August 22, 2025

The Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery has announced a nationwide initiative called Advancing Access and Skills Training for Green Buildings and Retrofits, which will support Canada’s low-carbon transition. The initiative consists of training programs—accessible through Quick Train Canada and delivered at 13 C2R2 member institutions—which are supported with federal funding from the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program until 2028. C2R2 says that 4,320 participants are expected to complete programs in their areas of focus, which include carpenters, electricians, and HVAC technicians. “[T]his investment from the Government of Canada is an important step forward in continuing to prepare our workforce for a sustainable future,” said Mohawk College President Paul Armstrong.

Concordia University’s School of Graduate Studies has announced the integrated paths initiative, which will allow undergraduate students to complete graduate-level courses during their undergraduate studies. Students will be able to replace undergraduate courses with dual-credit graduate-level courses that count towards both degrees. This initiative will save students money and time by shortening the path to completing graduate studies. Students who begin an integrated path are not required to complete it, and they are not guaranteed acceptance into a graduate program. The integrated path is offered by 12 Concordia programs, with plans to develop and roll out more in the future.

Nearly half of postsecondary students were feeling uncertain about their ability to cover their expenses this fall, according to a new poll by CIBC. The poll of 500 postsecondary students aged 18-25 from across Canada revealed that while many students were planning to work and take out student loans, nearly half felt too financially dependent on their parents. To manage their budgets, students reported using four key strategies: cutting spending, reducing discretionary spending, lowering living costs, and reducing education costs. Students also said they believed that postsecondary institutions have an obligation to educate students in financial matters, with 67% believing that their institution should offer personal finance courses.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has partnered with GEC Living to provide incentives to KPU students who choose to rent one of the company’s properties. Students will receive a month of free rent and prioritized access to GEC Living rentals near KPU Richmond. These properties are furnished; conveniently located; and include internet, housekeeping, utilities, and on-site staff. KPU said that KPU Surrey students will also benefit from this partnership upon completion of GEC Living’s Surrey Central property. “Finding safe and reliable housing can be challenging for students, especially if they’re new to the area,” said KPU Vice President, Students Zena Mitchell. “[W]e’re hoping to help ease that challenge by expanding the options available to our students.”

The University of Manitoba has filed a statement of defence denying responsibility for a 2024 assault of a student in a dorm and asking the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench to dismiss a lawsuit from the now-former student. “The university states that if the plaintiff has suffered loss or damages, which is denied, such loss or damages were not caused by the university but was caused in whole or in part by the plaintiff failing to ensure the door to her room at the premises was locked, such that the perpetrator was able to gain access to her room,” reads the filing. CBC reports that the statement of defence seeks dismissal with costs and denies that the university “owes a duty of care or a fiduciary to the plaintiff.”

Collège Lionel‑Groulx has officially inaugurated a new wing that will provide space for the college’s growing student population. The Louise-Harel wing is named in honour of politician and former Séminaire de Sainte-Thérèse student Louise Harel. It includes 29 classrooms and a dining area. The expansion is part of the college’s real estate plan, which aims to support student growth and foster success in a sustainable and modern environment. Over 90% of the building’s materials were either reused or recycled, and the facility’s design is in the process of obtaining LEED Silver certification.

As AI tool use spreads in classrooms, institutions must safeguard human presence by embedding empathy into AI systems, empowering educators as emotional anchors, and designing hybrid models that sustain connection, argues Michael Edmondson (New Jersey Institute of Technology). Citing research on emotionally intelligent AI that can detect stress and respond with supportive feedback, Edmondson argues that over-reliance on automation risks eroding student agency and calls for intentional design to ensure technology amplifies, rather than replaces, human presence in learning. “By embedding empathy into AI systems, empowering educators as emotional anchors, and developing hybrid models centered on authentic connection, institutions ensure AI amplifies rather than replaces the essential human dimension of education,” Edmondson concludes.

Université Sainte-Anne has received over $845K in joint federal and provincial funding to strengthen Nova Scotia’s early childhood education sector. The funding will provide full scholarships for 30 students entering the Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma program and support 15 individuals completing Level I classification training in 2025–26. Additional funds will advance a recognition of prior learning project. Two further initiatives will focus on mental health, diversity, special needs training, and promoting the ECE profession within Francophone communities.

In an opinion piece for the Hamilton Spectator, McMaster University Director of the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology Brian Baetz argues that Canada’s overlapping challenges—climate change, housing affordability, and health system strain—are an opportunity to reimagine nation-building with engineers as civic partners. He calls for cross-sector collaboration that centres communities and Indigenous leadership, and for a broader definition of resilience—one that goes beyond traditional engineering definitions of “withstanding stress,” to include adaptability, inclusivity, and foresight. “Canada’s future will not be built by engineers alone, nor by politicians or entrepreneurs in isolation,” Baetz writes. “It will be built by communities coming together to solve problems that matter.”

Cégep de Rosemont has launched a new outdoor learning space funded by the Fondation Cégep de Rosemont. The space contains sit and stand tables forming a crescent around a central instruction space with a weather-protected whiteboard at the front. Students will have access to the cégep’s wireless internet while learning. The landscaping surrounding the space includes mature trees and shrubs for shade. The cégep said that learning in a natural environment improves concentration, reduces stress, motivates students, and decreases absenteeism.