Posted on Monday, May 1st, 2023
Today kicks off Canada’s 72nd annual Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), from May 1 to May 7. This year’s theme is #MyStory — an opportunity to share your story to build stronger connections and community and reduce the stigma around mental health while bolstering the supports available for mental health across Canada.
For MHAW, the Canadian Mental Health Association is focused on using storytelling as a tool to advocate for the mental health care that we all need. Share your story using the hashtag #MyStory to be a part of the conversation.
Algonquin College employees are encouraged to check out the Mental Health Week Calendar for information on mental health and wellness activities happening at the Ottawa Campus and virtually from May 1 to May 5. Learners can also focus on their mental wellness by taking part in information sessions and activities to prepare themselves for the spring term and learn important tools for stress management, mental wellness and resiliency.
Learners and employees can also revisit the events of Algonquin College’s past Mental Health Awareness Week, Jan. 23 to Jan. 27, to learn from prominent Canadian mental health experts about tools for coping with anxiety and depression in the classroom.
For learners in need of mental health support throughout the year, please reach out to Student Support Services. In addition, a number of helpful apps and online tools can be found on the Counselling website.
Employees in need of mental health support can a find detailed list of supports provided by the Wellness and Abilities team and are encouraged to reach out to Human Resources. Employees may also wish to connect with LifeWorks, the AC Employee Family Assistance Program. Several helpful apps and online tools can also be found on the Counselling website.
Posted on Wednesday, April 26th, 2023
Algonquin College students cooked for a cause on April 25, 2023 as part of the La Tablée des Chefs’ Solidarity Kitchen – Next Generation Edition project. AC’s culinary students produced a total of 950 meals for the Ottawa Food Bank that will feed vulnerable people in the Ottawa community who are seeking emergency food assistance.
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Posted on Friday, April 21st, 2023
Earth Day is celebrated annually to mark environmental awareness and support environmental protection. To celebrate Earth Day, take a look at some of the things happening on campus that are reducing Algonquin College’s environmental footprint and creating solutions for an eco-friendly future.
- Algonquin College announced the Throw in the Towel initiative in Spring 2023. We have been phasing out using paper hand towels in most College washrooms to exclusively use the already installed automatic hand dryers on the Ottawa Campus, in an effort to lower the campuses’ ecological footprint.
- Algonquin College Print Services participates in the Konica Minolta Clean Planet Recycling Program for the recycling of used toner, toner cartridges and consumable printer parts such as imaging units, fusers, developer units and drums. Print Services utilizes this program for all Print Shop and printer fleet recycling. The College FindMe printers and Print Shop production printers also automatically enter energy saving mode after short periods of inactivity reducing overall energy consumption. The Print Shop utilizes FSC and SFI certified papers. All printer fleet paper is SFI certified assuring that the fiber used to manufacture the paper comes from recycled content or from a certified forest. The majority of paper used within The Print Shop is FSC certified, with fibers used in the manufacturing of paper sourced from sustainably managed forests.
- The Algonquin College Print Shop and Connections: The Campus Store recycle cardboard boxes for courier and freight shipments. Whenever possible, cardboard packaging is re-used and labeled (please see the attached PDFs) to create awareness of this green initiative. The Print Shop applies labels to boxes and envelopes requesting that the materials are returned to be re-used.
- The Horticulture Department relies on composting where all “green waste” is composted. Lights in the Building M greenhouse, have been recently updated to LED lights with energy saving software. The software controls the amount of light used based on how much sun is received that day. On sunny days, the lights dim or turn off automatically.
- Parking Services, in partnership with Facilities Management shared that bike repair stations have recently been installed at the Woodroffe campus, outside the Student Commons (E) Building, CA Building and B Building. These stations allow cyclists to easily mount their bicycles and use the tools provided to perform minor repairs. For help with repairs use the Quick Read (QR) code on the front of the Bike Repair Station to view detailed instructions on your smart phone. Bike rack locations are also located in several places on campus.
- Did you know that the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence is a showcase and teaching lab for sustainable construction and is one of the largest LEED platinum certified buildings in Canada? The building — which offers direct access to LRT public transportation — boasts a 4,000 m2 green roof that consists of sedum drought-resistant plants which grow in a sand medium, requiring little maintenance or irrigation and providing insulation value. This growing vegetation also absorbs and controls rainwater runoff, which creates less strain on the buildings storm sewer drainage systems.
- Many courses in the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence, include the Vocational Learning Outcome, “Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship”. Our Green Architecture Ontario Graduate Certificate exemplifies our commitment to going green.
- Algonquin College offers a number of sustainability-focused programs in which sustainability is a primary focus of the curriculum. These programs are intended for students with an interest in pursuing careers in sustainability-related fields. Programs include:
- The Algonquin College Office of Applied Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ARIE) connects industry with students to conduct research and produce innovative products and services. Many of these innovations are focused on improving environmental outcomes. Over the past year, ARIE has supported research in solar panel efficiency, new transportation methods to reduce emissions, geothermal heating solutions, green roof performance, battery charging and storage efficiency, and much more.
