for students interested in working at Desjardins member businesses in the Greater Sherbrooke area, the Desjardins Amazing Student community engagement award, and exam care packages. Bishop’s Principal Dr Sébastien Lebel-Grenier explained that the partnership “strengthens our capacity to provide students with meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.”

Providence University College has unveiled new branding for its Providence Pilots athletics brand, which includes a new logo, typography, and other visual elements. The new logo replaces the former human pilot image with a front-facing image of Providence’s mascot Otto the Otter Pilot, which the university says also creates a stronger connection to the town of Otterburne. Beyond the central logo, a new typography was used to style the Pilots name, and an ice blue border was added to accent the design. Providence Director of Athletics Joel Coursey explained that the rebrand is not just a new look, but about “building a visual identity that better represents our entire Providence community.” Providence says that the rebrand will occur in phases across the university’s various branded elements.