September 15, 2026

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education has released the 2026 Sustainable Campus Index. The Université de Sherbrooke was the top performing institution for Canada. In several of the 13 impact areas, Canadian postsecondary institutions secured or tied for first place. These included campus engagement (USherbrooke), coordination and planning (tie involving McGill University, Nova Scotia Community College, University of Toronto Mississauga, Wilfrid Laurier University, and York University), curriculum (tie involving Université Laval), investment (Dawson College), procurement and waste (USherbrooke), research (tie involving INRS, McGill), and wellbeing and work (USherbrooke). Red River College Polytechnic and Dawson were recognized as the top associate & short-cycle institutions, while USherbrooke was the top doctoral institution.

A new report by the Council of Ontario Universities states that the province’s universities have attracted more than $1B in private-sector investment between 2023–24 and 2025–26. COU drew on a survey of member universities and reports to the Government of Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security to assess the investments. In addition to investment in universities, the report also found that startups and spinoff companies coming from universities secured more than $15B in investment in this time period, with 2,840 such companies coming out of universities in 2024–25 alone. Commenting on the report, McMaster University President Susan Tighe urged universities to better promote this value that they provide to local economies.

Mount Royal University has launched its School of Computing Sciences and Mathematics. The school will now house the university’s computer science, computer information systems, and data science degree programs, as well as its one-year Spatial Data Science Certificate program. Inaugural director of the school Dr Yasaman Amannejad explained that the school was created in response to growing demand in these disciplines at MRU as well in the Canadian workforce. The school aims to have 350 new students annually, with a full student body of more than 1,000 students by 2027. Funding for this growth was provided through targeted enrolment expansion funding from the Government of Alberta, as well as through support from geomatics innovation centre Tecterra.

Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne celebrated the opening of its new Pôle d’apprentissage et d’innovation en santé, a learning space designed to support the college’s nursing students. Specifically, the facility provides clinical learning spaces designed to closely match real-world conditions experienced by nurses. The facility was made possible through a $14.5M investment from the Government of Québec. Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne Directrice générale Pascale Sirard underscored that by making such investments in the future health workforce, society is investing in those who will one day take care of them and their community.

The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan heard an appeal of a $70K defamation judgment from University of Ottawa researcher Darryl Leroux. Leroux was ordered to pay $70K to University of Regina associate professor Michelle Coupal for a series of comments made in 2021 and 2022. Lawyers representing the two parties were heard by a three-judge panel on Friday. Leroux’s appeal argued that he used strong words to imply Coupal knew her professional claims to Indigenous identity were likely false; Coupal’s lawyer argued that the comment did not meet the conditions of the defence of fair comment. The appeal court reserved its decision on whether to overturn the judgment.

The Dawson College community gathered on Friday to mark the 20-year anniversary of the September 13, 2006 shooting on campus that left one victim dead and 19 others injured. A ceremony took place at the college’s Peace Garden, with students, faculty, and politicians spreading wildflower seeds. “To see the next generations here and to continue to keep this memory alive, it reassures me,” said Government of Québec Ministre de la Sécurité intérieure Ian Lafrenière. “We’ll never forget what happened, because this is the only way to prevent that from happening in the future.”

The Government of Alberta is investing $5.5M through the Alberta Industry Skills Grant (AISG) in 2026-27 to support initiatives that will address sector-wide skill shortages and enable provincewide workforce development. “At a time of economic uncertainty, it is critically important we maintain a competitive workforce that can keep up with the speed of investment,” said AB Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration Joseph Schow. “This keeps jobs closer to home and benefits Alberta families by increasing knowledge and skills on the job.” Applications are being accepted for the competitive grant program, with successful projects expected to begin in early 2027.

Destination Northern Ontario has partnered with College Boréal and Lakehead University to sponsor seats in an upcoming micro-credential program. DNO will sponsor 12 seats for northern Ontario students in the Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (OPTIS)/Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (NOPTIS) micro-credential. The program is focused on the Northern Ontario tourism industry; products and marketing; marketing strategies; equity, diversity and inclusion; and international tourism protocols.

The Association of Teaching Professors of the University of Ottawa (ATPUO) announced on Friday that more than 860 members across its three bargaining units had voted in favour of job action. ATPUO explained that the key issues in the negotiations include working conditions and the university’s plan to create an “unlimited number” of intensive teaching positions. While the vote for job action permits a strike if necessary, ATPUO said that it “remains convinced that a satisfactory agreement can be reached without a labour dispute.” In a statement to CTV News, a UOttawa spokesperson said that the university is “committed to bargaining in good faith and arriving at a negotiated settlement with the union.”

Collège Ahuntsic has announced the launch of new AI training courses as a part of its continuing education offerings. The courses cover AI at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels; using generative AI; securing generative AI applications; and using autonomous AI to secure IT infrastructure. Ahuntsic Directrice adjointe à la formation continue, au service aux entreprises et à l’ATE-Placement Catherine Roy explained that the offerings respond to a labour market need in the province, and in Montréal in particular, for those with AI skills.