October 8, 2026

St Mary’s University has celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of its Building for Purpose fundraising campaign with a $15M investment toward the development of St Mary’s first on-campus athletics facility and a student residence. The MARTINDOME athletics centre will have two full-size basketball courts and will serve as a home for the Lightning Athletics program. The Father Lacombe Care Centre will also be transformed into a residence for 100 students. St Mary’s has also committed $1.8M of Phase 1 funds to scholarships and bursaries. The next phase will focus on a new Academic Hall for the university.

The Government of Ontario has referred its concerns about OSAP use at private colleges to the Ontario Provincial Police. ON Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn explained that the ministry is continuing to investigate the matter with support from KPMG and that it has paused all OSAP payments associated with private postsecondary institutions. Quinn noted that stricter criteria will be created for determining private postsecondary institutions’ OSAP eligibility. To continue to support students at private institutions, ON is in discussions with financial institutions to facilitate low-interest, third-party loans as an alternative to OSAP.

Mount Saint Vincent University has launched a new Master of Science in Natural Sciences program. This thesis-based program will prepare students who have a background in science for further education at the doctoral level and/or careers in research, government, healthcare, and more. It follows an interdisciplinary approach that will enable students to investigate questions that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and explore topics from across scientific approaches and fields of study. They also will learn about research methods that foster equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

The University of Saskatchewan has partnered with Siemens, Microchip Technology Canada, and Mitacs on an initiative that will build SK’s tech sector. This partnership brings together academia, industry, and government-supported innovation to provide training opportunities for Canada’s future semiconductor workforce. It includes hands-on opportunities for students, tools and mentorship, and industry engagement. Two new USask electrical engineering graduate classes will include hands-on learning opportunities with experts from Siemens and Microchip Technology Canada, supported by Mitacs funding.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research’s recent recommendations on EDI are flawed, argue Lorry-Ann Austin (Thompson Rivers University) and Alana Hoare (TRU). Austin and Hoare write that the recommendations rest on a flawed assumption that research excellence and social conditions can be separated, when in reality universities are not neutral meritocracies, as various factors influence educational achievement. The authors highlight several contradictions in the Standing Committee’s recommendations, such as an endorsing the removal of EDI from funding decisions while noting flaws in the traditional ways of measuring merit and excellence which use a single characteristic. “Rather than lowering standards, EDI asks universities to broaden their understanding of where excellence can be found and how it can flourish,” conclude the authors.

A defamation lawsuit filed by former University of British Columbia professor Steven Galloway is before the BC Supreme Court this week. CTV News reports that the case stems from accusations made in late 2015 against Galloway by a UBC creative writing student, which resulted in Galloway’s dismissal from the university. Galloway sued multiple people in 2018, alleging that he was defamed with false sexual assault allegations by fellow professors, a former student, and others. The Canadian Press states that Galloway seeks to calculate damages against the defendants.

Concordia University, the Université du Québec à Montréal, and the Université de Sherbrooke have each recently launched philanthropic campaigns. Concordia and USherbrooke have each launched 2026 Centraide campaigns to raise funds for Centraide, which supports organizations that address poverty, food insecurity, and social isolation. As part of the campaign, Concordia is holding prize draws for payroll deduction donors. UQAM has launched Nourrir les ambitions, an institutional philanthropy campaign aiming to raise $200K to support student success. Funds will go toward the Student Assistant Fund, which offers support to students facing an unforeseen financial or personal challenge.

As the University of Prince Edward Island prepares to develop a sustainable budget for 2027–28, it has asked faculties and administrative units to support additional planning efforts. These units have been asked to review their operations and identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve processes, and increase revenues where appropriate. “Our objective is broader than balancing a single year’s budget,” stated the UPEI President’s Council. “It is to ensure that UPEI can continue to invest in academic quality, student experience, research, as well as the people and programs central to our mission.”

Brock University and the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (PAC) have renewed their partnership providing access to PAC facilities through a new five-year agreement. Students in Brock’s Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts will continue to use PAC’s Recital Hall and Film House. “Attending masterclasses in the Recital Hall and practising on the same stage that we perform concerts on is very meaningful,” said Brock student Laurie Eddy. “Learning in a professional setting trains you for the performance environment […] it’s not something you can get a true feel for in a small studio.”

HEC Montréal has created the Research Chair in Aging, Technostress and Digital Vulnerability. This chair will be held by HEC Montréal Professor Stefan Tams, who will consider how digital technology use impacts aging individuals. The chair’s research objectives focus on aging and technology use, technostress, and digital vulnerability. It has a particular focus on how technostress and digital vulnerability can appear in situations that rely on technology, such as work, services, and social interactions.