Ottawa, April 22, 2022 – On Earth Day, Colleges and Institutes Canada President Denise Amyot issued the following statement:
“With 689 locations across Canada, colleges and institutes make up the largest post-secondary network in the country. When these institutions come together and engage collectively, their impact is truly unmatched. We are immensely proud of the leadership our members have shown, and continue to show, across all sectors, including work to combat our pressing global climate emergency.
Whether committing to achieve net-zero campuses by 2050, helping learners develop skills to work in the green economy, or exploring innovative solutions to challenges posed by our changing climate through applied research, colleges and institutes have demonstrated their leadership in many ways.
Already, 27 institutions representing nearly 20% of college and institute campuses have formalized their commitment to building a sustainable and equitable world using the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by signing the SDG Accord. The SDG 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.
The SDGs are about working together to ensure that our actions contribute to positive change for people, communities, and the planet. To those institutions that have committed, we congratulate you and thank you for formalizing your commitment to action.
We invite all our members to join us this spring to strengthen the collective impact of these early adopters so that, together, we create better futures for peoples and communities across our country.
The current list of SDG Accord signatories includes 27 CICan members:
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Canadore College
- Cégep du Vieux Montréal
- Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
- Cégep de Saint-Félicien
- Cégep de Trois-Rivières
- Cégep Gaspésie et des Îles
- Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
- Centennial College
- Collège Montmorency
- Collège de Rosemont
- Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne
- Confederation College
- Dawson College
- Durham College
- Georgian College
- Humber College
- Lambton College
- Lethbridge College
- Mohawk College
- Nova Scotia Community College
- Olds College
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Selkirk College
- Seneca College
- Sheridan College
- Vanier College
Earth Day encourages citizens around the world to be more environmentally conscious and do their part to contribute to a greener society. This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet” and calls each of us to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably).
In our role at the national level, we are constantly inspired by our members and by their vision for what we can accomplish through collective action. It is our great pleasure to work with such innovative and collaborative institutions dedicated wholeheartedly to making positive change.”
CICan formally adopted the SDGs as the guiding principles of its strategic plan and signed the SDG Accord in 2020. Currently, all the association’s programs and work in environmental sustainability; equity, diversity, and inclusion; reducing barriers to education; and social entrepreneurship; are aligned with and inspired by the SDGs. In particular, CICan focuses on SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), as well as SDG 4 (Quality Education).
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Phone: 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter: @CollegeCan