May 29, 2023

International student Amritraj Singh Batth is currently the subject of an ongoing hearing pertaining to the fraudulent admission letter he received in 2018. Batth is one of many international students who reportedly applied for student visas from the same India-based agent; this agent subsequently issued a series of fake letters. At the ongoing tribunal, Batth maintained that he was unaware the initial letter was inauthentic. Canada Border Services Agency lawyer Nathan Reid argued that regardless of the applicant’s knowledge and intentions, the student is ultimately “responsible for the content of an application for which they sign.”

The Government of Canada has announced new investments through its Low Carbon Economy Fund that will benefit Brock University and Red River College Polytechnic. Brock has received $2.9M for its District Energy System Electrification Project, which will reduce the university’s emissions by approximately 13,700 tonnes by 2030 through retrofits. RRC Polytech’s Efficient Trucking Program has received $3.6M from the fund as part of a broader investment in green initiatives in Manitoba. The funds, plus a combined $9.9M investment from the provincial government and trucking sector, are projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 120,000 tonnes by 2030.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology is evolving its established computer systems degree program into a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science (BScACS) program. BCIT states that this modification will transform the degree from a Bachelor of Technology into a universally recognized BSc, allowing for students to leverage their degrees more easily should they wish to pursue graduate studies. The new BScACS places an increased emphasis on mathematics and advanced computing courses. It also prioritises sustainability as one of its core goals, encouraging students to incorporate environmental, economic, and societal considerations into their work. The program is set to open in the Fall for applications.

Health Canada has committed $200M to Brain Canada in support of projects focused on brain health research. Four grants were announced earlier this week, which were awarded to Dr Emma G Duerden (Western University), Dr Lisa Saksida (Western), Dr Signe Bray (University of Calgary), and Dr Sylvia Villeneuve (Douglas Hospital Research Centre). “Better research means better brain health for all,” stated London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos. “The work of Dr Duerden, Dr Saksida, Dr Villeneuve and Dr Bray will play an important role in advancing our knowledge of the brain and, ultimately, enhancing Canada’s capacity in neuroscience research.”

St. Lawrence College, Conestoga College, and Fanshawe College have launched a new, free auto care industry training program in collaboration with the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and Plug ‘N Drive. The partners will work together to address labour shortages in the automotive industry and upskill tradespeople so that they can service more modern cars. The project offers two complimentary training programs: the first focuses on EV, hybrid, and advanced driver assistance systems; and the second is intended for automotive professionals interested in learning about how new technologies in the industry have changed the trade. The program was made possible through the ON Skills Development Fund.

Memorial University’s Labrador Campus recently launched its new Arctic and Subarctic Futures Graduate Program. The interdisciplinary program emphasizes land-based learning and is designed to provide the foundations for strong Indigenous-led and northern-focused research. “The launch of this program was a dream come true for our team and for so many others who have long advocated for graduate-level learning opportunities in Labrador, designed for northern and Indigenous contexts and reflective of the needs, priorities and cultures of Labrador and the North,” said Memorial Labrador Vice-Provost Dr Ashlee Cunsolo.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus officially opened the newly expanded Applied Genomics Centre (AGC), a facility that provides highly specialized genetics research for the agricultural sector. Thanks to more than $9M in combined funding from the Government of British Columbia, KPU, and others, the AGC will build a second lab space and furnish it with state-of-the art genomics equipment. The funding has also supported the development of a team of 30 researchers, including faculty, laboratory staff, and undergraduate students. “It’s really about capacity–increasing the number of students that we can have and the number of industry partner projects that we can take on,” said KPU AGC Director Dr Paul Adams. “The new lab is not only creating new space but also adding new equipment, which gives us new opportunities for projects.”

Concordia University has received a $2M gift from Behaviour Interactive—Canada’s largest independent video game studio—to foster innovation in Québec’s video game industry. The investment supports the development of a new research chair in the Department of Design and Computation Arts and provides financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate students. “Through support for a new research chair and a range of resources for students, Behaviour Interactive’s gift will help us explore the possibilities of the next generation of game design,” said Concordia Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Annie Gérin.

Redeemer University’s Mental Health Task Force has released its Mental Health Recommendations Report. The report outlines five key recommendations for establishing a comprehensive, student-informed, and “Scripturally-based” mental health and well-being strategy. The recommendations include: developing a vision of mental health that is consistent with Redeemer’s mission and identity; encouraging ongoing dialogues to facilitate student-informed care; creating a service delivery model that follows a continuum of care; enhancing specific services and supports; and communicating mental health resources, supports, and services clearly and strategically.

The Government of Canada and Government of Quebec have announced a joint $41M investment to construct the Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney and the main building of the Institut nordique du Québec (INQ) at Université Laval. The Pavilion of the Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney will house the École supérieure d’études internationales (ESEI), which will train the next generation of Francophone diplomats and foreign service workers. ULaval’s INQ will support northern and arctic science research with a new complex that includes laboratories, a multifunctional room, and a broadcasting space.