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April 4, 2022

Our planet, our health

At last! Canadians have been waiting for a new plan to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next eight years under the Net-Zero Accountability Act. The official 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan is now here. But what’s in it and what does it mean?

Bold, specific, ambitious, and achievable is how Justin Trudeau described the new plan, which includes $9.1 billion in new investments to cut pollution and grow the economy. That means things like greening homes and buildings, switching to electric vehicles, adopting greener technologies, and empowering communities to take climate action.

So, how can Canada’s colleges and institutes help?

We’re going net-zero on campus! With the largest post-secondary footprint in the country, our collective engagement goes a long way. At more than 670 locations, we pledged to achieved net-zero emissions on campus by 2050.

See what we mean: many examples of net-zero and LEED-certified campus facilities, learning environments, and research centres already exist. These buildings are real examples of energy efficiency. They give students the opportunity to learn in real environments and practice using technologies on the leading edge of sustainable design.

Budget 2022 is coming this week (on April 7: Stay tuned for our analysis)! We know there’s a role for colleges and institutes to drive the green transition both in Canada and abroad.

At home, we recommended Canada establish a Green Postsecondary Infrastructure Fund with a minimum of $400 million a year over five years dedicated to helping colleges and institutes reduce greenhouse gas emissions on campuses.
Abroad, we recommended Canada increase funding to support skills training that equips people in developing countries to work in the green economy and tackle climate change. (For example, programs like Education for Employment).
Reminder: “The Next Step Forward”is our submission to pre-budget consultations. We have six recommendations to make Canada future-proof, including this one!

We also have a plan to turn campuses into living labs!

We’re looking for projects. We need your help to develop a network of Campus Living Labs that demonstrate ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in five areas: food, waste, transportation, buildings and landscapes, and Indigenous approaches to sustainability. Deadline: April 19.

April 7 is World Health Day.

This year’s theme is “Our planet, our heath” and recognizes the interconnectedness of good health and well-being (SDG 3) and climate action (SDG 13). At CICan, we align everything we do with the Sustainable Development Goals because they help ensure that our actions contribute to positive change for people, communities, and the planet.

Reminder: The SDG Accord is our chance to showcase Canada’s leadership! As signatories, 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!
We signed on and so have 21 CICan member institutions (so far)! Watch the video:Be inspired by their vision for what we can accomplish through collective action.

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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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Data: For women living in remote communities, colleges and institutes are the key to post-secondary education attainment.

Women in Canada are highly educated overall, but educational attainment rates vary from urban to remote settings. The latest in Statistics Canada’s Studies on Gender and Intersecting Identities series shows that women in remote communities are less likely to complete post-secondary education. However, those that do are more likely to choose a college or institute.

Among women who held a post-secondary qualification, the type of credential varied by remoteness (identified by StatsCan’s Remoteness Index Classification). As communities moved beyond ‘easily accessible’, college and institute certificates and diplomas became the most common type of post-secondary qualification.

Easily accessible: Among women with a post-secondary qualification in areas identified as “easily accessible”, 34.7% had a college or institute certificate or diploma (compared with university credentials (50.4%) or apprenticeship and trades certificates or diplomas (9.6%)).
Accessible: Among women with a post-secondary qualification in areas identified as “accessible”, 45.2% had a college or institute certificate or diploma (compared with university credentials (39.0%) or apprenticeship and trades certificates or diplomas (10.6%)).
Less accessible: Among women with a post-secondary qualification in areas identified as “less accessible”, 48.9% had a college or institute certificate or diploma (compared with university credentials (31.6%) or apprenticeship and trades certificates or diplomas (14.2%)).
Remote: Among women with a post-secondary qualification in areas identified as “remote”, 49.1% had a college or institute certificate or diploma (compared with university credentials (29.0%) or apprenticeship and trades certificates or diplomas (15.5%)).
Very remote: Among women with a post-secondary qualification in areas identified as “very remote”, 48.7% had a college or institute certificate or diploma (compared with university credentials (27.9%) or apprenticeship and trades certificates or diplomas (15.9%)).

TL; DR: In more remote communities, more women turn to colleges and institutes for post-secondary education. And, this accessibility is the key to supporting women’s education and empowerment all across Canada!

#BreakTheBias on International Women’s Day!

March 8 is #IWD2022, when we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and call on each other to act to accelerate gender parity. How can we create even more opportunities for women to reach their full potential?

Get involved with events and resources that celebrate women’s achievement and raise awareness against gender bias. How will you take action for equality?

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February 7, 2022

International development must be sustainable

International Development Week (IDW) shines a spotlight on the important contributions that Canadians are making around the world. Now in its 32^nd year, the theme #GoForTheGoals is a call to action for CICan, for our members, and for all Canadians!

This #IDW2022, take action by joining us in signing the SDG Accord! As signatories, we maximize the impact of our efforts, share knowledge, commit to doing more, and hold each other accountable.

At CICan, we make sustainable development the heart of all that we do! Each one of our programs is tied to the SDGs as a model for collaboration to ensure that our actions contribute to positive change for people, communities, and the planet.

This year, we are also celebrating our 50^th anniversary and looking back through the history books at our international projects, on how our work in international development has evolved over the years, and how the Canadian model for education contributes to sustainability abroad.

Take an in-depth look at the history of our international projects. We hope we can inspire more Canadians to #GoForTheGoals!

Start from our flagship multi-national EFE program and work backwards!

Does anybody remember “institutional twinning”? It’s our process of sharing Canadian expertise with international partners! As early as the mid-1970s, our advisory groups wanted a way for Canadian colleges and institutes to support the growth of similar institutions in developing countries – and so began our international projects!

“Twinning” arrangements paired Canadian colleges and institutes with international partner institutions to support access to quality education and training, while helping them align their training programs with their country’s labour market needs.

By 1991 (the same year as the very first IDW!), our member institutions had been involved in 65 partnerships in over 30 countries!

Fast-forward to 2007, when we inaugurated our first Education for Employment (EFE) projects in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Senegal.

EFE is a unique approach that puts quality education, gender equality, reduced inequalities, decent work and economic growth, and climate action (SDGs 4, 5, 8, 10 and 13) at the heart of its international development approach.
Today, our EFE projects are active in 15 countries: (Belize, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, Senegal, St. Lucia, Tanzania, and Tunisia). Each project contributes to all 17 of the SDGs by empowering all people to achieve their full potential through education.

After 50 years, we’ve learned a lot about supporting international sustainable development. All our international programs proudly showcase and champion this capacity of Canadian colleges and institutes worldwide.

The SDG Accord is an opportunity to mark our global leadership for another 50 years! Help us reach our goal of getting 45 members on board to mark Earth Day on April 22.

We signed last year, and so have 15 of our members (so far). Watch the video: Be inspired by their vision for what we can accomplish through collective action.
Congratulations to the early adopters and thank you for leading the way! Cégep du Vieux Montréal, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, Cégep Gaspésie et des Îles, Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Confederation College, Dawson College, Georgian College, Humber College, Lethbridge College, Nova Scotia Community College, Olds College, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Selkirk College, Seneca College, Sheridan College.

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January 27, 2022

International Development: Education for Employment 101

Each International Development Week (IDW), the theme #GoForTheGoals calls on us to engage collectively in collaborative and positive change for a better world!

Our Education for Employment (EFE) approach to sustainable international development is one of the ways we contribute to #GoForTheGoals! With eight projects currently operating in 15 countries, here are some of the way EFE helps us #GoForTheGoals:

SDG 4 Quality Education: In a nutshell, EFE involves partnerships between Canadian colleges and institutes and TVET institutions in developing countries. Through these partnerships, Canadian institutions share their expertise in the development and implementation of competency-based programs, provide training and help to develop pedagogical strategies for local instructors, while strengthening relationships with local businesses and employers – all with the goal of building a comprehensive, sustainable, and inclusive education system tailored to the socio-economic realities of each country.
SDG 5 Gender Equality and SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities: One of the keys to consistent economic growth is an inclusive and diverse labour market. As such, each and every partnership established through EFE programs has a primary objective of helping vulnerable populations achieve parity. In many countries, this means women – in fact, all EFE programs directly support Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy – Indigenous populations and racial minorities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups.
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth: the Canadian college and institute system has a proven track record of working closely with employers to develop programs and curriculums that meet pressing labour-market requirements and deliver graduates equipped to find and maintain good jobs. EFE capitalizes on this know-how to improve labour-market outcomes for graduates in developing countries and encourage local economic growth.
SDG 13 Climate Action: as we inch closer to the 2030 deadline set for achieving the SDGs, there is a renewed need to ensure that development integrates principles of sustainability and ecological stewardship within a green economy. By bringing college and institute expertise to developing countries, EFE programs help transform key sectors such as mining and natural resources, water and coastal management, and ecotourism with flexible and adaptable green skills, and strengthen partnerships between TVET institutions and local businesses to develop sustainable solutions.

Learn more about Education for Employment and international development by reading about our newest EFE program, Mille femmes : Je suis Femme, j’Existe, je Participe (One Thousand Women: I am woman, I exist, I participate)! Our current EFE projects are active in Belize, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, Senegal, St. Lucia, Tanzania and Tunisia.

Putting quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and climate action at the heart of its international development strategy, Education for Employment has wide-reaching impact that touches on all 17 of the SDGs by empowering all people to achieve their full potential through education.

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January 24, 2022

Good health includes mental health

Right now, Good Health and Well-Being (Sustainable Development Goal 3) is the most globally preoccupying SDG as each and every country grapples with the pandemic. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is an essential component of sustainable development – and mental health, a struggle during the pandemic, is critical to well-being.

But if we’ve seen some success in raising awareness and addressing the stigma around mental health struggles, the urgency to do more is still present. We need more workers equipped to respond to mental health issues and emergencies, treat and prevent mental illness, and work with their communities to support individuals and organizations, and build resilience.

At Douglas College, the Certificate in Emergency Mental Health is designed to help health care and public safety professionals (like emergency room staff, paramedics, firefighters, and other first responders) expand their skills in situations of mental health crises or emergencies.
- In the college’s LPN Mental Health Nursing Certificate, nurses can learn more about caring for clients with mental health concerns. The program is self-paced, on-line, and instructor-supported.
At JIBC, mental health and wellness is a hugely important aspect of training in community safety, emergency management, paramedicine and health sciences, and conflict resolution programs.
- It’s also a priority research area at JIBC’s Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Violence, where applied research projects tap into the knowledge of frontline practitioners to support the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities that witness and experience violence.
NorQuest College’s Mental Health Recovery Practitioner program is a flexible post-graduate program designed to expand the knowledge and skills of health and human services professionals. The program emphasizes skills in direct client care, advocacy, ethics, and work with families and communities.
- NorQuest’s Indigenous Studies program also includes courses related specifically to mental health, wellness, and overall health, in the context of systemic racism and intergenerational trauma.
At Nova Scotia Community College, the Mental Health Recovery and Promotion program prepares students to be on the cutting edge of improved support strategies and service delivery for individuals and communities affected by mental health issues.
- The program also explores strategies specific to mental health for diverse populations such as First Nations and Inuit, elderly, New Canadians, persons with disabilities, low-socio-economic groups, and homeless and incarcerated populations.
Mental Health First Aid Canada for Northern Peoples at Yukon University is a course that reflects the experiences of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis in mental health. The course addresses the importance of holism and balance, considering the mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of mental health.
At Aurora College in Nunavut, the Community Health Representative program focuses on community health education and promotion, community development, and the role of the community in promoting mental wellness and a healthy lifestyle. The program can be delivered in either a 6-month full-time program or in a part-time modular format!
At the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, students in the Mental Health & Wellness program learn how to apply both Indigenous and Western-based holistic approaches to healing and addictions counselling. The program emphasizes a deep understanding of self as essential to successfully counselling others.
The Youth Worker program at Collège de l’Île on Prince Edward Island prepares students to identify and respond to the social and emotional needs of at-risk youth, including things like neurodevelopment and mental illness, medication and drug awareness and dependency, child welfare, and suicide prevention.
At Collège la Cité, students in the Santé mentale et toxicomanie post-graduate program learn to work with, support, and care for those dealing with or at risk of substance abuse and addiction. Students also learn to collaborate with families and community groups to prevent and treat mental health issues related to addiction.
In the Intervenir en santé mentale program at Collège Montmorency, students learn to promote positive mental health, prevent mental illness, identify and treat symptoms, and respond to those suffering from mental illness with support, understanding, and compassion.
- The program is offered thanks to a partnership between Collège Montmorency and Cégep de Victoriaville!
Humber College’s new microcredentials will help mental wellness and healthcare professionals reskill and upskill as the needs of the industry evolve. The new Excellence in Mental Health Leadershipand Mental Wellness for Front-line Health-Care Professionals microcredentials will both be funded through a $15-million investment from the province of Ontario!

On campus, it’s been a year and a half since the Mental Health Commission of Canada and CSA Group launched the world’s first national standard on mental health and well-being for post-secondary students.

Watch Perspectives LIVE for a look at how the past two years have changed what wellness means what mental health on campus looks like. Watch the video.
And thanks to the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund, 16 institutions will now be receiving support to implement initiatives that align with the Standard (including seven CICan members: Cégep de Sherbrooke, Centennial College, George Brown College, Humber College, Seneca College, Sheridan College, Assiniboine Community College)!

January 26 is Bell Let’s Talk Day.

On Wednesday, Bell will donate to Canadian mental health programs each time you take action to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health. You can participate by phone or text, and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, or YouTube. Join the conversation and make our actions count.

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SDG Accord: Help us showcase Canada’s leadership!

The SDG Accord inspires, celebrates, and advances the critical role of education in delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! As signatories, 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. This is an opportunity to mark our global leadership! Read more about our goal.

Why sign the SDG Accord?

CICan signed the SDG Accord last year, and so have 15 of our members (so far)! Watch the video: Be inspired by their vision for what we can accomplish through collective action.

Congratulations! Cégep du Vieux Montréal, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, Cégep Gaspésie et des Îles, Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Confederation College, Dawson College, Georgian College, Humber College, Lethbridge College, Nova Scotia Community College, Olds College, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Selkirk College, Seneca College, Sheridan College.

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December 6, 2021

If you only read one thing this year, make it this!

We’re looking back at the biggest items of 2021 and what it means for the year ahead.

Pandemic work life, skills, and the Great Resignation

The labour market will never be the same after COVID, and so, how we conceive of training and skills must follow suit. In the midst of what some have called the Great Resignation, workers are revaluating their priorities, and for many that means a change in employment.

Inevitably, skills are on the agenda: future skills, essential skills, Skills for Success, green skills, intercultural skills – What does it mean to be highly skilled in a market in near constant flux?

We’re betting on microcredentials and hybrid learning models as the emerging go-to methods for flexible and accessible upskilling. Our new national framework and guiding principles on the subject will help educators develop microcredentials that meet high quality standards.

From members, we’ve seen a COVID-19 nasal swab microcredential at Red River College Polytechnic, mass timber construction at BCIT, a suite of microcredentials in clean energy and efficient buildings from Camosun College, municipal risk management at Conestoga College, and a joint microcredential in digital technologies from Cégep de Sainte-Foy and Cégep de Chicoutimi to name a few!
We launched the Supportive Care Assistant program: a new fully-subsidized micro-certificate developed to quickly address acute labour shortages in the long-term care sector. 14 CICan members are currently delivering the program across the country (and there is still time to become a delivery partner)!

Reconciliation and residential schools

As Canada’s colonial history and the legacy of residential schools makes headlines around the world, we need to ensure that truth and reconciliation efforts continue. The work to uncover all the Indigenous children lost to residential schools is just getting started.

As the national association representing colleges and institutes, we pledged to connect Indigenous communities with the resources available at their local institution: If you are a member of a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit community looking for technical expertise to search or map sites of former residential schools, contact us and we will connect you with your local institution.

Education remains vital to preserving and strengthening Indigenous communities now and in the future.

Formalize your commitment to Indigenous education: Over 65 member institutions have committed to making Indigenous education a priority, strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities, and supporting reconciliation through our Indigenous Education Protocol.
And don’t miss Perspectives LIVE: “Indigenous rights are human rights!” Episode 3 airs December 15. Are our collective efforts at reconciliation just lip service? And where do human rights, Indigenous rights, and our recovery efforts intersect?

Globalism, borders, and student mobility

Study and work abroad programs ensure students are culturally literate, resilient, adaptable, and ready to succeed in a global marketplace. But that becomes markedly more difficult when they can’t leave the country.

In March, we asked members to propose mobility-focused innovation projects and provided funding to 47 colleges and institutes to implement 69 projects!
Now, the long-anticipated Global Skills Opportunity is officially here. More than 16,000 Canadian students – especially those for whom international learning experiences have traditionally been less accessible – will acquire the global skills employers want and the Canadian economy needs.

Immigrants are another important talent pool for Canada. If Canadians can expect to welcome over 400,000 new permanent residents in 2022, we need an audacious plan to ensure that those coming to start a new life in Canada have the resources and support they need to realize their aspirations. Our latest paper offers recommendations.

Border closures and travel continue to impact international students arriving in Canada, and we continue to work with government to ensure that the needs of international students are being heard. See all our updates related to international students arriving in Canada, post-graduation work permits, and study permit processing online.

Climate, sustainability, and the race to net-zero

As devastating flooding and record amounts of rainfall continue on the west coast, we are seeing the very real effects of climate change. 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 pledged to achieve net-zero emissions on campus by 2050!
It’s 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!
And, our new Impact-Climate initiative will raise awareness among colleges and institutes and enhance engagement to reduce their environmental footprint.

Watch: “Are we moving the needle on climate change?” Last month on Perspectives LIVE, we looked at the reality of climate change and the race to net-zero. Is it a race we can win?

Recovery, equity, and innovation

The latest OECD Economic Outlook report is optimistic that recovery from COVID-19 will continue despite concerns over the new variant, but warns that unequal access to vaccines could leave some countries behind. While we plan for recovery, we also need to ensure that structures are in place to reduce inequalities.

On economic recovery, we know that each year, more and more Canadian businesses and community organizations of all sizes (in all areas of the country) benefit from college and institute applied research to find real solutions to real problems.

The latest data from our annual survey on applied research points to growth in all directions: more projects, more partnerships, more solutions, more students, and more dollars. This will prove critical in the coming year!

We’re also serious about equity, diversity, and inclusion, not only as an ethical and moral responsibility, but also as necessary for sustainable recovery. You can expect more from our new ImpAct-EDI iniative in the coming year!

50 years young!

Last but not least, in 2022, we have a special year of surprises coming your way. We’re turning 50 and taking the opportunity to look back at some of the key highlights in our history and asking some old friends and experts to share their thoughts for the future!

For now, take some time to rest and reset – you’ve earned it – and we’ll see you in the new year!

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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

Report: Working towards the SDGs for a better future

On the occasion of Global Goals Week, we just released our first report outlining how our many programs and partnerships support the SDGs in Canada and abroad! While everything we do is tied to at least one SDG, the report focuses on key goals that have inspired our strategic plan: Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Quality Education (SDG 4). Check it out!

The report also marks one year since we committed to the SDG Accord: the education sector’s international and collective response to the Global Goals. So far, ten CICan members have signed on! (Selkirk College, NSCC, Sheridan College, Confederation College, Lethbridge College, Olds College, Dawson College, Cégep du Vieux Montreal, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles). Join the growing list of signatories!