May 19, 2026

The Government of British Columbia has announced a $241M investment through its Look West economic strategy to expand skilled trades training capacity across the province. Among the initiatives supported by this investment, the province will be doubling annual funding to SkilledTradesBC by 2028-29; creating up to 5,000 new trades training seats at public postsecondary institutions, non-profit union trainers, and private trainers; and increasing per-seat funding for apprenticeship programs leading to SkilledTradesBC credentials. BC is also establishing the Look West: Workforce Readiness Initiative to improve access to training in rural and remote communities.

Cape Breton University and Dalhousie University have officially marked the grand opening of the Cape Breton Medical Campus (CBMC) Medical Sciences Building. The facility includes connected classrooms, a full anatomy lab, and a clinical simulation centre. Up to 30 family doctors will study at the campus each year, with graduates committing to practice family medicine in rural areas of NS after they graduate. In his remarks at the grand opening, NS Premier Tim Houston described the building as “the most modern medical school campus in the country” and emphasized the importance of the campus’s contributions to the NS health-care system.

The Government of Canada is investing $29.2M into Talent Innovation Canada (TICAN), a national non-profit organization that will connect the top talent from Canadian universities with high-growth companies. The organization will match graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with firms to help them solve challenges, transition ideas from research to market, and increase the amount of Canadian intellectual property. “Canada’s ability to compete will depend on how effectively we develop and apply new technologies,” stated TICAN CEO Dr Arvind Gupta. “By connecting highly skilled researchers with Canadian companies to solve real-world challenges, Talent Innovation Canada strengthens our capacity to innovate, commercialize and grow the industries that will define our future.”

Carleton University recently shared updates on two major partnerships. The Government of Canada has renewed its partnership with Carleton, ensuring the university can continue operating the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub. Carleton President Wisdom Tettey noted that this support will enable the hub to “deepen and expand its anchor role as the go-to source for robust and credible data, a trusted repository of relevant knowledge, and a catalyst for data-informed collaboration and innovation.” Carleton has also received $1.8M USD from the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s International Program to support a project focused on advancing knowledge and engagement on migration in Africa.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Trent University Program Coordinator Amanda Paxton discusses her research on the harms faced by writing instructors in the age of AI, as well as how the Government of Canada’s upcoming AI strategy could offer support. Paxton’s research found that instructors struggle to deal with the detection of AI use and subsequent confrontation of students who use it, while also experiencing “moral injury” that makes them doubt their purpose in an AI-driven world. While she opts to use hand-written in-class writing assignments, Paxton says that this is not enough to bypass the effects of AI. Paxton concludes support from the federal government’s AI strategy through funding or vetted detection tools would be an important first step.

Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Business Administration program has strenghtened its partnerships with the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) Alberta, the CPA Education Foundation, and the CPA Western School of Business. These partnerships will help business students prepare for careers in business and accounting. The Business Administration – Accounting major has also been recognized by CPA, so graduates will receive 33 credits towards their CPA designation. “Having their education recognized for such a significant portion of the CPA pathway demonstrates the strength and quality of our Accounting program and provides students with a strong head start toward achieving this industry-standard designation,” said Leth Polytech School of Business Chair James Reimer.

The Government of British Columbia has retained PricewaterhouseCoopers to investigate allegations against the Kwantlen Student Association, which represents students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. The Vancouver Sun reports that the ministry started an investigation in March “to conduct a forensic audit and determine whether there has been any misuse of funds or other conduct not in accordance with KSA policies.” During the investigation, the KSA is permitted to spend on proper operational expenses, but is prohibited from disposing of, dealing with, or diminishing the value of any of its assets. The Runner student newspaper reports that the KSA also recently passed a motion to adjust its budget for 2026 after an audit of its financial statements.

The University of Toronto has officially rescinded the honorary degree given to Buffy Sainte-Marie in 2019. CBC reports that the rescindment stemmed from a petition calling for the university to revoke the honour after a CBC The Fifth Estate investigation into Sainte-Marie’s ancestry. A U of T spokesperson explained that the rescindment came into effect last Wednesday, following a confidential process that concluded with the university’s Governing Council approving the rescindment.

Assiniboine College will be expanding its health care training in the Westman region, thanks to new funding from the Government of Manitoba. Assiniboine will create a new Primary Care Paramedic Program that uses a rotating rural training model, allowing students to train close to their homes. All graduates will get jobs in the region through return-to-service agreements, with the first cohort beginning at the college’s Dauphin campus in January 2027. Assiniboine Allied Health Chairperson Michele Sykes told CBC that demand for the program is high, with over 100 people interested in the Dauphin offering. “We’ve heard from our community partners and from the health-care sector that we need paramedics, so we are actioning that call,” she said.

York University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) and digital credential network MyCreds have launched a micro-credential pilot that will recognize experience in graduate education. YorkU FGS will introduce micro-credentials, issued digitally by MyCreds, related to the areas of operational expertise for Graduate Program Assistants, supervisory skills development for faculty, and mental health training for graduate students. “By formally recognizing the expertise of our staff, the supervisory development of our faculty, and the specialized training of our students, we are strengthening the foundations of graduate education while advancing a culture of excellence, accountability, and innovation,” explained YorkU FGS Executive Officer Heather Moore.