Elevating partnerships for college excellence
Welcome to our Government Relations (GR) hub, your trusted source for staying up-to-date on post-secondary news and announcements, navigating legislative and regulatory changes impacting our sector and exploring grant and funding opportunities. The GR team is excited to establish an integrated hub and spoke model government relations strategy to highlight, promote and enhance opportunities for George Brown College aligned with municipal, provincial and federal goals.
Explore our resources, stay informed, and together let the GR team help showcase your exceptional programs and all that the college has to offer to government officials at all levels.
The GR team works across jurisdictions to promote the prominence of the college and understanding of our value to the fabric of Toronto, Ontario and Canada to various levels of government. Key themes in our advocacy include:
- Post-secondary education
- Supporting international students
- Tuition and affordability
- Sustainability
- Housing
- Transit
Advocacy on recent Blue Ribbon Panel: In March 2023, the Ontario government created a blue-ribbon panel to provide advice on the financial stability of postsecondary education. Over the past few months George Brown College has participated in the Blue-Ribbon Panel to discuss and provide solutions in response to the challenging landscape of post-secondary tuition. The panel delivered their report of recommendations to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in November addressing tuition and how to better align education with labour market needs.
Connect With Us
If you have an upcoming event involving local, provincial or national government or would like to discuss advocacy on behalf of an initiative or grant, please reach out
Michael Thomas
Director – Government Relations
George Brown College
Munisha Basiram
Manager – Government Relations
George Brown College
The team can be contacted through emailing GR@georgebrown.ca
News and Announcements
Today George Brown College welcomed the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, along with Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, to launch the Canada Green...
Innovative partnership to enhance Culinary Arts and Business innovation (TORONTO) – George Brown College (GBC) signed a dynamic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Creative Industries, Antigua and Barbuda today. This significant event marks the beginning of a...
On July 11, the Food Innovation & Research Studio (FIRSt) welcomed representatives from the state government of Victoria, Australia, to share ideas about applied research and skills development. Tim Ada, Secretary of the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, Victoria, and Mary Ann Jones...
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds joined early childhood education (ECE) leaders for the annual Summer Institute on Early Years Development at Waterfront Campus.
Awards were presented and guests got a look at the unique pieces created by the 21 graduating students.
The students participated in the event with the Housing, Infrastructure & Communities Minister Sean Fraser and Ministers Marci Ien and Arif Virani.
Charmaine Williams got a firsthand look at how George Brown College (GBC) prepares women for exciting opportunities in the skilled trades.
As Ontario aims to build hundreds of thousands of new homes in the coming decade, George Brown College (GBC) gave the provincial Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra a first-hand look at innovative and sustainable construction techniques and materials we’re using to build our new...
Dr. Fearon is recognized for his leadership in providing “transformative education opportunities that benefit learners, industry and the greater community” and for his “vision for equity, inclusion and community empowerment.”
Chancellor Milne was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, recognized for her "volunteer leadership and commitment to community service, particularly to initiatives supporting education, women and youth."
ON THE HILL
Learn about legislative announcements, parliamentary key dates and more.
October 25, 2023
GBC Advocacy with Polytechnics Canada in Ottawa: On October 25th, President Dr. Gervan Fearon attended lobby day in Ottawa with Polytechnics Canada.
October 3, 2023
CICan On the Hill: GBC President, Dr. Gervan Fearon and Laura Jamer, Director, Government Relations represented the college in Ottawa at Colleges and Institutes Canada advocacy day on the hill on October 3, 2023. The full-day event provided an opportunity to engage with parliamentarians and senior federal officials to share perspectives on how colleges and institutes support Canadian students to gain global skills and contribute to international education.
PARLIAMENTARY UPDATES
Learn about recent happenings at Queens Park at the Ontario Legislature and at the House of Commons in Ottawa.
December 7, 2023
IRCC Announces New International Student Measures: On December 7, 2023, Hon. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced measures to improve the international student experience, building on reforms to the International Student Program announced in October. Notable changes include increased financial requirements in alignment with the true cost of living, an extension of student work hours and recognition of designated learning institutions that provide top-quality student services and support. Read the IRCC’s announcement.
November 2, 2023
Ontario Fall Economic Statement Launch: On Thursday November 2nd, Ontario Released their Fall Economic Statement, forecasting the complete scope of government spending for the upcoming year.
October 27, 2023
Federal Announcement on Supports for International Students: On October 27th Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada Minister Mark Miller announced steps to strengthen Canada’s International Student Program. The plan aims to combat fraud, stop bad actors, and fast-track study permit applications for high quality institutions. The plan will include a multi-layered acceptance letter authentication system and the adoption of a “Recognized Institutions” framework to support universities and colleges who provide proper supports for international students. Read more here.
September 2023
Senators Author International Student Report: In September 2023, four senators co-authored the Strengthening the Integrity of Canada’s International Student Program report, discussing the current landscape, complexities, and recommendations on how to create policies that will continue to enrich Canada with international students while mitigating the challenges. Read the joint Senators report (PDF).
September 18, 2023
MPs Return to Ottawa: Members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons on September 18 after an approximately 3-month summer break. Many MPPs are entering with new roles as Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet in July, appointing new Ministers and unveiling a list of new Parliamentary Secretaries in September. Housing, inflation and the cost of living have dominated debates since the return to Ottawa.
September 11, 2023
Province Undergoing Student Housing Consultations: The Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop has been consulting with the sector on how to remove barriers to create affordable on and off campus student housing and is hosting fall roundtables with municipalities, private career colleges and builders. The government is not considering regulation of international student tuition at this time. GBC is actively looking to offer solutions to ensure both domestic and international student are fully supported throughout their education. Read the full article here.
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Stay in the know with our Government Relations Roundup email. Our monthly newsletters will share relevant federal, provincial and municipal post-secondary news, legislative updates, grant deadlines, events and more
GRANTS
Funding opportunities and grants are available across all levels of government. While the Government Relations team does not author grant applications on behalf of the college, we support employees to navigate the process effectively.
We can also advocate on behalf of applications through our networks. With our assistance, you'll be better equipped to seize the opportunities that match your vision and make a positive impact.
EXTERNAL PARTNERS
As a member of the broader post-secondary community within the City of Toronto and the province of Ontario, we work with valued partner organizations to achieve common goals as well as all levels of government.
At the national level we are proud to partner with Colleges & Institutes Canada (CICAN) and Polytechnics Canada.
Provincially we partner with Colleges Ontario and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
We also have key partners at the local level including the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Waterfront BIA and Waterfront Toronto.
