CICAN Impact

Posted on Friday, October 2nd, 2020

The prepared remarks of President Claude Brulé.

February 19, 2020

Greetings everyone, and hello Denise, my name is Claude Brulé, President and CEO of Algonquin College. I really wish I could be with you all today, but my schedule takes me away. Nonetheless, we are truly honoured to host you at our Ottawa campus as you kick-off the CICan ImpAct project. You know the ImpAct project key focus areas truly align and resonate with us here at Algonquin.

 

First – In terms of campus sustainability, in 2007, we became the first college in Canada to sign the Talloires Declaration, an international agreement for advancing sustainability through teaching, research, operations and outreach. And importantly we have followed through with significant actions. As an example, the roof over your head in Nawapon hosts an indigenous green roof and water run-off enters into a giant cistern underneath the indigenous courtyard outside the window that is used as non-potable water in our DARE District building. Next to the DARE district is a co-generation plant that recently went on-line, capable of powering most of our campus. And we have just finished the installation of a major solar photovoltaic project on several of our building rooftops.  Campus Sustainability is embedded into our long-term strategic plan, our academic programming and our reporting.

Second – Algonquin College is an Access Institution. We run countless programs and initiatives that support access both through long-term programming and initiatives that address emerging needs in our community. But there’s more. In December, Algonquin became the first Ontario college with an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy and launched a 3-year action plan to follow though on my commitment as incoming President that we would be a place where everyone belongs.

And third, we have embraced our role as a Community College to advance Social Innovation. In 2018, we opened one of the first Social Innovation Labs in the college system, called Service Learning in Design & Engineering or SLiDE, with a mission of “Empowering our community by sharing student creativity and technological knowledge to drive social change”. Through related initiatives such as SLiDE and broad community partnerships, the Social Innovation Lab has provided an open door for our local social sector. We are also honoured to have the Social Innovation Lab’s Managing Director, selected to be part of the CICan ImpAct Project Working Group.

 

In closing, please know we are committed, as an institution to work with all of you to help drive progress in each of these areas. And we know that when we work together with institutions from across the country, we all benefit. We are looking forward to sharing with and learning from each you on this 2-year journey. I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit to our institution and our beautiful city of Ottawa. If there is anything you need, just ask our staff, our campus is yours, our city is yours. Again I wish I was there to greet you in person, but I know you are in great hands with our amazing staff. Thank you, Merci, Miigwetch.


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