News & Events
The urgency of climate change action is no longer theoretical. Worldwide, fires, floods and extreme heat have made it clear that we have a major global challenge on our hands.
Among the solutions, Canada should be all-in on clean technology adoption. While renewables are increasingly viable and tax levers have proven to influence company and consumer behaviour, clean tech offers immediate-term benefits that are critical to achieving climate wins.
On a scorching summer day at Toronto’s Humber College, a smart system precools buildings in the early morning to avoid the afternoon spike in electrical rates at peak demand time. Another system turns on lights in rooms only when people are using them. And when the weather is cold, heat pumps have learned to redirect heat from crowded spaces on campus to other buildings that can use some warming.
Since 2014, Humber College facilities have grown by 25 per cent, yet the school’s use of smart controls as well as energy-efficiency initiatives and retrofits has reduced energy use per square foot by more than 20 per cent.
Read More > “Humber College uses digital twins to make buildings smarter”
At just 32 years old, Vic Savino is the Director of Communications for the Treaty One Nations.
It’s a dynamic role, one that allows him to serve community members from the seven First Nations in Treaty No.1 territory and dive into projects like the development of the Naawi-Oodena urban reserve. Such a prominent director position at age 32 is certainly not the standard. But then, Savino’s life has been anything but.
Polytechnic institutions offer expert-led, industry-relevant training for high-performance talent. In this Q&A series, graduates from across our member institutions discuss how a polytechnic education helped propel their success in diverse fields.
Polytechnics Canada sat down with Kandise MacLeod, a 2011 graduate of Sheridan’s Welding Techniques program. Kandise is a boilermaker journeyperson and a radiation protection coordinator who holds a key supervisory position at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of her fellow tradespeople in a radiological environment. She is highly skilled in the trades and has taken polytechnic programs and training to build on her expertise as a welder.
Polytechnics serve as innovation intermediaries for organizations of all shapes and sizes, providing state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and high-performance talent. Through applied research partnerships, polytechnics support businesses looking to overcome obstacles to growth, realize greater efficiencies, reduce costs and enter new markets. Solutions that emerge from these partnerships also address wider global challenges, such as fighting climate change, creating a more inclusive society and strengthening our healthcare system.
Polytechnics Canada recently connected with Nick Spina, CEO of Ethey Foods, a London-based business working with Fanshawe College. Their applied research partnership has pioneered a new plastic recycling technology that reduces used plastic into either a liquid or powder form which is, in turn, used to create new plastic packaging.
Polytechnic graduates use their hands-on, industry-relevant training in a wide variety of in-demand occupations across Canada. In this Q&A series, graduates speak to how they’ve turned their polytechnic education into career success.
Polytechnics Canada sat down with Hargurdeep Singh, a graduate of Sheridan’s Mechanical Engineering Technology – Design and Drafting program. As the Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing at CAD MicroSolutions Inc, he is driving growth and innovation in Canada’s manufacturing sector. During the pandemic, he designed and created 3D printed nasal swabs, face shields and ventilator splitters, developing a made-in-Canada solution to address supply shortages.
As the demand for sustainable solutions increases, George Brown College’s approach to applied learning and close ties to industry partners address the need for hiring professionals with specialized skill sets.
As governments, organizations and industries worldwide continue to respond to the climate crisis, George Brown College’s School of Mechanical Engineering Technologies provides a critical training ground for future innovators eager to build sustainable solutions and systems.
Read More > “George Brown College Knows the Importance of Developing Courses with Industry Partners”
More and more Canadians with a Bachelor’s degree are attending college to enhance their skills with hands-on training and real-world experience, according to data in the 2021 Canadian census.
The latest census showed that nearly one in five college students in Canada, or 19.4 per cent, had previously completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher. In Ontario, that number sits at 25.8 per cent.
March 28, 2023 – OTTAWA – Proposed new investments in polytechnic and college applied research in today’s federal budget reflect the important role the sector plays supporting business innovation and propelling growth.
Read More > “Polytechnics Canada Applauds New Investments in Applied Research”
