October 22, 2025

Concordia University is investing $25M into Realize Fund I, an impact investment fund designed to accelerate social equity across Canada a financial marking what the university says is the largest investment by a Canadian postsecondary institution in a vehicle that prioritizes social and environmental gains alongside financial returns, reports The Globe and Mail. Managed by Realize Capital Partners and seeded by the Government of Canada, Realize Fund I backs domestic investments in areas such as Indigenous reconciliation, affordable housing, and decarbonization. “It’s about allocating capital towards solutions needed in Canada,” said Concordia Chief Investment Officer Marc Gauthier. The move supports Concordia’s goal of a 100% sustainable endowment and reflects growing calls for Canadian institutions to align investments with national economic resilience and social impact goals.

Ten Canadian theological schools have received over $9.4M USD in combined funding through the Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow initiative. The initiative supports theological institutions in the US and Canada as they strengthen their capacity to prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations. Canadian recipients include Ambrose University, Heritage Theological Seminary, Huron University College, Knox College, St Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto, St Mark’s College, St Peter’s Seminary, Victoria University, the University of Toronto, and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary—all of which received grants of more than $900K USD. Grants may be used over a five-year period to implement projects that enhance ministry education and leadership development.

Coast Mountain College has announced that it will permanently close its Hazelton campus in June 2026 as part of a broader restructuring effort. CBC says that the closure is part of the college’s effort to address a $4M budget shortfall caused by decreased international student revenue. While CMTN will continue to offer courses in the region through community partnerships and a mobile training unit, it will be concentrating its resources on its three main campuses in Prince Rupert, Terrace, and Smithers. The college will also be ending its international recruitment efforts, reducing its workforce by 20%, and removing and adding roles to meet the institution’s goals and student needs.

King’s University College has launched a major in Analytics and Decision Sciences, a program focused on solving complex, real-world problems. The program combines a foundation in mathematics and statistics with training in behavioural science and ethical decision-making. Students will use tools such as optimization, AI, and machine learning and can pursue a double major in areas such as Management, Psychology, or Data Science, and will collaborate with industry partners in their final year. “By their final year, students will be working directly with industry partners on their projects and will be market-ready with the technical skills and abilities employers are looking for,” said King’s UC Associate Director of Math and Analytics and Decision Sciences Dr Joseph Turnbull.

Student leaders in Nova Scotia are intensifying demands related to tuition, housing protections, and divestment. Saltwire reports that the Canadian Federation of Students–NS has announced a provincewide student strike for March 2026 calling for a 20% tuition cut and the elimination of differential fees for international and out-of-province students. They are also calling for divestment from fossil fuels, arms manufacturers, and non-consensual projects on Indigenous land. Meanwhile, student unions at Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College are urging the province to strengthen rent control and deliver a promised student housing strategy. NS NDP Leader Claudia Chender stated that without swift action, the province risks driving away students and undermining its university-driven economy, reports CBC.

MIRARCO Mining Innovation, a mining research organization that began as a subsidiary of Laurentian University, has opened its new piloting facility. Prior to the expansion, the organization was housed at the university. Looking to the future, the university and organization plan to continue their partnership. “This space connects research, industry, and community partners to deliver real solutions that will drive sustainable growth across the North and beyond,” said MIRARCO President and Laurentian Goodman School of Mines Executive Director Dr Nadia Mykytczuk. The new facility was supported by partners that include Cambrian College.

In a new article for Maclean’s, Anna Robbins (Acadia Divinity College) goes into detail about her experiment in running what she calls the country’s “first AI-generated theology course.” While ChatGPT could instantly make a course outline, she notes that it was not able to offer depth or criticality in its lectures or assessments when tasked with conducting the course itself. Robbins then discusses the implications of the experiment and the uses and limitations of AI in the modern world. “For all its challenges, AI is pushing postsecondary schools back toward what education ought to be: a way to build one’s critical capacity, ethics and self-understanding,” writes Robbins.

Portage College has reaffirmed its commitment to the St Paul community amid plans to “right-size” campus due to financial constraints. The college explained that it is unable to fund its planned $37M campus renewal and is facing a larger-than-planned 2026-27 operating budget deficit. The college is working with local stakeholders to seek repurpose options for the campus. Portage also announced that it has relocated the Professional Cook Certificate to the Lac La Biche campus for Fall 2026, citing enrolment patterns and stronger regional employment in the Lac La Biche area.

Ontario Tech University has launched the Mindful Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (MAIRI), which will support research into responsible and inclusive AI. The institute includes more than 50 researchers and several partner organizations. MAIRI’s priorities include building AI responsibly, developing social intelligence, and empowering humanity. Ontario Tech MAIRI Director Dr Peter Lewis explained that the development of AI and its impacts will be a defining feature of the current decade, so researchers “must prioritize our values of dignity, inclusivity and intellectual curiosity through its development.”

Université Laval’s newest student housing project has been deemed unaffordable by students prior to its planned 2027 opening. Radio-Canada reports that the rents are expected to be $1,000 for a studio and $1,780 for a two-bedroom apartment. The university’s student association—Confédération des Associations d’Étudiants et Étudiantes de l’Université Laval—called on the university to reexamine the proposed fees. ULaval Rector Sophie D’Amours said that a significant portion of the more than $61M building is already funded by grants, and that the building must get the remainder of its funding from rent. She added, however, that the university is examining other subsidies to find a way to cut costs.