May 22, 2024

In Alberta and Ontario, postsecondary institutions are collaboratively developing new programs. In Alberta, Athabasca University is leading a partnership involving Northwestern Polytechnic, Keyano College, MacEwan University, the University of Lethbridge, and Concordia University of Edmonton. The partners are collaborating to create the Intellectual Property (IP) for the New Innovator micro-credential, which consists of two stackable micro-credentials that will teach academics involved in entrepreneurial ventures about IP basics, strategy, and decision-making. In Ontario, the Université de Sudbury has announced it will collaborate with Collège La Cité to develop online courses. UdeSudbury rector Serge Miville hopes that the courses will provide people who cannot travel to Sudbury with online education opportunities.

Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College will both receive funding from the Government of Manitoba beyond what was provided in Budget 2024. BrandonU will receive an additional $7.4M in funding over two years, which BrandonU President Dr David Docherty said will improve this year’s budget and ease some financial pressures. ACC will receive an additional $2M, which ACC President Mark Frison said will be likely used to cover collective bargaining costs.

Northlands College is partnering with the University of Saskatchewan to bring USask’s Master of Sustainability (MSs) in Energy Security program to learners in remote and Indigenous communities. Under this partnership, Northlands will offer the MSs in Energy Security to provide students in northern Saskatchewan with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead renewable energy projects that maximize social and economic benefits for local communities. “For Northlands College, this [is] a unique addition, to provide an advanced learning opportunity to its learners as it would be one of the first Masters Degrees we have planned for Northern learners, highlighting our commitment to quality education and career paths,” said Northlands President Karsten Henriksen.

In a recent article for Nature, Marissa Coppola and Jessica W Tsai (University of Southern California) discuss the process of planning and setting up their lab space for efficiency. Coppola and Tsai write that they began by considering how the lab would be used to support research and requesting information about any shared equipment. The authors designed a floor plan that considered issues such as contamination and sterility, exit doors, and high traffic areas. Once the equipment was in place, Coppola and Tsai created and tested a system for storing supplies in drawers and shelves; once the system was finalized, they put up clear labeling to ensure that all items had a clear location.

Algonquin College, Collège Boréal, and Niagara College have each announced partnerships that will expand research and training opportunities. Algonquin is collaborating with Invest Ottawa to advance research and development at the Ottawa Smart Farm. Together, the partners will work to increase sustainability, profitability, and productivity of the agricultural sector. Boréal has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Québec-Africa Chamber of Commerce (CHAQUA) to provide training and entrepreneurial development opportunities to CHAQUA members in Québec and in select African countries. Niagara announced a partnership with Niagara Catholic and the Notre Dame College School, through which the partners will share spaces, equipment, and expertise to prepare students for careers in the trades. This partnership will also extend the capacity of Niagara’s Construction Skills program.

Several universities have recently expressed worries about how protest encampments are affecting access to areas on campus. According to CHCH, members of the Hamilton community are concerned about the pro-Palestinian encampment at McMaster University blocking the university’s entrance. Queen’s University has begun removing barricades at the encampment on its campus, as the encampment’s barricades block emergency lanes, posing a fire hazard. The Université du Québec à Montréal has informed the members of a pro-Palestinian encampment erected on campus that the university will need to “take actions” such as seeking a court injunction if the encampment continues to block access to some buildings.

Thompson Rivers University has begun its search for a construction manager for two “high priority” buildings that will be constructed on its campus: the Indigenous Education Centre and the low carbon district energy system (LCDES) building. The $22-million Indigenous Education Centre is inspired by the traditional summer lodges built by local Indigenous populations and will provide space for Indigenous ceremonies, culture, and scholarly work. The building will be built into the slope on the site and will meet LEED Gold standards. Construction is projected to begin in January 2025. The LCDES building will house air-source and water-source heat pumps that will provide the campus with heat and hot water. This project also includes a retrofit of the existing mechanical system of the generator building.

An Atlantic Veterinary College program that provided veterinary care for horses in New Brunswick has been temporarily paused. The program was previously provided through an agreement between the college and the Government of New Brunswick. AVC spokesperson Apryl Munro said that circumstances have changed since the agreement began in 2016. “[W]hile the agreement was a success, the resources at the AVC have been significantly stretched, which has prompted this temporary pause,” said Munro. AVC said that it will work with vets in NB to help its current clients and noted that clients can also take their horses to the teaching hospital in Charlottetown.

McGill University has announced that it will seek a second injunction to remove the pro-Palestinian encampment on its campus. This announcement comes after the Superior Court of Québec rejected McGill’s initial request last week, suggesting that it modify and re-file the request within the next ten days. Tensions surrounding the McGill encampment have continued to escalate; Montreal police were deployed on campus after a confrontation between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters last week. On Sunday, a pro-Palestinian protest was also held outside the home of one of McGill’s senior administrators. McGill spoke to CTV News about the Sunday protest, condemning it as “absolutely unacceptable behaviour.”

North Island College’s coastal forestry technologist program has received accreditation from Technical Accreditation Canada (TAC), which has subsequently led to its accreditation as a Recognized Forestry Diploma Program with Forest Professionals BC (FPBC). Program graduates will now be eligible to register with the FPBC as Training Forest Technologists, giving them the opportunity to become Registered Forest Technologists after a 24-month articling period. NIC program co-ordinator Coleen MacLean-Marlow said that the accreditation will help train people who can meet the demands for forest technologists in British Columbia.