May 22, 2026

The University of Alberta has received $3M from the Government of Canada’s Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in support of its Canadian AI Compute Vault (CAICV) initiative. The CAICV initiative delivers secure, high performance compute infrastructure and expertise to businesses and other members of the innovation ecosystem to help them commercialize AI technologies. Organizations will be able to draw on the CAICV’s advanced cloud environments as they develop and deploy AI solutions for sectors that include deep tech, defence, and security. “By helping move innovation from discovery to commercialization, we are creating high-quality jobs, supporting business growth and strengthening Canada’s capacity to lead in the digital economy,” said Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon.

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business and Economics will create an experiential learning fund, thanks to a $1M donation from alumnus Stephen Dent. The Birch Hill Student Experience Fund will support several initiatives, including case competitions and opportunities for students to connect with business leaders. “With this visionary gift, Stephen is giving generations of Lazaridis School students the opportunity to test drive their classroom learning and graduate with the in-demand skills of their chosen field,” explained WLU Lazaridis Dean Kyle Murray.

The Government of Alberta and Government of Saskatchewan recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding focused on cross-border apprenticeship registration for heavy-duty equipment technician apprentices. Specifically, the MOU will enable employers and apprentices on either side of the border in Lloydminster to register contracts of apprenticeship in either province, regardless of residence or employer location. SK stated that it will provide AB with financial compensation when SK apprentices register in AB. SK Immigration and Career Training Minister Eric Schmalz explained that the arrangement opens up more opportunities for SK residents looking to access training without putting SK employers at a disadvantage.

U15 Canada and Universities Canada have each provided their pre-budget submissions to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for consideration in Budget 2026. U15 Canada called on the government to strengthen Canadian research by modernizing science and technology architecture, create mechanisms to link research strengths with sovereign capability objectives, and deepen research partnerships with European partners through Framework Program 10. Universities Canada echoed the call to strengthen Canada’s sovereign capabilities through research, in addition to proposing that the government expand its International Education Strategy to attract global talent, strengthen partnerships with universities to achieve workforce goals, and provide tax relief to universities through an increased GST/HST rebate.

The Globe and Mail reports that the University of Toronto has reached a $1M settlement with tutoring company Easy Group Inc, which the university sued for copyright infringement. In documents filed in court, U of T and three faculty members alleged that Easy Group was reproducing materials such as course outlines, lecture notes, and tests with answers without authorization. U of T Vice-Provost for Faculty and Academic Life Heather Boon explained that the settlement includes an injunction preventing the company from “making any further use of U of T course materials.” The case had been before the Federal Court of Canada since 2022.

The Government of Manitoba has made a $2.5M investment into adult learning centres and literacy programs, with the goal of helping more Manitobans graduate and find jobs. Part of the funding has been dedicated to First Nations and Northern communities. “We have heard from the community about the impact that adult learning and literacy programs have,” said MB Advanced Education and Training Minister Renée Cable. “We are supporting Manitobans to obtain high school credits and diplomas and improve basic literacy and numeracy skills to help them find good jobs to lift their families out of poverty and increase the chances their children will go on to graduate.”

A group of retirees from Queen’s University are criticizing the University Pension Plan (UPP), saying that its indexing formula is not sufficient to cover the rising costs of living. While the university maintained its returns-based indexing formula when it joined UPP in 2021, changes to the fund’s investment strategy meant that recent returns have been insufficient to provide increases to retirees. In a statement to the Financial Post, a UPP spokesperson explained that while a lack of increases in high inflation environments may be challenging for retirees, the formula used by Queen’s ensures that pension payments do not decrease. The spokesperson also added that the plan is expected to provide “materially higher” returns in low-inflation environments compared to inflation-indexed plans.

Researchers are calling for action to address homelessness among postsecondary students. A report published in 2025 by the Post-Secondary Student Homelessness Research Network drew on a literature review and interviews with staff and students from five institutions—Nova Scotia Community College, Lakehead University, Red Deer Polytechnic, the University of Alberta, and the University of New Brunswick—to better understand student homelessness. “Institutions today are the gateway to any sort of job, so students have to go to postsecondary institutions regardless of their economic status, even if they can’t afford to pay rent or eat,” stated lead researcher and UAlberta PhD student Emily Berg. The report includes a toolkit and recommendations for institutions, government bodies, and community organizations to help address student homelessness.

Algonquin College has established the Indigenous Knowledge, Work, and Entrepreneurship (IKWE) program with support from the Josette Robertson and Joan Johnston Family Foundation. The program will offer culturally grounded leadership, professional development, and entrepreneurship opportunities for students who identify as Indigenous women. “The word ikwe means woman in the traditional language of the Anishinàbe Algonquin people. These two layers of meaning remind us that systemic change requires the empowerment of Indigenous women,” explained Algonquin Director of Indigenous Initiatives Anita Tenasco.

At institutions such as Medicine Hat College, Northern Lakes College, Olds College, and the University of Prince Edward Island, labour negotiations have reached important milestones. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) shared that non-teaching workers at MHC and NLC both recently ratified their respective collective agreements. Olds and the AUPE negotiating team will meet with a mediator on May 26 as they continue to negotiate. UPEI and CUPE 1870, which represents support staff, have reached a tentative agreement that is subject to ratification by the two parties.