March 28, 2023

Université de Montréal has celebrated the opening of its Brossard campus on Montréal’s South Shore. The new campus is located in the Solar Uniquartier community, a development that brings together businesses, green space, and residences and is located on the light rail line that leads to UMontréal’s mountain campus. The campus spans two floors of an office building and contains classrooms, laboratories, and a 125-seat auditorium. “We designed the Brossard campus to bring the university closer to South Shore residents,” said UMontréal Rector Daniel Jutras. “This is the essence of local university outreach: making the university accessible to all people of all ages.” The Brossard campus replaces the university’s campus in Longueuil and will primarily offer short professional development programs.

Trent University has launched the largest campaign in its history: a $100M Campaign for Momentous Change. Funds from the campaign will go toward new infrastructure, bursaries and scholarships, research chairs and projects, student wellness, the Trent Lands and Nature Areas, and more. As part of the effort, Trent has set the goal of recruiting 500 new monthly donors. “Our Momentous Campaign will provide donors with an opportunity to expand the work of brilliant researchers, remove barriers that might prevent students from achieving their full potential, and take ideas from our classrooms and laboratories to communities and the world,” explained Trent President Dr Leo Groarke.

Lethbridge College has officially opened its Spatial Technologies Applied Research and Training (START) Centre. The new centre will support partnerships with organizations looking to apply virtual reality and augmented reality technology to key sectors such as agriculture, energy, and health care. It will also support student connections with industry. “We’re on the cusp of a communication revolution. How we connect, conduct business and learn is changing,” said START Centre Industry Liaison and Research Advisor Mike McCready. “With our cutting-edge equipment, talented researchers and technicians, and our industry partnerships, START is positioned to support Alberta organizations from across all sectors.”

Parkland College has announced that it is reopening its firefighting training program thanks to a $1.8M investment in the college’s provincial firefighting training site. The program, which is the only firefighter training program in Saskatchewan, was put on hold in 2021 due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. The college will start offering training in July, beginning with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 1001 program. More professional, volunteer, and industrial training will be offered this Fall. The Government of Saskatchewan has pledged $1.8M to support equipment acquisition; program delivery; and the purchase of fixed, on-location capital assets.

McMaster University’s Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) is reportedly the host of the first 5G MMwave private network dedicated to Industry 4.0 research, thanks to a partnership with TERAGO, Inc. Researchers will use the private network over the next three years to test and develop advanced manufacturing technologies. “As the first university adopting a private 5G Millimeter wave network, we are leading the way for Industry 4.0 research,” said MMRI Director Stephen Veldhuis. “We are incredibly excited to kick off this next chapter in our partnership with TERAGO and to have this network up and running.”

First Nations University of Canada, the University of Regina, and the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre (FENFC) have signed an agreement that will enable FNU to offer a Mohawk Language Certificate Program. FNU will launch Yonkwatkontahkwenhatye (We are Continuing in Mohawk) in Fall 2023. The online, two-year program includes 15 credit hours of Mohawk and general courses, and those who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Mohawk 1. “The Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre has had success with this particular program for the last two years and so what we are doing is certifying the language program,” said FNU President Jacqueline Ottmann. “We are committed to supporting that resurgence of Indigenous languages.”

The University of New Brunswick will be upgrading key scientific equipment at its Centre for Nuclear Energy Research (CNER) and improving its research capabilities, thanks to over $2.1M in combined funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and New Brunswick Innovation Foundation. The funding will support upgrades and the augmentation of the CNER’s high-temperature water test systems. The university will also use the funds to purchase equipment and undertake renovations for the establishment of the CNER’s Advanced Nuclear Research Laboratory. “The CNER is an important part of our contribution to creating sustainable energy futures for our province, our country, and the world,” said UNB President Dr Paul J Mazerolle. “This investment will enable them to expand the capability of the Centre and further strengthen their leading-edge expertise.”

Updates on the labour negotiations at Red River College Polytechnic, Assiniboine Community College, and Carleton University have been shared in the news. Instructors and staff at RRC Polytech and ACC, represented by Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, have voted in favour of a strike. CBC reports that the vote affects nearly 1,900 instructors and staff at the institutions’ campuses, who MGGEU President Kyle Ross asserts are “among the lowest-paid in the country.” Both institutions released statements expressing their respect for the bargaining process as well as optimism that a meaningful resolution would be found at the bargaining table. At Carleton, members of CUPE Local 4600 went on strike as of Monday morning. The union represents nearly 3,000 teaching assistants, research assistants, and contract instructors at the institution.

Firefighters were on site at Université de Moncton on Saturday following what CBC and CTV News describe as a “small explosion.” The explosion occurred in one of the university’s labs, where a small fire was linked to some of the laboratory equipment. The fire department quickly extinguished the fire and no injuries were reported. Platoon Chief Keith Guptill said that the department is investigating whether the fire was linked to an equipment malfunction.

Students from the University of Alberta and University of Manitoba are celebrating the launch of their satellites this month. The Ex-Alta 2, designed by UAlberta students to capture images of active wildfires from orbit, was launched earlier this month aboard the Falcon 9 SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. “The moment it launched there was a pin-drop silence,” said Thomas Ganley, lead manager of the project. UManitoba students’ Cube Satellite “Iris” has been selected by the Canadian Space Agency to be transported to the International Space Station at the beginning of June. Iris will carry geological samples and expose them directly to the sun, after which images of the samples will be used for research on Earth.