As 2024 draws to a close, it is hard not to focus on the tremendous challenges brought on by abrupt federal policy changes on the international student file. Our members – like much of the postsecondary community – are grappling with the fallout of sweeping cuts, harsh rhetoric about the quality of Canadian education, then further caps and restrictions to post-graduate work permits.

While the difficulties cannot be overlooked, moments like this can also be transformative. They force us to review, retrench and find new paths forward. As we turn the page on 2024 and look ahead, there are reasons for optimism.

Innovation and Productivity

Over the past year, Canada’s polytechnics helped business, non-profit and community partners solve some of their most pressing challenges.

• In partnership with BFI Energy Group, researchers at Seneca Polytechnic developed an exploration tool that uses seismic data and AI-powered algorithms to search for oil, gas and critical minerals before ever putting a shovel in the ground. This saves money and reduces the environmental impact of resource exploration.
• The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Centre for Boreal Research benefited from a 10-year, $1.5 million investment from ConocoPhillips Canada, ensuring continuity in their efforts to support forest reclamation activities.
• The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board invested $20 million at Fanshawe College to create a new applied research lab focusing on extended reality and artificial intelligence to improve workplace safety.

In 2024, Polytechnics Canada released a report illustrating the economic and social impact of such research, concluding that the return on investment is between $8.09 and $18.49 for every dollar spent.

Strategic Workforce Development

To address critical labour shortages, our members broadened experiential learning opportunities and developed cutting-edge facilities to ensure learners are ready for the workforce of tomorrow.

• Conestoga’s carpentry pre-apprenticeship program has attracted more than $1 million in funding from Ontario’s Women’s Economic Security program to provide women with hands-on training and resources for careers in the skilled trades.
• At the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, a $30 million gift from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation will support a collaboration with YWCA Banff to offer world-class hospitality and tourism programming catering to Banff’s thriving tourism sector.
• A $500,000 gift from the Canerector Foundation has created enhanced supports for eligible students entering skilled trades programs at Sheridan. Each of the 147 scholarships will be embedded with mentorship opportunities, ensuring the next generation of skilled tradespeople are equipped with the network and skills they need to succeed.

Sustainability and Green Transition

From advancing clean energy to leading the green transition, Canada’s polytechnics are helping students and businesses navigate the challenges posed by climate change.

• At the British Columbia Institute of Technology, researchers are leveraging AI-powered computer vision in drone technology to improve forest fire management. In collaboration with Spexi Geospatial, the project maps active fires and identifies high-risk areas, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods for forest fire prevention.
• Humber Polytechnic is on track to become the first higher education institution in Canada to achieve net-zero in 2029, two decades ahead of schedule. The polytechnic is shifting from natural gas to electrified heating, implementing technologies and approaches that can be replicated elsewhere.
• Set to open in January 2025, George Brown College’s Limberlost Place is a 10-storey, mass-timber building on its Waterfront campus. The building features heating and cooling systems based on a world-class deep lake water system and a roof-mounted solar array.

Indigenous Inclusion and Reconciliation

Canada’s polytechnics have committed to addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. From embedding Indigenous languages and symbols on campus to developing innovative community partnerships, our members are creating inclusive, welcoming spaces.

• A new Indigenous entrepreneurship incubation initiative, Mittohnee Pogo’ohtah, was unveiled at Red River College Polytechnic in June 2024. The incubator creates opportunities for budding and established Indigenous entrepreneurs, connecting them to a network that can help scale up their businesses.
• At Algonquin College, four private streets on the Ottawa campus have been given Anishinaabe names – Wajashk Private (Muskrat), Nigig Private (Otter), Adjidjàk Private (Crane) and Wàbisheshì Private (Marten) – each reflecting cultural significance for the original inhabitants of the surrounding territory.
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) joined local First Nations communities and archaeology consultants to survey and assess campus lands for evidence of land use before colonization. This initiative is intended to encourage thoughtful stewardship of campus spaces and land.

These examples showcase the tremendous partnerships polytechnics have built with industry partners and external stakeholders, establishing a strong foundation as they navigate an otherwise challenging year. Resilience at its best.