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September 14, 2022

It’s time to reimagine the tourism industry (SDG 8)

Did you know that the tourism sector in Canada generates $102 billion annually, involves 1.8 million jobs, and accounts for over 2% of GDP? Of course, in the past two years, the sector has taken an unexpected turn.

Now, the federal government is asking Canadians for help developing a new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy that will plot a course for growth, investment, and stability. We have some ideas!

Colleges and institutes are Canada’s skills solution. Did you know that 6.8 million workers in Canada get training at public colleges and institutes? For tourism and related service fields, 26% of workers are college and institute graduates.

Submission: Colleges and institutes are important partners in the recovery and growth of the tourism sector. We have three recommendations. (SDG 8)

Colleges and institutes train for workers at all stages in their hospitality and tourism careers through a variety of credentials, including post-graduate certificates, specialized degrees, advanced diplomas, online microcredentials and more!

As Canada re-imagines it’s long-term tourism strategy, ensuring that workers have the right skills and see the industry as a path to good, high-quality jobs will be instrumental to the sector’s success.

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July 25, 2022

Education is the means to a lasting impact.

Countries all around the world look to Canadian education as a best practice in the way that it tailors training to local economic realities.

Supporting partner countries on their educational journeys requires the expertise of Canadian colleges and institutes working together and with partners on the ground. These partnerships help ensure that the transformation underway responds to the needs of local communities and learners and helps local TVET institutions develop the capacity to take over when the projects come to an end.

It’s a development cooperation strategy that we’ve pioneered and tailored to success over 40 years. Now we have an ambitious plan to support international partners with new sources of funding and development concepts.

We’re looking to the future and beyond traditional investment.

The world is a very different place than it was just three years ago. We have an opportunity now to think about investment differently to better ensure that our work contributes to a more equitable and sustainable world as we recover from a global pandemic.

Impact investing ensures that pressing global issues – like gender equality, poverty reduction, and climate change – are not secondary considerations to success. The double bottom line adds to the traditional profit-based model and measures an investment’s performance as a positive social or environmental impact.

It seems like a win-win situation: investors get paid while doing good. But the challenge with this type of innovative financing model – particularly in Canada – is that investors, fund managers, governments, and non-profit organizations are often deeply segmented. That’s where we come in.

As an intermediary, we pioneered Canada’s first-ever federally funded impact bond.

We took a federal promise-to-pay; raised and managed investor capital; contracted experts in health, education, employment, and social welfare; and brought them together in a model designed to improve the lives of women, youth, and disadvantaged populations by improving their fundamental employability skills. The Essential Skills and Social Finance pilot gave us first-hand experience designing, implementing, testing, and evaluating impact bonds in a Canadian context.

And we’re ready to do it again. Not only that, we also want explore new areas of impactful finance by investing in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and using the strength of our network to support them.

For investors, working with us means access to the largest post-secondary network in the country.

At more than 680 campus locations, colleges and institutes are experts in applied research and innovation that provides Canadian businesses with real solutions to real problems. We measure the financial impact of our network as an innovation ecosystem worth $354 million dollars.

In the college and institute context, applied research is the development of innovative solutions to real-world challenges. Businesses – especially SMEs and entrepreneurs that often do not have large budgets for research and development – come to their local institution with a problem. There, they get access to state-of-the-art facilities, specialized equipment, and technical experts to help them advance their business.

In real numbers, that expertise led to over 6,400 applied research projects amounting to 5,500 new processes, products, prototypes, and services in only one year (2019-2020). Canadians benefit from this innovation that contributes to the long-term sustainability of Canadian industry, at a growing rate each year.

What if we could export this impact in a new way?

Canada’s applied research ecosystem has evolved to support entrepreneurs and SMEs. In the way colleges and institutes provide a space for underrepresented innovators to explore new business ideas, what if we could design an approach that helps innovators in developing countries find solutions to challenges like gender inequality, poverty, and climate change?

With the right players, a double bottom line doesn’t have to be a risk. Widening gaps in wealth, a climate emergency, and increased gender disparities in the workforce have resulted in a global tipping point and we need all actors to work together to find solutions.

The global economy needs a new approach to respond to global challenges. Our network is part of the solution.

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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):

At Memorial University, the Fisheries and Marine Institute is one of the most respected centres of oceans education and applied research in the world. It supports a comprehensive approach to ocean research and development by providing access to vessels, technology, technical expertise, and partnerships opportunities.
At Cégep de Rimouski, the Maritime Institute of Quebec boasts more than 350 applied research projects in areas such as maritime engineering and environmental technologies to provide solutions for marine-industry professionals.
- Similarly, Merinov at the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles specializes in applied research related to fishing, aquaculture, and transformation of marine bio-resources.
At Georgian College the Centre for Marine Training and Research is home to leading-edge facilities and simulation equipment such a world-class Navigational Simulator, Engine Room Simulator, and Survival Craft Operation Simulator.
As part of an applied research project at Algonquin College, a group of students in Computer Programming helped develop an app that can track lost fishing gear that might inadvertently harm fish and other marine life and leach microplastics into the water. The app makes it easy for marine workers to report lost gear to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Just last year, Nova Scotia Community College received funding to develop a new Clean Marine Propulsion Lab that will help companies develop hybrid electric and fuel cell systems to operate marine vessels such as in-shore fishing craft and tour boats. These innovations will make the vessels cheaper to operate, quieter and less polluting.
At the Université Sainte-Anne, the Centre for Marine Research works closely with partners to ensure the sustainability of the marine industry in rural communities through innovation, education, and research. Project areas include commercial fishing, aquaculture, and adapting to the effects of climate change.

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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April 19, 2022

Budget 2022 is here and there’s a lot to unpack.

Though the wins for colleges and institutes are less explicit than we might have hoped, there’s $56 billion worth of opportunity that our sector is ready to take on! As always, the way we advocate isn’t just about speaking up for our members; it’s also about making sure that the federal government understands how colleges and institutes support their own priorities. Here’s how we see it.

Climate action, reducing greenhouse gases, and low-carbon industries

The ambitious $15-billion Canada Growth Fund will stimulate growth in low-carbon industries and contribute to Canada’s net-zero transition. (It also hints at a willingness to act on a large and intersectional scale).

The key here is skills training; building a green economy will require workers to learn new skills! The success of the Canada Growth Fund will depend on access to training opportunities like reskilling, upskilling, microcredentials, and work-integrated learning to fill the new jobs that will be created in a green economy.
College and institute campuses are already leaders in net-zero and LEED-certified facilities, learning environments, and research centres that give students the opportunity to learn and practice their skills in real environments on the leading edge of sustainable design!

Innovation and investment

The new Canadian Innovation and Investment Agency proposes $1 billion over five years to set up an independent federal agency that will help boost research capacity across the country. (It also hints that the government might be thinking more seriously about innovation).

Each year, more and more Canadian businesses and community organizations of all sizes benefit from real solutions to real problems through college and institutes applied research!
Data from our latest survey paints a picture of what college and institute applied research already offers Canada’s innovation ecosystem and what we can still achieve if we think more strategically about investment.
It’s also important that research is properly protected. We’re excited to see support for post-secondary institutions to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to research security through the Research Support Fund and the Research Security Centre.

Attracting and retaining international talent

The budget proposes $385.7 million over five years to facilitate the timely and efficient entry of a growing number of visitors, workers, and students. It also recognizes the economic and societal value to Canadian communities that newcomers and international students bring to Canadian communities.

For growing the economy and addressing labour shortages, international student recruitment is a big deal! Colleges and institutes ensure that those coming to start a new life in Canada have the resources and support they need to realize their aspirations.
Did you know? Despite a decrease in applicants in 2020, demand for study permits at Canadian colleges and institutes is now up 40% over pre-pandemic numbers! (On top of that, approval rates were also up by 10% in 2021 over 2020 lows).

So, what comes next? We’re keen to get back to our regular advocacy and engage actively with key federal departments and stakeholders in the coming weeks as the announced programs are designed and implemented! Be active in your communities and on social media to promote colleges and institutes as key players and be sure to let us know of visits and meetings that take place.

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March 7, 2022

What does it mean to be future-proof?

If we’ve learned anything in recent times, it’s that the future is unpredictable. Still, we can try to plan for what we know and prepare for what we don’t. That’s the essence of future-proof: it means that we ready for any and all challenges that could arise in 6 months, a year, 10 years or 20 years.

Colleges and institutes anticipate the needs of our economy, then train, upskill, and reskill thinkers and doers. They are vital to making Canada future-proof. As their voice in the national agenda, it’s our job to make sure decisionmakers know what college and institute expertise can do for Canada. For federal budget planners, we have some ideas:

There is no future without net-zero. We need colleges and institutes to get us there.
Our economy needs bold innovators. Colleges and institutes make Canada more competitive and Canadian business faster to commercialize.
A future-proof Canada needs newcomers to address labour shortages. Colleges and institutes ensure those coming to start a new life in Canada have the resources and support they need to realize their aspirations.
Our future is one where all are included and supported. We need colleges and institutes to support the wellbeing of all students and empower diverse groups to achieve their full potential.

Read “The Next Step Forward” our latest submission to pre-budget consultations. We have six recommendations that build on these fours ideas to make Canada future-proof!

Advocacy is a big part of what we do, but it isn’t just about the federal budget; it’s about maximizing our collective efforts and empowering colleges and institutes to lead change.

The latest in our 50^th anniversary series is a look back at the history of our work in advocacy!

In 1972, the first thing we needed to do was define the space. Remember that many of today’s colleges and institutes were officially created by provincial decree in the mid-to-late 60s.

Our earliest efforts were focused on bringing institutions together with a common goal, raising awareness about what the college and institute system is and what we could accomplish with the right support.
Explore our milestone successes in advocacy over the years: on applied research, on the environment, and on Indigenous education!

Today, we use the SDGs as a framework for collaboration to ensure that our actions contribute to positive change for people, communities, and the planet. Help us make Canada future-proof!

As signatories of the SDG Accord, we maximize the impact of our efforts, share knowledge, commit to doing more, and hold each other accountable. Help us reach our goal of getting 45 members on board to mark Earth Day on April 22.

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November 8, 2021

There is no future without net-zero

A new report from a Berlin-based think tank ranks Canada’s per-capita carbon emissions among the highest in the world. This is not the record we want to be setting. We need to get serious about reducing emissions, in a big way, now. Canada needs leadership and colleges and institutes are stepping up. At more than 670 locations, we pledge to achieve net-zero emissions on campus by 2050!

With the largest post-secondary footprint in the country, our collective engagement goes a long way. Zero emissions on campus is an ambitious goal, but not out of reach. In fact, many examples of net-zero and LEED-certified campus facilities, learning environments, and research centres already exist!

At BCIT, the Zero Energy Buildings Learning Centre and High-Performance Building Lab is the go-to resource for the local construction industry. It was created to support the transition to British Columbia’s new energy codes and Vancouver emissions bylaws.
At Okanagan College, the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence is LEED-Platinum certified. It also boasts the largest photovoltaic solar array on a non-utility institutional building in Canada.
The Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation at Mohawk College features a high-performance building envelope that minimizes heating and cooling demand, an all-electric geo-exchange system, and a rooftop photovoltaic system.
- In 2018, it was the first building in Canada to achieve Zero-Carbon Building certification in both Design and Performance categories from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)!
At Humber College, Building NX is the first existing building retrofit in Canada to achieve the CaGBC’s Zero-Carbon Building Design certification.
- - The Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation is also net-zero. It features thermal chimneys to passively heat and cool itself, a high-performance roofing system, and 1,832 400-W solar panels on the adjacent parking structure.
At Centennial College, the country’s first zero-carbon, mass timber higher-education building is set to open in 2023. The building design is also based on the concept of “two-eyed seeing” and brings together Indigenous and Western cultures in both the form and function.
Red River College Polytechnic is on track to open a new Innovation Centre with a near net-zero footprint. Among the energy efficient technologies featured in the design: power-over-ethernet (POE) lighting, Smart long-short-instantaneous (LSI) breakers, and building-integrated photovoltaics.
“TheConfluence” at SAIT is an environmentally-friendly home that produces more energy than it uses, captures water on site, and incorporates biophilic design, a design that connects humans and nature through the architecture and landscape!
- 19 SAIT students and five graduates gained experience sourcing sustainably-certified wood, researching non-toxic cleaning products, and creating architectural renderings during its construction.
In April, the Institut du véhicule innovant (Innovative vehicle institute) at Cégep de Saint-Jérôme broke ground on a new facility that better reflects its values of sustainability and innovation.
- From architecture to building materials, everything about the building is designed for energy efficiency and to continue developing low-carbon solutions for the transport sector!

These buildings practice what they preach, quite literally. They are real examples of energy efficiency. And, they give students the opportunity to learn skills in real environments and practice their skills with real technologies on the leading edge of sustainable design.

Know another net-zero campus building not listed here? Be vocal! Share your examples and our pledge on social media using the hashtag #ClimateAction.

As a country, we are heading in the net-zero direction. As a sector, we are standing out. We are future-proofing industries, skills, learners, and the economy; and there is no future without net-zero.

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September 27, 2021

Innovation 101: the headline

The latest data is in and it points to growth in all directions: more projects, more partnerships, more solutions, more students, and more dollars. The success reported paints a picture of what applied research already offers Canada’s innovation ecosystem and what we can still achieve if we think more strategically about investment.

We’re talking, of course, about the most recent results of our annual survey of college and institute applied research! Here’s a snapshot:

In 2019-2020, colleges and institutes across the country led over 6,400 applied research projects contributing to all key sectors of the economy. (That’s up 7% over two years!)
That amounts to 5,500 new processes, products, prototypes, and services. (An increase of 24% over two years!) And, over 85% of these results were achieved in less than one year.
Of 8,000 total research partnerships (up 8% over two years), 67% were with SMEs who often do not have the capacity or resources to conduct cutting-edge research on their own.
Forty-two thousand students contributed to these projects at college and institute laboratories and research centres. (Up 45% over two years!)
And, the total applied research ecosystem is now worth $354M (An increase of 19% over two years)!

The key takeaway is that the college and institute applied research footprint is growing. Each year, more and more Canadian businesses and community organizations of all sizes (in all areas of the country) benefit from real solutions to real problems. Each year, more students gain valuable work experience and skills to join the job market by participating in cutting-edge research projects. And each year, more Canadians as a whole benefit from innovation that contributes to the long-term sustainability of Canadian industry.

So, if you’re, perhaps, a new or re-elected federal cabinet minister looking for a way to boost local innovation, you might consider college and institute applied research as the innovation engine in their communities, from large urban centres to smaller northern and remote communities.

In the context of a federal budget, we recommended the government accelerate recovery, economic growth, and competitiveness with regular investments of $40M per year to expand college and institute applied research capacity and the delivery of innovation solutions.
Don’t forget that innovation in a digital world comes with its own set of challenges. We also recommended the government invest in resources, guidelines, and on-going training to ensure college and institute applied research offices, their innovation partners, and our innovation ecosystem remain secure from digital threats.

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August 31, 2021

Why do federal elections matter to post-secondary?

Parliament has been dissolved and Canadians will head to the polls on September 20. But what does it all mean? The federal government having familiarity with college and institute priorities is always important. The way we work with government isn’t just about speaking up for our members; it’s also about making sure that the government understands how colleges and institutes support their own priorities. And in the context of an election, voters have a real opportunity to be heard.

Every year, we issue recommendations that make the case, so that when it comes to budgeting, decisionmakers in Ottawa can get the most bang for their buck. Here’s how we see it.

On workforce and recovery, the world of work has changed, and our labour market needs faster and more flexible ways to learn new skills:

A national micro-credential framework for key sectors will support industry and serve the interests of Canada’s economic, social, and environmental leadership; and,
Money to develop a national collaboration platform for colleges and institutes to share online resources will boost our technical and trades training capacity in a cohesive and equitable way.
Expanded streams to permanent residency for international students will also open Canada up to an untapped talent pool.

On inclusive innovation, college and institute applied research means innovative solutions to tangible problems developed and delivered for Canadian businesses and non-profit organizations; the more the better:

Innovation is also a federal priority, and investment that enables more Canadians from diverse backgrounds to contribute to our innovation ecosystem will create even more solutions.

On reconciliation, colleges and institutes want to deliver on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action:

Federal dollars for Indigenous-language revitalization programs, OERs on Indigenous histories and the legacy of residential schools, and skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, and human rights can help us get there.

On net-zero, inclusive, and digitally-accessible infrastructure, our needs as a country are vastly different from five, ten, or 15 years ago:

Dollars to make college and institute campuses more sustainable and accessible; to improve learning spaces for Indigenous students; and to upgrade digital infrastructure, simulation technologies, and cybersecurity systems will contribute to Canada’s infrastructure ambitions.

On green recovery, Canada’s ambitious net-zero goals could use a significant boost from a new network of 50 College Sustainability Centres leveraging existing college and institute assets like campus infrastructure, research centres, and community partnerships.

Around the world, we can also support developing countries in their net-zero transitions through skills training and applied research programs like Education for Employment!

There’s certainly a lot on the agenda for this election, as we enter a fourth wave of the pandemic and as wildfires continue to rage in many parts of the country, but our newest elected officials will be well advised to recognize what colleges and institutes can do for the country and their constituents over the next four years.

Election watch: Learn more about how Canada’s colleges and institutes contribute to building resilient communities, facilitating recovery and supporting innovation.

A word from Elections Canada:

Elections are important: Are you registered to vote in federal elections? This is a unique election, and your voting experience will be different: Learn about voting by mail.
For students: Confirm the address you consider “home,” whether at school or otherwise. (Note that Vote on Campus will NOT be offered for this election).
On employment: over 200,000 paid positions are available. Help support Canada’s democracy while getting paid to do it!

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August 30, 2021

Accelerate, explore, and innovate with Mitacs

Maybe you’ve heard of Mitacs, a national organization connecting Canadian students and faculty with companies looking to innovate? But did you know that we advocated for many years to make sure that their learning and research opportunities would be available to college and institute students? (And now they are)!

Mitacs programs support and fund collaborative research projects with college, institute, CEGEP, and polytechnic students and faculty and the organizations that benefit from their expertise.

For students: Put your talent to work with a paid internship at an organization that needs your expertise and contribute to Canada’s innovation ecosystem!
For businesses: Connect with the right research talent, maximize your budget, and develop efficient solutions to help your company grow, thrive, and succeed!

Simple! Learn more about how Mitacs works, programs available, and eligibility.

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May 25, 2021

On the other side of bold

A new Growth Untapped report from the Brookfield Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship highlights how supporting entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds is not only ethically important, it is also critical for fostering innovation. By supporting the success of entrepreneurs from diverse and intersecting identities – for example related to race, ethnicity, class, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age and geography – we can generate the bold new ideas we need to drive recovery.

Still, a recent ISED study of SME-ownership demographics showed that in 2017 only 15.6 percent of SMEs were majority owned by women, 12.2 percent by visible minorities, and just 1.4 percent by Indigenous persons. College and institute programs, support services, and specialized entrepreneurship spaces can help us do more to tap into the potential of these underrepresented innovators:

The Mawji Centre for New Venture and Student Entrepreneurship at NAIT inspires creators and trailblazers to take on an entrepreneurial mindset through business mentorship and workshops, interdisciplinary challenges, and networking opportunities. The centre capitalizes on the diversity of the community to shape the next generation of innovators who propel business and industry forward!
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 Huband works to identify additional barriers and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and provide support to overcome them.
Coast Mountain College’s series of Skills Development for the Entrepreneur microcredentials, offered in partnership with Ed2Go, help small business owners, or those looking to start their own business, increase their market share or bring their ideas to life.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Leadership is a renewed and modernized program that sets students up to discover their entrepreneurial identity, bring their diverse ideas and passions to the table, and discover entrepreneurial ventures that celebrate their unique value propositions.
The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program at Keyano College gives students the skills and knowledge they need to develop their business ideas including viability assessment, financial resources, and an understanding of the unique context of entrepreneurship within Indigenous communities.
Algonquin College’s Discovery, Applied Research, and Entrepreneurship (DARE) District is a multidisciplinary space for faculty, researchers, businesses and students that embeds Indigenous knowledge, methodology, and imagery in its design, identity, andpurpose – including the new Institute for Indigenization.
Cégep Garneau’s Espace Entreprendre introduces students to the world of small business management, connects them with other entrepreneurs, and encourages them to launch their own ideas. The cégep is also home to the École d’entrepreneuriat de Québec (Quebec School of Entrepreneurship) that offers training and personalized mentoring for student entrepreneurs.
The Indigenous Digital Accelerator at Capilano University empowers Indigenous entrepreneurs to scale up early-stage businesses with high growth, commercialization, and innovation potential, ultimately having a positive impact on communities.
The ACE Project Space at Red River College is a collaborative space connecting students and entrepreneurs to share experiences, bring innovative ideas to life, and make a difference in the community.
At Durham College, FastStart is a free, extra-curricular program designed to help entrepreneurial students develop and launch their own businesses while they study. Students develop valid business ideas, solid business plans, and marketing assets to take their products and services to market quickly and successfully!
The Institut de recherche sur l’intégration professionnelle des immigrants (CCTT affiliated with Collège de Maisonneuve) specializes in projects the support cultural diversity in Quebec workplaces, including a study of the barriers faced by women immigrants entering business and entrepreneurship.
At Collège d’Alma, CoLab is the college’s innovation centre dedicated to initiating, testing, and driving projects that help people, businesses, and communities increase their digital skills. Specifically, CoLab’s « Les Ambitieuses » project aims to encourage more young women to become entrepreneurs and join male-dominated industries like digital sciences and engineering.

Looking towards recovery and a more prosperous and equitable future, we have an important opportunity to think about how we can encourage inclusive recovery. Entrepreneurs help us challenge our own perceptions, processes, and ways of doing business. We need more Canadians to think outside the box!