“I learned to appreciate life early because death was a possibility,” said Tomson Highway. His gratitude is evident in his prolific body of work. An impressive wordsmith, Highway is an author, playwright, novelist, songwriter and musician who has enhanced the Canadian literary, music and arts scene for decades.
Highway was born in tent during a cold December winter as the 11th of 12 children to loving parents. He grew up trapping and fishing and living off the land until he was six years old, when he recalls being put on a pontoon plane with his younger brother and sent to residential school.
“He put us very proudly on the plane,” Highway recalled of his father. “He didn’t want us to be illiterate. He could see the social revolution coming and he didn’t want us to be unprepared.”
The roots of the Bird family run several generations deep in the Ottawa area. Graham Bird has taken that family legacy as an obligation to keep making Ottawa better for future generations. As president and CEO of GBA Group, Bird often says that helping to build Ottawa is a great privilege – to imagine what could be, to work with visionary partners and to achieve that vision together. This aligns with the vision of Algonquin College and the School of Business and Hospitality.
Bird’s work at GBA Group included involvement in several large redevelopments in the Ottawa area and beyond. A few notable projects include the Lansdowne Revitalization Project, World Exchange Plaza, the Shaw Centre, and the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. Currently, GBA Group is engaged in the major New Campus Development of The Ottawa Hospital, a multi-year project comprised of several progressive infrastructure developments. Continue reading Graham Bird on the importance of getting involved and giving back
Community is an important word to Steve Barkhouse. Growing up in a farming community in Stittsville, he was raised by his parents who he described as “exceptional” and who taught him that community did for them, and they did for you. His grandfather and father were both drywallers and builders, so he knew early on that a career in the trades was something he wanted to pursue. “I always knew sitting behind a desk wasn’t for me,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be in the construction industry.”
Those small-town values stayed with him and led him to study at Algonquin College, first in the Architecture program before switching to Business Management. He graduated in 1988, then attended and graduated from Lakehead University with a degree in human resources and industrial relations. All the while he describes his sense of community as being ingrained in him as a part of his fabric and make up. He believes Algonquin College shares those same values. Continue reading Steve Barkhouse to receive Algonquin College Fellowship Award
OTTAWA — May 22, 2024– Algonquin College is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Porter Airlines, marking a significant commitment to enhancing educational and career opportunities in the aviation sector. This new strategic partnership is poised to leverage Porter’s position as a leading provider of air services in Ottawa, with the official signing ceremony that took place on May 21 during the grand unveiling of Porter’s Airlines’ new maintenance facility in Ottawa.
OTTAWA, May 16, 2024 — Invest Ottawa, lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries, and Algonquin College, today announced a strategic partnership that will enable new agricultural innovation, research and science at the Ottawa Smart Farm powered by AgExpert (Farm Credit Canada’s whole farm management system), located at Area X.O. Building on shared goals, this new partnership will directly support agtech R&D led by researchers, companies and producers, helping to fuel the future adoption of new solutions and their impact on farmers. These emerging innovations will further increase the sustainability, profitability and productivity of producers, and our agriculture sector as a whole. Continue reading Invest Ottawa and Algonquin College join forces to propel agricultural innovation at Ottawa Smart Farm Powered by AgExpert
On May 6-7, 2024 Algonquin College students took part in the Ontario Skills Competition where we had 19 students compete in various skilled trades representing Algonquin College.
Congratulations to all that took part, you represented Algonquin College well.
Ontario Skills Competition runs every year where students compete in various disciplines at a provincial competition to represent team Ontario at the National Skills Competition.
If you are interested in representing Algonquin College next year in May, please reach out to your chairs for more information.
On Friday, May 3, the College’s School of Business and Hospitality supported the 2024 Spark Soirée with a donation of 450 chocolate truffles made by AC learners.
Held this year at the Infinity Convention Centre, the annual Spark Soirée helps to support the Ottawa Network for Education’s School Breakfast Program in its efforts to provide more than three million breakfasts to students across the city.
Claude Brulé, President and CEO, Algonquin College, announced today five names of notable leaders in their respective fields who will be honoured at the College’s Ottawa Campus Spring Convocation ceremonies at the Canadian Tire Centre.
May 2, 2024 – Algonquin College is pleased to recognize six of its alumni who were recently named to the Ottawa Business Journal’s prestigious 40 under 40 List.
The annual announcement published each Spring is “widely recognized as the region’s most sought-after business award for people under the age of 40,” according to the publication.
CALGARY (April 30, 2024) —Algonquin College Social Service Worker student Stephania Smith has received gold in the Leadership Excellence Award for Students category at Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) 2024 Awards of Excellence.
These awards serve to recognize the excellence found in Canada’s colleges, highlighting important contributions to Canadian economic, social and cultural development.
Smith’s contributions during her time at Algonquin College have included remarkable volunteer, community and advocacy work. Notably, she created the Indigenous Student Committee for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students at the Pembroke Campus.
An impressive wordsmith, Highway is an author, playwright, novelist, songwriter and musician who has enhanced the Canadian literary, music and arts scene for decades. 
keep making Ottawa better for future generations. As president and CEO of GBA Group, Bird often says that helping to build Ottawa is a great privilege – to imagine what could be, to work with visionary partners and to achieve that vision together. This aligns with the vision of Algonquin College and the School of Business and Hospitality. 
described as “exceptional” and who taught him that community did for them, and they did for you. His grandfather and father were both drywallers and builders, so he knew early on that a career in the trades was something he wanted to pursue. “I always knew sitting behind a desk wasn’t for me,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be in the construction industry.” 
honoured at the College’s Ottawa Campus Spring Convocation ceremonies at the Canadian Tire Centre. 
prestigious