New report showcases key role of colleges and institutes in Canada’s climate action

Ottawa, ON – September 20, 2022 – To mark Global Goals Week, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is releasing a new milestone report detailing the role played by its members in addressing climate change and supporting Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

“Are We Ready?” follows our commitment made last year to achieve net-zero emissions on college and institute campuses by 2050. The report is a compilation of college and institute leadership in climate action across three areas: Curriculum, Applied Research and Community Engagement, and Campus Infrastructure and Indigenous Approaches to Sustainability. The report reveals how CICan members integrate principles of sustainability across program disciplines to address skills needed in the green economy; showcases how applied research helps businesses and community organizations find innovative solutions to lower their carbon footprints; and highlights strategies to plan for sustainability and energy efficiency when building infrastructure, both on and off campus.

This report is not only a showcase, but also a resource to inspire more post-secondary leaders to act in the fight to combat climate change. It also reveals the opportunity to accelerate accountability, communication, and collaboration within the postsecondary sector and beyond.

The report emphasizes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for collaboration to ensure that our actions contribute to positive change, in particular SDG 13 Climate Change and SDG 17 Partnerships for the goals.

In the context of federal consultations on the new Canada Green Building Strategy, this report positions colleges and institutes as vital hubs in Canada’s commitment to reach net-zero by 2050. At almost 700 locations across the country, CICan members make up the largest postsecondary network in the country. Our collective efforts futureproof industries, learners, the economy, and our built environment.

Read the report.

“On the occasion of Global Goals Week, in a global climate emergency, we need to come together to maximize our collective impact. I hope this report will inspire more leaders to make bold commitments and to encourage each other to do the same. The decisions made now will define what future generations will inherit.”
Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada.

The report is part of CICan’s ImpAct – Climate project, a five-year pan-Canadian initiative aimed at increasing awareness of greenhouse gases and promoting behavioral change to reduce emissions within the college and institute sector.

The report was produced with the support of the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) and the Delphi Group.

“The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) supports this report released by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) that highlights Canada’s readiness to address climate change through education, applied research, and campus infrastructure in the post-secondary sector. The report captures current efforts to integrate core concepts in sustainability in education and lays out future steps to raise awareness and advance climate change readiness.”
Thomas Mueller, President and CEO, Canada Green Building Council.

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, please email, Leah Jurkovic, Director of Communications at ljurkovic@collegesinstitutes.ca