April 17, 2023

Conestoga College has officially announced that it will be opening a new, full-service campus in downtown Guelph. The campus will be located in a renovated downtown office building, which will provide students and staff with access to amenities downtown. The college is exploring options such as having academic space on the first floors of the building and student housing on the upper floors. Conestoga President John Tibbits said that the college expects to spend $90M on renovations as it prepares to open the new campus for the Fall semester in 2025. Tibbits said that the campus will offer programs in areas such as information technology, creative industries, social service, and business.

A group of five football players from Simon Fraser University have filed an injunction in the Supreme Court of British Columbia for the reinstatement of SFU’s varsity football program. The players have reportedly also made a separate civil claim alleging that the university broke its contracts with them by terminating the program. Around 20 players recently gathered at the Vancouver Law Courts to support the five named in the lawsuit. While the injunction will go to court in early May, SFU Football Alumni Association President Mark Bailey and lawyer Peter Gall hope that the university will reverse its decision before then. “It’s more about us moving forward and having ongoing conversation[s] to get to where we need to be,” said Bailey. “If we didn’t file this, I don’t know if we can get there.”

Concordia University has announced the PLAN/NET ZERØ initiative, which seeks to demonstrate “how large institutions can work with diverse partners to target net-zero emissions now.” Concordia aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2040 and will use its two Montréal campuses as “open living labs.” “With 80 buildings across 62 acres on two very different campuses, Concordia offers a unique space to develop and test innovative, integrated, scalable decarbonization solutions that can be blueprints for cities around the world,” explained Concordia President Graham Carr.

The University of Prince Edward Island and the UPEI Faculty Association (UPEI FA) reached a tentative Collective Agreement on Friday. CTV News reports that faculty members took to the picket line on March 20th after months of failed negotiations, and UPEI and UPEIFA met earlier this month with a mediator. “Once the agreement is ratified, this means that the UPEI FA strike will end, faculty will return to work, and classes will resume on Monday, April 17, 2023, subject to approval by the university Senate,” stated UPEI in a release. The senate held an emergency meeting to finalize a return-to-class plan.

23 postsecondary institutions across Alberta will be expanding and continuing programming in critical areas, thanks to $193M from the Government of Alberta’s Targeted Enrolment Expansion (TEE) Grant. The grant, which draws on funds from AB’s Budget 2023, includes $86M for healthcare training programs, $83M to support existing programs, $10M over three years to create spots in programs such as business and technology. It also includes $6M to add seats to Mount Royal University’s Bachelor of Aviation Management program and $3.6M over three years in “Tech Talent” funding across five schools.

The University of British Columbia has opened a new carbon-minimal building called Third Space Commons, which was designed and built by a student team. Third Space Commons, which will be used as a sustainability living lab and a flexible collaboration space, was designed to emit nearly zero carbon emissions during construction. The team focused on reusing materials, sourcing low-embodied carbon materials, and opting for materials and construction techniques that lowered or captured carbon emissions. Civil engineering student and engineering lead Agustina Flores Pitton said that the building can also be an example for the construction industry. “I think that if students can do it, with obviously a lot of partnerships and support along the way, then the industry for sure can accomplish something similar,” said Flores Pitton.

The Government of Canada and Government of Switzerland have signed a joint statement focused on science, technology, and innovation research partnerships. Under the partnership, Canada and Switzerland will foster greater research ties; facilitate greater access to technology, markets, and talent; and build linkages between academia, industry, and government. “The cooperation between Switzerland and Canada in the fields of science, technology and innovation is a testament to the strength of the relationship and shared values between our two countries,” said Switzerland Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin. “[I]t shows what can be accomplished when two nations work toward a common goal.”

Trent University’s Trent Community Research Centre (TCRC) has received a $1.2M gift that will support community-based research. The four-year commitment—made by an anonymous donor—will be used for student and employer training, hands-on learning opportunities, primary research, and research-related travel and expenses for students. “Thanks to this generous donation, even more students will become engaged in local causes that fuel their passions, and in many cases, shape the trajectory of their life and career,” said Trent Careerspace Director Kevin Whitmore. “Community-based research showcases the power of collaborative learning and the value of work-integrated opportunities for students to make a positive difference in their community.”

Red River College Polytechnic recently celebrated Manitoba’s inaugural Turban Day with an event that focused on answering questions and inviting non-Sikh individuals to connect with the culture. The event was organized by RRC Polytech’s student association and included a photobooth, refreshments, and a turban tying station where attendees could experience the turban tying process, ask questions, and wear the turban for the day. RRC Polytech academic equity, diversity and inclusion co-ordinator Lauren Dominici said that these kinds of events help fight prejudice. “When we know our differences and we know how to support one another, then really we have a community that is strong.”

College of the Rockies has announced that it will be transferring its colony of feral cats to the Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS), which is located in Richmond, BC. COTR says that the cat sanctuary is Canada’s largest and best equipped, and that the 14 cats would be joining a colony of around 400 cats in a safe, secure, and clean environment in a more moderate climate. “We are very grateful to RAPS for offering EKCares and the College an option for housing the feral cats,” said COTR President Paul Vogt. “After speaking with their CEO and learning about their facilities and standards of care, we truly believe that the cats will be happy and healthy in this potential new home.”