June 11, 2025

HEC Montréal has released a set of guidelines to support students, faculty, and staff in the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). The guidelines are intended to encourage thoughtful, ethical use of the technology, rather than to restrict it. The document outlines core principles related to privacy and data protection, copyright and intellectual property, transparency, and equity of access. The university has also created separate guidelines for research settings, which emphasize transparency in disclosing GenAI use and accountability for the quality and compliance of generated content. HEC Montréal is also providing its entire community with access to Microsoft Copilot and has designated teams who will support community members with GenAI-related questions and tools.

Government of Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed that the federal government intends to establish a defence research bureau called the Bureau of Research, Engineering, and Advanced Leadership in Innovation and Science (BOREALIS). The announcement comes as part of Canada’s newly unveiled defence spending plan. The bureau is dedicated to cutting-edge research in “frontier technologies” such as AI and quantum computing, according to Global News. U15 Canada CEO Robert Asselin praised the creation of the bureau as an investment in research that will help strengthen Canada’s capacities, drive economic and social gains, and elevate Canada as a world-leading hub for research and innovation.

Government of Ontario MPP Ted Hsu recently spoke to the Kingston Whig-Standard about his concerns about Bill 33. Hsu asserted that the provincial government “broke postsecondary funding” and called the proposed bill a distraction from the province’s neglect of university funding. He further stated that decisions about what is essential on campus should be made by students. “The government might want to focus more attention than is merited on the student fee issue, just so that they have less people focused on the overall funding of the universities (in Ontario) which is low per student funding — the lowest of all provinces in the country,” said Hsu. “It’s a big problem that’s not being addressed properly.”

The Government of Canada has announced an expansion to the Canada Summer Jobs program, creating 6,000 new positions for youth. The investment seeks to respond to youth unemployment rates, which CBC says has increased from 10% in January 2023 to 14.2% in May 2025. To fund the creation of the new positions, Canada is reallocating $25M from Employment and Social Development Canada. Canada Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu said that the country is especially keen to help youth pursue the trades. University of Waterloo Youth & Innovation Project co-creator Ilona Dougherty commented that the high unemployment rate is reflective of the “incredibly complex economic situation” as well as factors such as AI tools and large numbers of temporary foreign workers.

Georgian College is launching two initiatives to strengthen nursing education and rural health care. Georgian is partnering with Brightshores Health System to deliver simulation-based palliative care training in the Grey-Bruce region. The training uses actors and lifelike manikins to help health providers build skills and confidence for home-based care. Georgian is exploring options to incorporate this training into its nursing curriculum. The college will also be integrating the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) authorized Registered Nurse Prescribing Education course into its Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program this fall.

Several residents have expressed their concerns about the City of Fredericton’s plan to rezone and develop the College Hill neighbourhood—located near New Brunswick Community College, St Thomas University, and the University of New Brunswick—to allow for densification. Locals argued that this densification could lead to increased traffic, introduce risks to pedestrians, and make the neighbourhood less appealing to homeowners. Resident Cathy MacLaggan objected to the rezoning and called on the city to include provisions in any bylaw changes for affordable housing and not-for-profit housing. Councillors will take a final vote on the proposed rezoning on June 23.

Science education must evolve beyond technical training to foster ethical reasoning, global consciousness, and human development, write Patrick Blessinger, Abhilasha Singh (American University in the Emirates), and James Brown (City University of New York). The authors argue that climate science, biotechnology, and AI are not value-neutral fields, so education systems must prepare students to lead in these areas with foresight and responsibility. They call for more inclusive curricula, real-world case studies, and a pedagogy that embraces uncertainty and ethical complexity. “Unless science education becomes more than a passport for a profession,” they write, “the next generation will be a generation of good technicians without the critical judgment required for responsibly using their skills.”

Lambton College is expanding their athletics offerings to create new opportunities for student-athletes. Lambton has launched the Lambton Lions Wrestling Club, which the college says is the first sanctioned wrestling club at an Ontario Colleges Athletic Association institution. The team will participate in events such as OAWA and Wrestling Canada Lutte provincial and national championships, where athletes will compete for carding points, funding, and the opportunity to qualify for national team programs. “Sarnia-Lambton has had a rich history of wrestling,” said Lambton Manager of Athletics and Student Life James Grant, “and we are proud to be able to partner with some great people in starting what we hope will be a meaningful addition to what our college community has to offer.”

Algonquin College, Holland College, and Willowbank School of Restoration Arts have signed a multi-year agreement with Parks Canada to support student training through restoration work at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Students from the three institutions will work on restoration projects under the guidance of Parks Canada’s lead conservator. To date, students have participated in the work both remotely and through site visits, gaining both virtual and hands-on experience. “Canada needs more tradespeople, and an agreement such as this provides students with a unique opportunity to gain very specific skills they will be able to apply in their home communities,” said Holland College President Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald.

Several institutions are dealing with aging aquatic facilities this summer, prompting long-term planning, repairs, and closures. Memorial University is upgrading its Aquarena facility in anticipation of the 2025 Canada Games. Memorial said that modernizing the nearly-five-decades-old facility has “brought some unforeseen challenges,” but it is on track to open for the games. The University of Manitoba is planning to replace its 60-year-old Joyce Fromson Pool, which was permanently closed due to a leak. Meanwhile, Swim Nova Scotia Executive Director Bette El-Hawary has issued an open letter to try to dissuade Acadia University from permanently closing its pool. In a statement to Surge 105.1, Acadia explained that it “is simply not in a position to continue operating a pool.”