August 4, 2023

The Métis Nation British Columbia is exploring a new Métis postsecondary institution model, as well as opportunities to strengthen the Michif language, supported by a new $1.65M investment over the next three years from the Government of British Columbia. “We know how important language is to the preservation of culture and the exploration of a new Métis post-secondary institution model is one important way we can help support these efforts,” commented BC Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin. An additional $145K will go toward expanding financial supports for Métis postsecondary students.

Fanshawe College’s Corporate Training Solutions (CTS) has received a $1.3M investment from the Government of Ontario for free pre-apprenticeship programs in Carpentry, Welding, and Automotive Service Technicians. The program targets individuals who may not have had the opportunity to pursue education in the trades and who are from equity-deserving, underrepresented, or vulnerable populations. The programs will include 18 weeks of hands-on training to prepare students to become a Level 1 certified apprentice; after achieving this certification, students will complete a 12-week paid work placement in their trade. Fanshawe has issued a call for employers who may be interested in providing a work placement.

The Government of Manitoba has made a $3.3M investment into the delivery of new and enhanced programs in rural and northern communities. The University College of the North will receive $381K to add new seats to two information technology programs, as well as $1M to further strengthen capacity for workforce development in the north. Assiniboine Community College has received $1.6M to support the creation of a Mechatronics Engineering Technology diploma program starting in Fall 2024. “It’s a critical program to support industrial automation and help the sectors be competitive.” ACC also received $335.9K to expand its Horticulture Production program in Dauphin.

Mount Allison University and the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) have partnered to offer diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training through the See Different program to all student residence leaders. Student residence leaders will learn how to create a welcoming, inclusive environment that celebrates diversity. “This partnership will help us provide more accessible resources and tools for our student leaders in residence and prepare them to navigate complex issues within the DEI space,” said MtA director of student experience Danai Bélanger. MtA says that it is the first academic institution to participate in the program.

Capilano University and MoveUP have officially ratified a three-year agreement under the Government of British Columbia’s Shared Recovery Mandate. The agreement includes general wage increases, a negotiable flexibility allocation, a $300 annual wellness spending account, additional funding for the support staff innovation fund, Indigenous cultural leave, and an expanded definition for bereavement leave. MoveUP’s membership was strongly in favour of the terms reached by the university and the union, with 97% voting in favour of accepting the deal.

A recent report by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) examines student experiences of work-integrated learning during the 2020-21 academic year. Given the growing prevalence of online WIL, the researchers examined the experiences of students who participated in remote and hybrid experiences in the report. They found that remote WIL offered benefits such as flexibility for students and broader recruitment pools for employers, but it came with challenges such as difficulty networking and communicating. They also evaluated student experiences and rates of satisfaction through the lens of identity to better understand the experience of underrepresented groups. The researchers found statistically significant disparities in satisfaction between gender, disability status, and immigrant status groups. Looking to the future, the researchers call for system-wide data collection on WIL to support deeper analysis.

The University of Manitoba has announced that it will be expanding its health care training and constructing a new building at the Bannatyne Campus to accommodate these students. UManitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine will add 15 seats to its undergraduate medical education program this fall and an additional 15 seats in 2024. Other programs receiving increased seats include the International Medical Graduate program and the Bachelor of Respiratory Therapy (RT) program. At its Bannatyne Campus, UManitoba will be constructing a training space that will house classrooms, simulation labs, a theatre, the new Ongomiizwin — Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing dental clinic, and a childcare centre. It has received a $40M commitment from the Government of Manitoba in support of these projects.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University is launching a new Bachelor of Arts in Human Behaviour and Applied Psychology program. Students in this degree program will learn how to apply psychological concepts to fields such as design, business, marketing, and human resources. The program will include transferable research skills and a workplace practicum in which students will gain the opportunity to apply psychology outside the classroom. “We’re really excited about the possibilities this degree provides students,” said KPU Psychology Instructor Dr Kristie Dukewich. “Students will gain skills and experience that can launch them into the workforce directly after graduation.”

The University of Toronto’s Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM) and FACIT have launched a partnership to commercialize AI innovations and support the next generation of Ontario’s biotechnology companies. The MOU outlines principles that will guide the partnership as it seeks to accelerate the benefits of AI research to benefit patients with cancer. The partners will work together on periodic reviews of T-CAIREM’s novel intellectual property to identify areas for investment, clinical trial engagement, and pilot deployment. FACIT will also guide T-CAIREM scientists on research, market pull strategies, and AI company building; and T-CAIREM scientists will be able to apply for venture seed funding through FACIT’s Compass Rose Oncology Fund.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness has been renewed for another five years, thanks to a $1.25M commitment from the Royal University Hospital Foundation. The chair was initially established through a partnership with the foundation and Cameco and is still held by the inaugural chair Dr Alexandra King. “Inaugurating the Cameco Chair clearly had the potential to be something unique, to be a flagship where wise and promising practices in Indigenous health and wellness research could be birthed and nurtured,” said King. “We have been able to privilege wholistic approaches to research that are grounded in healing and wellness and relationships, and to advocate for and create system-level changes.”