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Canadore College sharing concept of sustainability with the community

North Bay school aims to encourage sustainability through community, business practices
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Canadore College in North Bay (Supplied photo)

NORTH BAY — May 30, 2022: Canadore College is working towards a more sustainable future by greening its campuses, establishing food security practices, and planning for a clean water initiative. Now, the college wants to support the idea of sustainability in the community as well. Canadore is hosting its first Sustainability Summit beginning Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

“We want to galvanize the community around the idea of sustainability and the need to act now,” said Jesse Russell, sustainable development project leader. 

As a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accord, Canadore College is committed to embedding the SDGs into its education, research, leadership, operations, administration, and engagement activities.

“Canadore College is not subscribing to the notion that we will wait for others to take action on climate change and building healthier, more sustainable communities,” said Shawn Chorney, vice-president, strategic infrastructure, Indigenous and learner services. “We have an incredible opportunity as a community of nearly 10,000 students, employees and volunteers to make an impact today.”

“As an educator and good community citizen, Canadore has a responsibility to lead the way towards meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” said George Burton, president and CEO. “Part of our commitment is to involve all of our key stakeholders in the effort including students, employees, and our local community members.”

Canadore has been working in partnership with Earth in a Nest Collaborative Business Network, a coalition of eco-age friendly businesses who follow the United Nations SDGs.

“We want to introduce the sustainable development goals to our community and to our local businesses, and demonstrate why the SDGs matter,” said Hariett Madigan, Earth in a Nest founder. “We want the community to know how we can implement change by creating an action plan to protect people, and to prosper within the constraints of our fragile planet.”

The hybrid summit will feature guest speakers knowledgeable on sustainable changes. Day one will focus on individual sustainability, while day two will concentrate on businesses.

“Businesses face a unique situation when it comes to operating sustainably, so we felt it was important to make that distinction,” said Russell. “We hope attendees will walk away equipped with tools to make change and influence others to do the same.”

“It’s been my experience that when business owners and organizations gather for the greater good in a shared purpose we can accomplish great things,” said Madigan.      

For more information on the summit, visit www.canadorecollege.ca/sustainable-canadore/summit-agenda.

About Canadore College: Canadore College trains people through applied learning, leadership and innovation. It provides access to over 80 full-time quality programs, has outstanding faculty and provides success services to students from nearly 400 Canadian communities and 25 international countries. The college, its students, and alumni add $369 million to the Nipissing Parry Sound service area economy. Approximately 1,000 students graduate from Canadore each year, and they join 47,000 alumni working across the globe. Canadore receives less than 50 per cent of its traditional funding from the provincial Ministry of Colleges and Universities and relies on its own innovation and entrepreneurial endeavours and generous donors for the balance.