Niagara College continues to shine among the STARS when it comes to sustainability.

The College has been recognized as a top performer in the 2019 Sustainable Campus Index. A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall, and in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). With more than 900 participating institutions, STARS is the leading tool for measuring higher education sustainability performance.

Listed among AAESHE’s top 10 performers from associate colleges, NC ranked ninth overall and earned a STARS silver rating. NC achieved a third place ranking in the area of Wellbeing and Work, with a score of 86.6%. Wellbeing and Work highlights how colleges and universities can bolster the strength of their communities through student and employee wellness, health and safety programs, and other benefits.

“We are happy to recognize Niagara College for its leadership in advancing sustainability,” said AASHE’s executive director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “I’m grateful for the work being done by this institution to help move society toward a more equitable and sustainable future.”

NC last submitted to STARS in 2016 and achievements noted in its submission letter included:

• A reduction in overall absolute electricity consumption by almost two million kilowatt hours since 2013, and over four million kilowatt hours saved per year since 2013 as a result of energy conservation projects;
• An increase in waste diversion rate of over 32% since 2009;
• The  Greatest Greenhouse Gas Reduction award from Niagara Sustainability initiative in 2015;
• The establishment of a formal partnership with General Motors St. Catharines facility, Earth Force, the District School Board of Niagara to facilitate the GM Global Rivers Environmental Education Network; and
• The installation of two aquaponics systems, as a result of funding awarded from the Natural science and Engineering Research council of Canada.

NC sustainability advisor Taryn Wilkinson noted that the College has been working to develop a multi-campus sustainability program since 2009. Its numerous sustainability milestones include the installation of a solar array and geothermal heat pump in 2011; the implementation of a College-wide water bottle ban in 2012; its inaugural BioBlitz in 2015 (which continues annually), the opening of its Green Automotive Lab in 2016 and more. NC’s sustainability achievements include prestigious Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary certification at the NOTL Campus in 2017, and a STARS silver ratings in 2017 and 2018, and a STARS bronze rating in 2013

Building on its strong history of sustainability practices and achievements, NC is charting a course for an even greener future with the launch of its first official sustainability plan for 2019-2021. The plan sets out to engage the College community in sustainability on campus and to determine key priority areas, measurable targets and associated action items to meet those targets.  View NC’s 2019-2021 Sustainability Plan here.

“Niagara College will maintain its commitment to driving a horizontally and vertically-integrated culture of sustainability that goes beyond operations, to create living laboratories that facilitate experiential learning for students, employees and community members,” said Wilkinson, who is currently working on NC’s latest STARS submission. “Recognition from AASHE as a top performer, combined with our newly launched Sustainability Plan, helps demonstrate that.”

Niagara College’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website here.

 View the 2019 Sustainable Campus Index here.

About STARS

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. The credits included in STARS span the breadth of higher education sustainability and are organized into four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website. For more information, visit stars.aashe.org.

About AASHE

AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. AASHE works with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. Visit www.aashe.org.

 

Media inquiries please contact:

 

Julie Greco

Niagara College

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905 328 2532

[email protected]

 

Andrea Huggins

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Programs Marketing Manager

(888) 347-9997 x.123

[email protected]

It’s the beginning of a new era for research and innovation in Niagara’s agri-food industry, with the opening of Niagara College’s latest addition to its trailblazing Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus.

On Tuesday, September 3, federal, provincial and regional representatives, community donors and industry partners joined staff and students at Niagara College to mark the official grand opening of the new Marotta Family Innovation Complex, which will not only enhance student learning opportunities, but will support the region’s agri-food and agri-business sector.

The four-story complex is the centrepiece of a $34-million investment in the agri-food sector, and includes more than 50,000 square feet of newly constructed space – including three research areas that expand the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute Innovation Centre (CFWI IC). New beverages will be prototyped and processed for shelf life and microbial safety in a new processing lab, and analyzed in its new beverage analysis cluster lab; while food and beverage companies can further their product development in a new agri-business commercialization space.

“Thanks to a generous donation from community donors Benny and Louise Marotta, and family; support from our Student Administrative Council; and vital funding from our federal, provincial and regional governments; our Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus is set to become a hub for research and innovation in Canada’s agri-food industry,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson, PhD.  “The strong support for this new complex is a testament to the power of a Niagara College education, not only in the high-quality experiential learning we offer to our students, but in the strong role we play in our communities, helping small- and medium-sized enterprises innovate, which, in turn, generates jobs and stimulates the economy.”

“This is an exciting day for Niagara College’s Research & Innovation Division. The expansion of our Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre within the new Marotta Family Innovation Complex supports the agri-food and agri-business sectors in Niagara,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, NC’s vice-president of Research, Innovation and Strategic Initiatives. “It also enhances experiential learning opportunities for our students, which will, in turn, expand the pool of highly qualified personnel in the food and beverage labour market to meet industry needs.

“We thank the generosity of the Marotta family, our Niagara College Student Administrative Council, and funding from our federal, provincial and regional governments for this vital investment.”

The new complex is named after the family of Benny and Louise Marotta, residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake, whose generous $1-million donation to the College’s Achieving Dreams campaign – which supported the development of the complex – was announced in April 2018. The family owns Solmar Development Corp, and Benny and Louise’s daughters Angela and Melissa are proprietors of the award-winning Two Sisters Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“As a family we have always looked ahead towards progress, keeping traditions alive and making communities stronger. We are proud to be supporting Niagara College,” said Angela Marotta. “Our goal is to help ensure this vibrant student community is always looking forward and that they will achieve success in all aspects of their life. By doing this today, we ensure the future of our industry is in good hands for the next generation of students and industry in Niagara.”

The new complex also enhances student life. The lower floor includes a new 6,000-square-foot fitness centre/ studio and 5,870-square foot gymnasium (which opened in September 2018), as well as new classrooms, and student space for study and entrepreneurship (which opened in January 2019).

The Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC) coordinated student contributions of $10.5 million, which supported the fitness centre and gymnasium inside the complex.

“The Marotta Family Innovation Complex is a statement piece that Niagara College is dedicated to the constant evolution of learning. This building will focus on creating innovative learning spaces, advanced modern classrooms, as well as focusing on experiential learning opportunities,” said NCSAC president Tom Price. “Furthermore, the Complex focuses not only on the educational development of our students, but their physical and mental health as well.

“Featuring a state-of-the-art fitness facility, students can unwind and take a break from studying while getting a rejuvenating workout in between classes,” said Price. “This was truly important to NCSAC, as we want to make sure our students have the best student life experience possible, each and every day.”

The Complex incorporates sustainable technologies including electric vehicle charging stations, a green roof water retention system, a high efficiency cooling system, and a rainwater collection and irrigation system.

The project received strong government support including $8.7 million from the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (announced November 2016); $1.55 million from the provincial government (announced November 2016); $816,000 from the Ontario Research Fund (announced July 2018); $816,000 from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation’s College-Industry fund (announced July 2018). Niagara Region also contributed $1.4 million toward the development of the complex, as well as to the newly announced Niagara College-led Greenhouse Technology Network.

 “As the Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, it brings me great pleasure to be present for the opening of the Marotta Family Innovation Complex at Niagara College. This new complex will strengthen the Niagara region’s agri-food industry, enhance student learning, use sustainable technologies and grow Niagara’s economy. The Government of Canada will always support innovative ways to promote education, grow the economy and work towards a cleaner environment.”

Niagara Centre MP, Vance Badawey

“I want to thank Benny and Louise Marotta for their generous contribution to this innovation complex. It’s symbolic of the relationship between industry and higher learning that we have here in Niagara. The Marotta family’s contribution to this complex improves the lives of students, improves the potential of the local economy, and provides opportunities to students they might not have otherwise had. It’s fitting that this building will bear their name.”

St. Catharines MP, Chris Bittle

“On behalf of Niagara Region, I am pleased to see our investment of $1.4 million being put to good use supporting research and innovation in the agri-food sector. I am proud of the Region’s strong partnership with the College and I look forward to seeing the many benefits that this new facility will produce for such an important part of our economy.”

Regional Chair, Jim Bradley

“We know that in order for people to achieve their highest potential, they need access to modern tools and high-tech facilities that will help them develop the skills needed for the job markets of the future. And the first-class education students are receiving here at Niagara is critical to the future of Ontario, our economy, and the prosperity of our people. This is a place where students can prepare for their careers and the jobs of the future as technology advances and our economy continues to change.”

MPP Niagara West, Sam Oosterhoff

“Our family businesses have been working with Niagara College for almost 40 years, starting in the eighties, Harber Mfg. was involved with the robotics department and all the way up to as recent as last month with the Research & Innovation team. With their knowledge and hard work, we were able to develop the food product line to relaunch our family’s 122-year-old canning business Lowrey Bros. For all whom have been involved with this facility becoming a reality, thank you. It will be a tremendous asset to our industry. Through research and innovation, success and a better future will be sure to follow. Thank you to the Marotta family for your extreme generosity and to the visionaries of Niagara College.”

Proprietor, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Paul Harber

 

ABOUT RESEARCH & INNOVATION

Celebrating 20 years of research excellence, Niagara College’s Research & Innovation Division provides real-world solutions for business, key industry sectors and the community through applied research and knowledge transfer activities. They conduct projects that provide innovative solutions, such as producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, and developing new or improved products or processes for small- and medium-sized businesses. With funding support from various regional, provincial and federal agencies, students and graduates are hired to work alongside faculty researchers to assist industry partners leap forward in the marketplace. For more information, visit ncinnovation.ca

 

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

 

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Media inquiries please contact:

 

Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905 328 2532

[email protected]

 

Michael Wales

Communications Manager

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7773

Cell: 905 328 4101

[email protected]

 

A batch of 27 recent graduates of Niagara College’s Ecosystem Restoration (Graduate Certificate) program are getting a jumpstart on their career, becoming Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioners-in-Training (CERPITs), thanks to a new partnership between the college and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER).

The SER is an international organization dedicated to advancing the science, practice and policy of ecological restoration to sustain biodiversity, improve resilience in a changing climate, and re-establish an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture. This summer, Niagara College became Canada’s first post-secondary institution to become a partner with the SER’s Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner program.

The initiative supports graduates as they pursue their CERPIT designation and provides a clear pathway for them to advance to  full Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioners (CERPs).

SER’s CERP Program Coordinator Jen Lyndall said, “Certification recognizes practitioners who have met a high standard of knowledge and experience.  Early career CERPITs, like those from Niagara College, can really differentiate themselves from other candidates during job searches, but more importantly they gain access to technical information and a network of hundreds of other CERPs and CERPITs from all over the world.”

The partnership also provides the program graduates with an Emerging Professional membership to SER, which connects them with a vast network of restorationists and provides access to technical resources through SER newsletters and publications, a complimentary subscription to the Restoration Ecology journal, expert webinars, and the Restoration Resource Center.

Graduates in the first newly minted group of CERPITs are already seeing the value the designation has added to their Niagara College education. “Ecosystem restoration felt like a path that provided actual solutions to a lot of the issues our environment faces. While I enjoyed working in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education, I wanted to go one step further,” said Ecosystem Restoration graduate Megan Lalli.

Lalli, 25, is now working as a landowner stewardship coordinator with the Niagara chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada, and manages a project working with landowners to restore portions of Twelve Mile Creek running through their properties in Niagara.

“As development and climate change continue to have an impact on our lives and the environment as a whole, we need to find ways to adapt, mitigate, and restore the areas that have been affected. The more people that become part of SER and get educated through institutions like Niagara College, the more push there will be to focus on not only protecting the environment but restoring the areas to productive and flourishing habitats for biodiversity,” said Lalli.

The certification is also a boost to the resumes of graduates looking to make an impact in their field. “My time at Niagara College provided me with field experience performing tasks that I could be performing later in my career,” says Kandyce Affleck, 24, another graduate currently working as land management assistant with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. “I feel that this certification will provide me with useful resources and connections in order to further my career and keep me up to date.”

In addition to certifying recent grads from the College’s program, the partnership has allowed Niagara College and the SER to work together to ensure the program’s curriculum gives students the knowledge and experience their need to attain their certification when they graduate.

“Niagara College’s Ecosystem Restoration program has been preparing students to make a meaningful difference in the preservation and restoration of natural habitats here at home in Niagara, and indeed around the world, for over 20 years” said Al Unwin, NC’s associate dean of Environment and Horticulture. “Partnering with the Society of Ecological Restoration not only improves the employability of our graduates, it also allows our two organizations to work together to ensure that future professionals in this field are well-equipped to tackle the ecological and environmental challenges that face our society, now and in the future.”

Niagara College’s Ecosystem Restoration program is preparing students to be leaders in the preservation and reconstruction of the planet’s diverse environments. Graduates go on to contribute to major restorative projects around the world, and will be crucial in the implementation of the United Nation’s recent declaration of 2021-2030 as a Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

SER is an international non-profit organization with nearly 3,000 members in more than 70 countries. We actively promote participatory, knowledge-based approaches to restoration. Learn more about us at www.ser.org.

Niagara College’s School of Environment and Horticulture prepares students for success in a wide variety of fields, including Horticultural Technician, Environmental Technician and Greenhouse Technician. The school is also home to several unique and pioneering Graduate Certificate programs, including Commercial Cannabis Production and Commercial Beekeeping.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca

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For media inquiries, including interviews with any of the individuals mentioned above, please contact:

 

Andrew Korchok

Communications Consultant

Niagara College

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7430

Cell: 905 329-1642

[email protected]

 

Jen Lyndall

Certification Program Coordinator

Society for Ecological Restoration

Phone: 440-666-5334

[email protected]

 

Brewmaster students from Niagara College are brewing up a variety of unique and delicious beers for Project Brew: Augtoberfest to take place on August 9 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Market Square in St. Catharines will be the venue for the College’s celebrated student-run craft beer festival. The event, held each semester, will feature 20 innovative and thirst-quenching beers crafted by NC students, and is a chance for the public to sample the small-batch creations of students in their final term of the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program. Local food, music and games are also on tap.

“Project Brew is the capstone of our Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program,
said April Tyrrell, faculty advisor for the event. “Students get hands-on experience crafting original recipe beers from scratch while also planning and executing a large-scale public event.”

For Brewmaster student Garrett Saulis and his fellow classmates, the Augtoberfest theme was inspired by the ethos of Oktoberfest. “We loved the idea of a Biergarten, and allowing people to mingle and socialize while sampling beers and discussing their thoughts on what they’re trying,” said Saulis.

“It’s definitely interesting when you’re toying with the concept of developing a beer that represents who you are as a brewer,” said Saulis. “Project Brew takes all of the knowledge we’ve gained from the program to be able to create the recipe, develop and oversee the steps for production, troubleshoot any problems that arise, and finish with what you hope is a quality beer that people will enjoy.”

Students have brewed a variety of summer-friendly brews to appeal to beer lovers of all kinds, including a raspberry saison, a mango smoothie IPA, a wine-like grisette, a kettle sour, and some grassy IPAs. Other brews include a light Mexican lager, an experimental low calorie beer, and Saulis’s own dark beer made with maple syrup from his aunt and uncle’s sugar bush.

Saulis sees Project Brew as preparation for his career as a brewer. “It’s a great way to get our foot in the door of the brewing scene, and add to our resumés that we have experience developing recipes and organizing a beer festival,” he said.

Proceeds from Project Brew support the Matt Soos Memorial Fund, which awards a scholarship each year to the student who brews the best beer at Project Brew. Established by Muskoka Brewery and Railway City Brewing, the scholarship is in memory of Matt Soos who died at the age of 26 in August 2015, just a year after he graduated from the Brewmaster program.

Student beers will be judged on-site by the Soos family who will award a $4,500 scholarship to the graduating student who creates the winning beer.

“Project Brew has a very special meaning to us. We lost Matt four years ago and his dream is alive. What he wanted to do we are doing for him,” said brother Dan Soos, owner and head brewer of Natterjack Brewing in West Lorne, Ontario. The Soos family opened their brewery doors in 2018, dedicated to Matt who dreamed of owning a brewery of his own.

For the first time, two NC Brewmaster students, Aiden Roos and Adam Weverink, had the chance to work with Natterjack Brewing on a special beer for Project Brew – a dark ale brewed with 50lbs of blueberries donated by local farmers in Elgin County.

“Cheers to another successful year of Project Brew, and cheers to Matt. He would have wanted to be right in there up to his elbows in spent grain coming out of the mash tun, joking and chatting with everyone,” said Soos.

Meet the brewers, get a sneak peek at the brews, order tickets and find more details at niagaracollege.ca/projectbrew. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the door.

*Must be 19 years of age or older. Valid photo ID required. Proceeds will be donated to the Matt Soos Memorial Scholarship.

NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program was launched in 2010 as the first of its kind in Canada. The award-winning, two-year program offers extensive hands-on training at an on-site, state-of-the-art Teaching Brewery to prepare students for employment in the expanding brewery, microbrewery and brewpub industries. Located at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, students learn from award-winning faculty and have access to on-site hop yard and local farm products to brew a full range of beer styles. ncteachingbrewery.ca

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, spirits, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
Manager, Corporate Communications
Office: 905-735-2211 ext. 7773
Cell: 905-328-4101
[email protected]