November 29, 2023

The University of Waterloo’s WatSPEED has received $3.1M from Palette Skills and the Government of Canada to launch two new career accelerator programs in Secure Coding and Advanced Manufacturing. These 13-week accelerator programs will be delivered in partnership with UpSkill Canada to address skills gaps in the cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing fields. “These new career accelerator programs provide a unique and valuable combination of technical and professional training, career coaching, and industry engagement that are developed in close partnership with industry,” said UWaterloo WatSPEED Executive Director Sanjeev Gill. 

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced that it will expand the Saskatchewan Loan Forgiveness for Nurses and Nurse Practitioners program to the communities of Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, and the Battlefords. Under this program, nurses and nurse practitioners who start employment in the communities on or after January 1, 2023 can have up to $20K of their provincial student loan debt forgiven. “This initiative will not only alleviate financial burden but also encourage myself and other nursing students to see a future where we can stay and serve our community of Prince Albert as registered nurses,” said USask nursing student Precious Alozie.

A new technology solution to eliminate single-use packaging waste was launched on Simon Fraser University’s campus this Fall after a successful pilot project. Reusables and Compass Group Canada partnered to bring Reusables’ smart return bin technology to SFU’s Mackenzie Café, where students could use stainless steel reusable containers for their food and then return them for reuse. The model is free for users and reduces costs for food service operations. “We want to make reuse completely frictionless and traceable so we can move away from plastic forever,” explained Reusables CEO Jason Hawkins. SFU Senior Director of Ancillary Services Sid Mehta stated that Reusables will next be launched across the Burnaby campus and noted that the move is part of an international trend toward sustainability on campus.  

The Government of Ontario recently announced a $5M investment through the Micro-Credentials Challenge Fund to help institutions create more industry-relevant micro-credentials. The second round of funding will provide eligible postsecondary institutions with up to $50K to develop or expand rapid training programs. ON Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop indicated that the funds will help to bridge the gap between PSE and employers by “equip[ping] learners with the specific skills employers are looking for.” ON also recently announced its intention to update the legislation around the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO) Act, which would broaden the scope of research to help the agri-food sector implement new technologies and innovative techniques.  

The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has ordered the Halifax Regional Municipality to revoke the heritage designation on a building owned by Dalhousie University, which will allow Dal to demolish the building. In a written decision, Justice Peter Rosinski found that the process to grant the property heritage designation was “fundamentally flawed.” Dal had purchased the building in 2021 with the intention of demolishing the site, but in 2022, the Halifax University Neighborhood Association applied for the building’s heritage designation to prevent this demolition. The designation was granted, after which Dal filed for a judicial review of the decision. With the heritage registration now revoked, Dal spokesperson Janet Bryson said that the school is developing plans for the building’s replacement, clarifying that the university is mindful of the need to increase student housing.   

Concordia University will lead a new cybersecurity research project in partnership with the communication technology company Ericsson and researchers from the University of Waterloo and University of Manitoba. The project “Building Cyber Resilient and Secure 5G Network Through Automation and AI” aims to investigate 5G security by researching, designing, and implementing technologies that can mitigate cyber threats using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). The project will receive $1M in funding from the Government of Canada’s Canadian National Cybersecurity Consortium over three years, while $1.2M in matching funds will come from Concordia, UManitoba, and Ericsson.  

The University of British Columbia’s Social Justice Centre advocacy group has issued a statement denying any involvement with pro-Hamas stickers that have been placed around UBC’s campus with the group’s name on them. CBC reports that members of the group have received threats online as a result of the stickers. “We have never, and would never, promote or condone such messages,” read the SJC statement. “They do not reflect our values and we are deeply concerned that these messages will fuel an already incendiary environment and jeopardize student safety.” Jewish student organization Hillel BC reportedly terminated its relationship with a contractor after learning that the contractor had participated in distributing the stickers. UBC Spokesperson Kurt Heinrich stated that the university has “taken quick action to have the stickers removed” and reported online posts to the RCMP.  

For Giving Tuesday, several institutions held campaigns that were focused on getting food to students. Postsecondary schools across Nova Scotia raised funds for their campus food banks through the Food Security Project. The J&W Murphy Foundation partnered with the project to match donations from individuals up to $20K. Kwantlen Polytechnic University Foundation raised funds to ease the financial strain on students through a variety of avenues, including a Student Food Security fund focused on ensuring students do not go hungry. The University of Lethbridge held its annual Buy A Student A Breakfast campaign, where alumni and community members could pledge $6 to buy a breakfast sandwich and a coffee or tea for a ULethbridge student. 

Holland College announced that it will introduce a new one-year certificate program that gives students the opportunity to explore their postsecondary options. The Pathways to College and Workplace Success program aims to help learners advance their skillsets, participate in career planning, and grow their academic confidence. Students who continue their postsecondary education at Holland College will also receive some credit for the courses they have completed as part of the program. “Our hope is that this program will encourage more students to be engaged in fully exploring their career options whether in a post-secondary setting or the labour market,” said Holland College President Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald. 

A Western University-led project has received $1M in funding from the Once Upon a Time Foundation. The project will develop a growth chart for the human cerebellum across a human’s entire lifespan. Western neuroscientist Jörn Diedrichsen will lead the project in collaboration with researchers at institutions such as Dalhousie University, McGill University, and the University of British Columbia. The development of this growth chart will allow clinicians to track neural development from birth of age 80, thereby providing a framework for diagnosis and prognosis. “[O]ur measure of success is how many researchers in the community will use our system, how well it serves the clinical community, and whether we will be successful in an ultimate clinical translation,” said Diedrichsen.