September 9, 2024

As part of the Government of Québec’s recent infrastructure spending cuts, cégeps and universities have been directed to limit their spending on infrastructure, maintenance, and equipment purchases. Several news sources are reporting significant changes to budgets: Cégeps are reportedly being told to cap their infrastructure spending by as much as 50% over the next two years, Université Laval must cut its planned renovation spending by two-thirds over the next four years, and Université de Sherbrooke faces a 70% budget reduction. “It’s a real shockwave,” stated the Federation of Cégeps. “At a time when we’re experiencing the biggest increase in student numbers in 25 years […] the government is putting the brakes on major projects.” According to La Voix de l’Est, QC maintains that these measures are necessary for sound public financial management.

The Government of Alberta is investing $1.2M over three years to fund the new Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research. Operating out of the University of Alberta, this research centre will seek to understand emerging labour market issues, provide impartial guidance to policymakers, and provide job insights and recommendations that will benefit Albertans. The centre will be staffed by researchers from Athabasca University, Mount Royal University, UAlberta, University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge. “Thanks to the foresight and generosity of Alberta’s government, the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research will be able to provide Albertans with high-quality information on key labour trends and issues as they emerge,” said Centre Director Joseph Marchand.

Steinbach Bible College, which currently shares a building with a K-12 school, will be relocating its campus in 2026. SBC and Steinbach Christian School had previously planned to move to separate buildings when growth allowed for it, and the K-12 school has now acquired SBC’s part of the building. SBC plans to move to a building in the heart of Steinbach for the 2026-27 school year and has begun renovations on the new location. “That location sings sweet songs in our minds as we consider being in the heart of the City of Steinbach, said SBC President Dave Reimer, who noted that the new location will be close to amenities such as a rec centre churches, Red River College Polytechnic, and green spaces.

The University of Waterloo is introducing a new campus emergency system this semester. Starting October 1, the university will replace its WatSAFE emergency notification application with Regroup Mobile. According to CTV News, Regroup Mobile is an “advanced emergency notification system designed to deliver fast, accurate, and consistent messages across multiple communication channels,” ensuring “comprehensive coverage and rapid dissemination of critical information.” UWaterloo initially announced that it would implement a new campus alert system in July, following the one-year anniversary of a hate-motivated attack on campus.

Six former graduate students are suing Concordia University of Edmonton for $3.7M, alleging that the university jeopardized the continuity of their education and caused significant stress and financial loss. Two years into their studies, the students were notified that their spring assessment practicum course and Alberta Health Services clinical field placements were cancelled, forcing students to either study part-time or enter a lottery for a field placement. The statement of claim asserts that the placements were cancelled due to the university’s failure to address concerns about a staff member; in a statement of defence, the university stated that it was Alberta Health Service’s decision to withdraw the clinical placement offerings. Concordia Edmonton further asserted that “at no time did the university misrepresent, mislead, or make false promises or assurances to the plaintiffs.”

The Government of the Northwest Territories has ended the Northern Bonus loan repayment incentive, which provided eligible students with loan forgiveness if they resided in NWT for up to 12 months while not enrolled in postsecondary education. The decision reportedly received backlash from the community, prompting NWT Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Caitlin Cleveland to explain that the structure of the program had the side-effect of making it “easier to leave the North.” The territory will still offer Student Financial Assistance and loan repayment incentives, including loan forgiveness (remission) and 0% interest on loans.

This academic year, Cégep de Victoriaville will host the École des Grands, an after-school mentorship program focused on preventing students from dropping out of high school and improving college graduation rates. The program–which already operates at 17 cégeps across the province–pairs elementary school students who need educational support with student mentors who attend the cégep. Between now and the spring, the Cégep de Victoriaville mentors will provide homework help to the elementary school students who may be from disadvantaged schools or backgrounds, bolstering their engagement and scientific awareness. The program is free to attend, with transportation and breakfast included.

University cities in Canada may be facing a rental market downturn due to factors such as the dropping number of international students, the growing number of postsecondary-run student housing units, and provincial incentives for purpose-built housing, writes Frances Bula for the Globe and Mail. Bula notes that while the trend has not appeared in official statistical reports yet, rental brokers and property managers are reportedly already noticing a downturn. Matisse Yiu, who works at a company that acts as a broker between landlords and students, said that there has been a drop in internet search queries for housing near several postsecondary institutions in BC and Ontario.

Camosun College has launched its “Array of Hope” solar project with the goal of reducing the institution’s carbon footprint. As part of this project, Camosun is installing 90 solar panels on the lower roof and walls of its Lansdowne campus library. The panels are expected to produce 46 megawatt hours of energy per year, generating approximately 50% of the building’s energy. Camosun will also install an interactive information kiosk inside the library to provide students and the community with information about the project. Camosun Manager of Sustainability Facilities Services Shannon Craig said that this project “showcases practical solutions to the climate crisis and creates applied learning opportunities where our libraries continue to be a hub.”

The Equity Centre at Nipissing University has closed its doors following the completion of a third-party, independent investigation into a social media post made last year. CTV News reports that an independent investigation was launched in response to a complaint about a post created by the centre. The centre reportedly said that the post was “misinterpreted” and “misconstrued.” However, the investigation found that the centre’s post violated the school’s Respectful Workplace and Learning Environments Policy. The centre was given a list of actions to acknowledge the harm that had been done, but ultimately decided to close down. “If [re-branding or rebuilding the centre] comes in the form of censoring our free speech and our ability to speak and amplify our voices of those from these marginalized groups, then we can’t in good faith keep the space open,” said Students of Colour United Program Coordinator Aidan Haghgoo.