Author: PugLove

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August 22, 2022

Sustainable food ensures a sustainable future (SDG 12)

Did you know that Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 28 this year? That’s the date when humanity has used all the biological resources that Earth can regenerate in a given year. And, it’s getting earlier and earlier each year! At our current rate, we would need about 1.75 planets to provide enough resources to sustain our global consumption habits.  

SDG 12 challenges us to work together to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Food is a big part of that, including accounting for food that is lost, wasted, or produced unsustainably.   

That’s why the work colleges and institutes do in sustainable food and agricultural innovation is so important! For example:  

  • At Lambton College, the Board of Governors Certificate in Sustainable Food is designed to help students explore the practices, principles, and philosophies involved in local food system development and sustainable farming though applied learning, online networking and community research practices. 
  • At Assiniboine Community College, the Sustainable Food Systems program gives students the opportunity to work closely with instructors, train inside the 3,300 square foot sustainable greenhouse, research different greenhouse models, and explore how to improve food security in their local communities.  
  • Cégep de Victoriaville’s National Institute of Organic Agriculture (Institut national d’agriculture biologique) is the largest organic agriculture training and research centre in Canada! The institute is also home to CETAB+, the Centre for Excellence in Local and Organic Agriculture, and CISA, the Centre for Social Innovation in Agriculture.  
  • Yukon University’s Food Security and Sustainability course gives students an introduction to the complexity of food production with a focus on Northern food systems and sustainability. Students learn about the affects of climate change, the determinants of food security, and explore case studies from Alaska and Circumpolar North on local food production techniques.  
  • At Cégep Heritage College, Food, Justice, and a Healthy Future for All is a hands-on cross-disciplinary course that gives students the opportunity to explore a variety of pathways toward a more sustainable future, including climate-smart agriculture, food justice, planetary health diets, and Indigenous food sovereignty.  
  • Seneca College’s Sustainable Local Food certificate program (delivered online) takes a systems approach to sustainable food and farming. Students explore regional food initiatives across Canada, as well as international best practices, and apply their theoretical learning in practical ways.   
  • Olds College’s brand-new Bachelor of Digital Agriculture Degree (set to launch for fall 2023) is one of three new program launching through the college’s Werklund School of Agriculture Technology. Students will engage in real-world problems and explore digital solutions to transform agriculture for a better world!  
  • At Durham College, programs taught at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food follow the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food to help eliminate waste and support local. The centre features unique learning environments, including Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching restaurant and lounge! 
  • College of the North Atlantic’s Agriculture Technician Co-op program exposes students sustainable agriculture with a focus on balancing market demands for farm products with socioeconomic factors like cost of production, taxation, land usage, and potential environmental impacts. 
  • At Great Plains College, the course in Sustainable Plant and Soil Management introduces students to agricultural systems, with a focus on sustainability in a changing environment. This course is offered in partnerships with University of Regina and University of Saskatchewan.  

Sustainable food and agriculture is a big part of ensuring that we live and produce within the earth’s means. That includes reflecting on how we, as individuals, can consume more responsibly, prevent food waste, and support community-oriented farming to help lower humanity’s ecological footprint!

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July 29, 2022

Access the brand-new collection of healthcare education resources.

Educators across Canada can now freely access 137 new virtual simulations designed to give students in nursing, medical laboratory sciences, and paramedicine innovative hands-on learning experiences. Use these simulations to enhance your curriculum!

The virtual simulations are simulated clinical experiences created by Canadian educators and based on defined pedagogical objectives. They showcase a range of medical scenarios from basic protocol to more severe procedures all with particular emphasis on showcasing medical scenarios that include marginalized populations such as LGTBQ2S+ and racialized patients.

The collection is the result of our Virtu-WIL project. Funded by the Government of Canada, the project brings together post-secondary institutions, employers, and suppliers to develop, implement, and distribute virtual simulation opportunities for students in identified sectors.

The collection is now available through Simulation Canada, a key partner on the project.

Access the collection!

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July 25, 2022

We all have a role to play in energy efficiency (SDG 7)

Did you know that renewable energy sources currently provide about 18% of Canada’s total primary energy supply? Water, wind, and biomass are the most common. In fact, Canada is the world’s second largest producer of hydroelectricity! 

SDG 7 challenges us to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. That means not only reducing our reliance on fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy sources, but also improving energy efficiency and storage systems to make sure that energy doesn’t go to waste and ensuring that everyone has access to reliable electricity. 

Colleges and institutes are leaders in our renewable energy future! They train people to work in the clean and renewable energy sector and support industry to find innovative solutions to energy challenges in their communities. 

We all have a role to play in energy efficiency! By being more aware of our energy usage at home, investing in clean renewable energies, and contributing to innovation in the field, we can improve our health and the environment, drive economic growth and create green jobs, and help to ensure affordable access to clean energy for all.  

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June 27, 2022

Strong and successful small businesses make resilient and sustainable communities (SDGs 8 & 9)

Did you know that small businesses make up more than 98% of employer businesses in Canada and employ more than 10 million individuals? That’s a huge footprint and represents almost two thirds (64%) of the total labour force! Chances are, when you go shopping, dine-out, or visit a local coffee shop, you’re interacting with a small or medium-sized business.  

Strong small businesses ensure resilient and sustainable communities, and SMEs are vital players in our collective sustainability agenda – particularly SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure).  

For colleges and institutes, supporting SMEs means equipping students (especially diverse and underrepresented innovators) with skills to launch their own ideas confidently to help make our economy greener and fairer! 

  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Yukon University supports Yukoners starting businesses and developing new products and services with funding, resources, expertise, and incubation from beginning to end.  
  • The university is also a Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and works to identify additional barriers and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and provide support to overcome them. 

SMEs are also partners of choice for college and institute applied research and innovation. In fact, the latest data shows that of 8,000 total college and institute applied research partnerships (67% were with SMEs who often do not have the capacity or resources to conduct cutting-edge research on their own)! 

  • Each year, more and more Canadian businesses of all sizes benefit from real solutions to real problems. And each year, more Canadians as a whole benefit from innovation that contributes to the long-term sustainability of Canadian industry. 

June 27 is Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Day! Today (and everyday), be sure to support local MSMEs and think about how your own entrepreneurial skills, ideas and aspirations could help make Canada futureproof. 

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June 13, 2022

Carefully managing our oceans is key to a sustainable future. (SDG 14)

Oceans are one of the world’s greatest resources. Covering more than 70 % of the planet, oceans support the environment and make the Earth habitable for humans. In fact, our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately controlled by our oceans.

Oceans even absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans. And did you know that roughly 80% of marine and coastal pollution originates on land, including things like agricultural run-off, pesticides, plastics, and untreated sewage?

June 8 was World Ocean’s Day! What better time to affirm how we need to get serious about marine conservation? In Canada, colleges and institutes are leading ground-breaking research in the marine and coastal sector that helps protect life below water (SDG 14):

Don’t forget to join the SDG Accord! The Accord inspires, celebrates, and advances the critical role of education in delivering on the SDGs. As signatories, we maximize the impact of our efforts, share knowledge, commit to doing more, and hold each other accountable.

Healthy and sustainable oceans (SDG 14) are essential to a healthy planet. The next ten years mark United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Take some time to think about what part you can play in helping to conserve our ocean ecosystems.

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June 1, 2022

Confronting our history and looking forward

(Originally published in Education for Employment magazine, June 21, 2022).

The past twelve months have been a monumental year for many Indigenous people and communities in Canada. One marked by trauma, the reopening of deep wounds, and a confrontation with the truth about more than 100 years of Canadian history.  

In June of last year, the remains of 215 Indigenous children uncovered at the former site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School confirmed what many Indigenous people have been saying for decades: that the truth about residential schools is much darker than what’s written in many history books. Since then, more Indigenous communities – many working with technical teams from their local college or institute – have conducted searches of the grounds of former residential schools with similar results.  

The trauma is intergenerational, ongoing, and there is still so much work to be done; but we can be sure that education will be an important part of the healing process. 

Education is essential to lasting reconciliation with Indigenous communities. Seven of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action relate directly to education, including eliminating educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, increasing available funding, and developing culturally appropriate and relevant programming. 

But education isn’t just about improving labour-market outcomes, it’s also deeply connected to cultural preservation. In fact, seven CICan members are designated Indigenous institutions, meaning that they exclusively deliver culturally-relevant programs tailored to the needs of Indigenous learners and communities as a means of preserving and strengthening Indigenous cultures. 

For example, Kenjgewin Teg in Ontario means “a place of knowledge” in Ojibwe and the institute includes Indigenous knowledge in all its educational programming and relationships with the community. Each learner works with staff to develop a unique learning plan and identify goals. Teaching includes lessons about obtaining sustenance from the land, using Indigenous games as teaching tools, and helping students broaden their cultural perspectives and ways of knowing. 

In British Columbia, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is grounded in Indigenous culture, traditions, and knowledge; and inspires learners to strengthen their communities. NVIT’s unique Elder Council also guides the institution, its staff and faculty, and supports the spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being of students through higher education. 

The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies is made up of more than 90% Indigenous students and 70% Indigenous staff. The institute is responsive to the needs of learners and recently launched a curriculum renewal project to support innovation, ensure programs reflect current labour-market needs, and position graduates for success. 

More broadly, over 95% of all Canadians and more than 86% of Indigenous people live within 50 km of a college or institute location; and these institutions across the country offer over 300 credential programs tailored to the needs of Indigenous learners and communities. Colleges and institutes are also the primary access point to post-secondary education for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis learners, and are deeply engaged in advancing reconciliation and empowering communities. Even non-Indigenous institutions take this commitment to heart, as do we. 

This year, CICan is also celebrating 50 years as a national association. In doing so, we’re looking back at our history over five decades. Indigenous education has been one of our top priorities for many years.  

For example, did you know that in 1993, CICan (formerly the Association of Canadian Community Colleges) submitted its first position paper to the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples? And in 2006, we hosted our very first Indigenous Education Symposium bringing together Elders, Chiefs, Council Members, industry partners, and government representatives to discuss the unique needs of Indigenous learners. Since then, we’ve held a total of 11 symposia on the subject! 

Since 2014, we’ve used our Indigenous Education Protocol as a framework to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous learners and help institutions support Indigenous students. It’s not just about programs, but also governance structures, mutual understanding, and accountability. To date, 67 institutions have signed the Protocol. 

If we’ve learned anything in recent times, it’s that the future is unpredictable. Still, we know that a sustainable future is only possible if all learners have access to quality education. Education is as important to finding goods jobs and growing Canada’s economy as it is to cultural preservation. That means Indigenous education is essential to making Canada future-proof.

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May 30, 2022

Indigenous rights include language rights (SDG 10)

Language is a really important part of Canadian identity, but not just French and English. Did you know that over 70 Indigenous languages are spoken across the country, a key part of the many Indigenous cultures? The census divides those into 12 language families: Algonquian languages, Inuit languages, Athabaskan languages, Siouan languages, Salish languages, Tsimshian languages, Wakashan languages, Iroquoian languages, Michif, Tlingit, Kutenai, and Haida. Each one is vital to cultural preservation!

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report includes five calls to action that relate directly to language and culture and recognize the urgency of revitalizing Indigenous languages as a means of preserving Indigenous cultures. The two go hand in hand.

  • For postsecondary institutions, in addition to programs tailored to the needs of Indigenous learners, that also means language instruction!

Did you know that over 23 Indigenous languages are taught at colleges and institutes across the country? That includes language-specific programs as well as language courses taught as part of programs intended to teach about Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing, truth and reconciliation, and more! For example:

This year marks the start of the UN International Decade for Indigenous Languages, which draws global attention to the critical situation of many Indigenous languages and encourages everyone to take part in preservation, revitalization, and promotion of these languages.

As we start Indigenous History Month and celebrate the history, culture, and diversity of Inuit, Métis and First Nations people across all of Canada, let’s not forget about the richness and diversity of Indigenous languages!

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May 16, 2022

Representation is an essential part of treating everyone with dignity and equality (SDG 10)

Earlier this month, Canada made history by becoming the first country in the world to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people! This type of data is so important not only because it allows all Canadians to see themselves in national statistics, but also because it helps to fill a long-standing information gap on gender diversity. So, what did we learn?

Of the nearly 30.5 million people in Canada aged 15 and older, 100,815 identified as transgender or non-binary. (That amounts to about one in 300). Non-binary and transgender people are younger on average than cisgender people. (Just under 1 in 100 young adults aged 20 to 24 identified as non-binary or transgender). A majority of non-binary individuals in Canada live in an urban setting. (Just over half of non-binary people aged 15 and older reported living in one of Canada’s six largest urban centres).

This census update is a big step in representation on a national scale. At the community level, colleges and institutes are a natural fit for local support, gender-related resources and training, and positive spaces!

May 17 is also the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia, a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities!

  • Did you know May 17 marks the anniversary of the day in 1990 when the World Health Organization took the long overdue step of declassifying ‘homosexuality’ as a mental disorder?
  • Make sure to join us for the next episode of Perspective LIVE! (read below)

Pride is about community, visibility, and celebrating being true to yourself. Representation is an essential part of treating everyone – whether someone identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two-Spirit, non-binary or uses other terms to describe who they are – with dignity and equality!