The annual Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers list recognizes organizations across Canada that demonstrate a strong culture of environmental awareness, embedding sustainability efforts throughout their institutional DNA.

For 14 consecutive years, adjudicators have selected York for its successful and proactive leadership in reducing environmental impact across teaching, research and campus operations.

鈥淵ork is proud to be recognized once again as one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers,鈥� says Narin Kishinchandani, vice-president, finance and administration. 鈥淭his continued designation reflects the work taking place across the University and our deep institutional focus on climate action initiatives.鈥�

The reasons York was again named one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers this year were: campus projects that have been supported by the鈥疭ustainability Innovation Fund to advance climate action; the Faculty of Science鈥檚 ongoing development of a Sustainable Labs certification program that will ensure eco-friendly practices amongst lab teams; and reduction of infrastructure footprints through solar air heating, green roofs, solar panels, rainwater collection and more.

Adjudicators also highlighted the鈥�Office of Sustainability鈥痑nd Human Resources鈥� sustainability orientation module for employees, the鈥�檚 sustainable campus walking tours and the University鈥檚 support of the鈥�Sustainability Champions Network, a peer mentoring program that fosters environmental action on campus.

These initiatives are part of a broader suite of institutional efforts. Among them is the ongoing commitment to the鈥�Sustainability Strategy 2030: Positive Change: Connecting People, Planet and Purpose鈥�which includes a focus on reducing direct and indirect emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. That work has supported York鈥檚 accelerated goal of鈥�achieving net-zero emissions by 2040鈥�� a full decade ahead of its original target.

Across its campuses, York also continues to lead in environmental responsibility through efforts such as the upcoming annual鈥�痑苍诲鈥�.

The University鈥檚 inclusion on Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers adds to a growing list of accolades for York.

Last year, York was designated a鈥�Living Campus by the World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) for the second year in a row. The designation recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate leadership in engaging their communities in conservation action and education.

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 placed York second in Canada for its contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production. York was also recognized in the鈥� among the top academic institutions in the world for its impact with environmental leadership, education and research.

Nicole Arsenault, program director in the Office of Sustainability, says York鈥檚 continued recognition reflects a collective effort across the University.

鈥淪tudents, faculty, instructors and staff all play a critical role in advancing York鈥檚 sustainability goals,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hrough their engagement in teaching, research and campus operations, they help strengthen the University鈥檚 impact and support long-term progress on new and existing initiatives aimed at accelerating climate action.鈥�

As York continues to advance its sustainability priorities through both new and ongoing programs, the University remains focused on building a more sustainable institution. That work spans infrastructure, academic leadership and community partnerships, with a shared goal of strengthening impact across its campuses, local communities and beyond.

鈥�Building a more sustainable institution 鈥� across our buildings, research, teaching and community partnerships 鈥� strengthens York鈥檚 leadership and delivers lasting benefits locally, nationally and globally,鈥� says Kishinchandani.

The post 快播视频 among Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers for 14th consecutive year聽 appeared first on YFile.

Last year, 快播视频鈥檚 Board of Governors approved a five-year budget plan that set a path toward long-term financial sustainability while reinforcing the University鈥檚 commitment to academic excellence,鈥痵tudent鈥痵uccess鈥痑nd access.

The transition to a five-year budget framework was in alignment with the provincial government鈥檚 expectation under the Efficiency and Accountability Fund review, an independent third-party assessment focused on operational efficiency and long-term financial sustainability. The review was funded through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and builds on the 快播视频 Forward Action Plan and the University鈥檚 response to the Auditor General of Ontario鈥檚 2023 Value for Money audit.

In past years, the University has brought a proposed budget forward to the Board of Governors in spring. However, following a February announcement from the provincial government related to post-secondary funding, tuition and student assistance, the University determined that more work is needed to fully assess the implications of these changes and ensure the final plan maintains a clear path to balance.

鈥淲e are taking the time to get this right,鈥� says Lisa Philipps, interim president and vice-chancellor. 鈥淥ur efforts right now to keep York on track to eliminate its structural deficit are critical to ensure the University can advance its distinctive mission and create positive impact for students and society over the long term.鈥�

The provincial announcement included new investments in the post-secondary sector, limited tuition flexibility and changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). While these measures provide modest financial relief to the University, they require careful review to understand their full impact on 快播视频鈥檚 budget outlook and planning assumptions.

These developments come amid a series of external factors that have continued to affect the institution鈥檚 financial position since the 2025鈥�26 budget was approved last June. The ongoing federal student visa cap and further reductions to Ontario鈥檚 international student allocation contributed to lower than anticipated new intakes at the undergraduate level. At the same time, the continued restrictions on domestic tuition and provincial grants throughout 2025-26 have eroded the real value of funding for domestic enrolment, while costs continue to rise.

Narin Kishinchandani, vice-president finance and administration, notes that while the initial budget submissions from Faculties and divisions showed some improvements in response to the fiscal challenges, the collective impact does not yet meet the University鈥檚 financial targets. 鈥淭he draft budgets we received in February are not yet on a path to balance and more work is needed. We are refining scenarios, setting clearer targets and identifying additional steps that will protect our academic priorities while addressing financial realities.鈥�

The continued work builds on actions already taken across the University, including reducing duplication; streamlining services; renegotiating major contracts, such as a renegotiated contract for the University鈥檚 robust and Employee and Family Assistance programs; consolidating suppliers; and optimizing space and administrative operations. Some units have already made significant structural reductions, demonstrating the scale of change required.

Laina Bay鈥�Cheng, interim provost and vice-president academic, sees this deliberate approach as essential to safeguarding York鈥檚 academic mission and reassuring community members. 鈥淲e are living out the saying, 鈥榗hange is the only constant.鈥� Whether change comes in the form of hardship or opportunity, it often adds to workload and uncertainty. We are working to establish a鈥痜inancially responsible and sustainable path so we can keep鈥痬oving toward our shared goals.鈥�

Over the next month, the University will continue to develop risk assessment and mitigation strategies. Updates will continue to be shared through existing governance channels, including Senate meetings. The whole of the University community will be invited to a community information session in June.

To learn more about the University鈥檚 budgeting process visit the Budgets and Asset Management website.

The post Budget planning continues as York responds to ongoing pressures appeared first on YFile.

Each year on the National Day of Mourning, established in 1984, Canadians pause to honour individuals who have died, been injured or suffered illness due to workplace hazards. It's also a day to reaffirm individual and organizational commitments to fostering a safe and healthy work environment for all.

Members of the University community are invited to observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m.

To learn more about the National Day of Mourning, please visit the following websites: 

Employee resources and support

As a reminder, all 快播视频 employees and their immediate family members have access to confidential counselling 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider, available through the . There is also an online portal with 24-7 access and resources.

The post 快播视频 marks National Day of Mourning appeared first on YFile.

For real-world action to result from academic inquiry, researchers must be able to actively share and apply their findings.

This is the focus of York鈥檚 Knowledge Mobilization Unit (KMb Unit): to help scholars build relationships with community organizations, government and other non-academic partners. It supports efforts to share research in ways that are more accessible and usable beyond the University, ensuring York鈥檚 work reaches the right audiences.

For Michael Johnny, manager of KMb Unit, that work begins with communicating a simple idea.

鈥淢y definition of knowledge mobilization is that it helps take the best of what we know and makes it useful for people in our communities,鈥� he says.

Located in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the unit provides services and resources for collaborative projects, helps broker partnerships and offers training and strategy support for researchers, students and non-academic collaborators.

Johnny says it plays an important role because academic research does not always reach audiences in the right way.

鈥淚f everybody accessed information through academic journal articles, then we really wouldn鈥檛 need a service unit like this at York,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 safe to say that different audiences like to access information in different ways.鈥�

That means helping researchers build relationships at the front-end of the research cycle, and offering assistance in translating findings into plain language. There is also a multitude of tools and resources that can help implement research into practice.

Among the unit鈥檚 core areas of work is partnership-building. Johnny says the office regularly engages with organizations such as York Region, the City of Toronto and United Way Greater Toronto to better understand the kinds of questions and broader thematic issues that matter to them. KMb Unit then works to connect those needs with relevant York expertise.

That collaborative work also shows up in how researchers plan grant applications, with the unit supporting scholars who require a knowledge mobilization strategy for federal funding applications.

鈥淨uite often what they are looking for is help and support around developing that strategy,鈥� Johnny says.

The impact of the unit鈥檚 work can be seen in the long-term research partnerships it has facilitated. Johnny points to the work of Jennifer Connolly as an example 鈥� a psychology professor in York鈥檚 .

Through partnerships the unit helped facilitate in York Region, Connolly鈥檚 work took on a new direction, guiding graduate student research and overseeing collaborative projects while conducting research on gender-based violence.

Connolly works in partnership with York Regional Police and York Region鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Aid Society studying the prevention of sex trafficking. She uses her findings to develop tools and approaches for early intervention, such as the York Simcoe Sex Trafficking Screener.

鈥淚t completely changed the trajectory of her engaged scholarship,鈥� Johnny says.

He also highlights the unit鈥檚 work with Community Music Schools of Toronto, originally based in Regent Park. After the organization approached the KMb Unit with a broad set of research questions, the unit helped coordinate an advisory group of York academics to respond.

According to Johnny, the resulting connections helped secure a $2-million endowment for the Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged Research in the Arts at 快播视频, which creates meaningful opportunities for York students and faculty to work on projects shaped by community-identified needs.

KMb Unit鈥檚 training has expanded over time, including the introduction of MobilizeU, a non-credit course in knowledge mobilization. Johnny describes the offering as a 鈥渃ornerstone service鈥� that helps equip York researchers, students and community partners with tools and skills to maximize the impact of their work.

The success of MobilizeU, says Johnny, is due to the work of Senior Knowledge Mobilization Specialist Krista Jensen, who envisioned the program in 2017 and launched it in 2019.

The unit has also extended its reach through Research Impact Canada, a national network that grew out of early collaboration between York and the University of Victoria. Now made up of 46 members in Canada and the U.K., the network serves as a community of practice for knowledge mobilization, with York set to host its Canadian Knowledge Mobilization Forum in July.

For Johnny, one of the biggest challenges goes back to general understanding of what knowledge mobilization is, and why it鈥檚 important.

鈥淔or a lot of people, there is an understanding that knowledge mobilization is simply a dissemination or communications-based exercise around research,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 not wrong. It鈥檚 just often incomplete.鈥�

Applying research to real-world challenges, strengthening community partnerships and increasing research visibility are all key benefits of sharing the work of York academics.

Johnny notes that since it began operating in 2006, the unit has assisted in more than 1,600 unique interactions with faculty members, 2,000 non-academic partners and 2,500 students.

For Johnny, those numbers reflect the success of the KMb Unit and speak to the University鈥檚 a broader goal: helping research move into the world in ways that are collaborative, responsive and useful.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

The post How 快播视频 turns research into actionable solutions for communities appeared first on YFile.

The adjustments include updated permit rates, changes to evening garage rates and revised EV charging fees.

Complete details, including specific rate information and answers to frequently asked questions, are available on the聽Parking Services听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

The post Notice of parking rate changes appeared first on YFile.

In this first video for York in Focus: Leadership Perspectives, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps shares what she鈥檚 hearing across the University, the opportunities she sees taking shape and why she feels optimistic about York's path forward.

The post 快播视频 president reflects on opportunities shaping what鈥檚 ahead appeared first on YFile.

Giesbrecht joined YUL in 1988 as the CD-ROM librarian. He spent his early years integrating the medium at the University, while advancing its adoption among libraries across Canada by publishing his work in several papers.

By the mid-1990s, his interest shifted to another digital revolution: the internet. Giesbrecht created the first YUL website, setting up a web server in his office and building an early online directory of library services. He also helped colleagues navigate the new technology, working on numerous initiatives to support staff learning and adoption.

In his later roles as data librarian and data services librarian, Giesbrecht was known for his ability to help students, staff and faculty find the data and statistics sources they needed for research and assignments. His membership in the Canadian Association of Public Data Users and the International Association for Social Science Information Services and Technology equipped him with additional expertise to draw from.

He is remembered by those who worked with him as a generous, collaborative colleague who was always curious and forward-thinking. He was a mentor to numerous librarians at 快播视频 and across Canada.

Giesbrecht is survived by his wife, Roberta, his daughter Sarah and his son-in-law Jason.

The post Passings: Walter Giesbrecht appeared first on YFile.

Consistent with the鈥�principles governing a presidential search,鈥痶here will be extensive consultation with Senate and the University community.

Members of the search committee have now been confirmed.

Rhonda Lenton, who served as president and vice-chancellor of 快播视频 since 2017, completed her term on Dec. 31, 2025.

In accordance with Presidential Search Principles, the Presidential Search Committee is made up of 14 full voting members drawn from York鈥檚 community of students, faculty, staff, governors and alumni. Seven committee members are selected by the Board of Governors and seven by the University Senate.

Members of the Presidential Search Committee will seek a president whose leadership skills, interests and background meet the needs of York and will serve the University into the future.

The members of the Presidential Search Committee, confirmed by the Board of Governors and Senate are as follows:

• Antonio Di Domenico, Chair鈥�(alumnus)
• Francesca Accinelli (alumna)
• Naomi Ierullo (non-academic staff member)
• Helen Polatajko (Board of Governors member)
• Dee Patterson (alumna)
• Narendra Singh (alumnus)
• Mary Traversy (Board of Governors member)
• Angele Alook (faculty member)
• Julia Campisi (graduate student)
• Alyssa Furlan (undergraduate student)
• Dasantila Golemi-Kotra (faculty member)
• Rebecca Pillai Riddell (faculty member)
• Brenda Spotton Visano (faculty member)
• Anne Sullivan (faculty member)

With files from Antonio Di Domenico, Chair, Board of Governors

The post 快播视频 embarks on search for next president appeared first on YFile.

As part of the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by 快播视频 and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), the three acknowledgements are considered a meaningful gift to guide how the University recognizes and honours the caretakers of the lands on which its campuses are located.

鈥淭hese statements reflect the spirit of relationship聽building that guided this work,鈥澛爏ays聽Audrey Rochette, assistant vice-president of聽Indigenous Initiatives.聽鈥淭his gift from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations centres community voices and the history as they want it reflected. When you hear the phrase 'Nothing about us without us,' this is an example of that."

The new acknowledgements replace previous versions used to open events, meetings and gatherings, as well as those incorporated into written materials, learning environments and University communications. 

The three versions 鈥� also available in French 鈥� include a statement for Keele and Glendon campuses, a second version for Markham Campus, a third statement representing all York locations across the Greater Toronto Area. 

York community members are encouraged to begin using the new statements in all relevant University contexts, including updating email signatures for faculty and staff. 

To help ensure consistent and appropriate use,聽Indigenous Initiatives听补苍诲听迟丑别听Division of Equity, People & Culture聽have developed protocols and supporting materials that outline the purpose of the statements,聽identify聽who should deliver them and offer guidance on their application.

These resources are available on a new webpage that serves as a hub for all land acknowledgement materials. The site provides the full official land acknowledgments, pronunciation examples, usage guidelines, instructions for updating email signatures 鈥� also found on York's brand webpage 鈥� and additional information to support the community in understanding and incorporating the MCFN-authored wording into daily practice. 

鈥淟and acknowledgements are living documents. By using these new statements with care and intention, our community can now honour the work the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation invested in developing them,鈥� says Parissa Safai, interim vice-president, Equity, People and Culture. 鈥淭hey reflect the partnership at the heart of our renewed MOU and our shared commitment to respectful engagement and stewardship of the territories upon which York is situated.鈥�

The post Indigenous-led land acknowledgements gifted to 快播视频 community appeared first on YFile.

International Women鈥檚 Day affords us the opportunity to celebrate the many strides made towards gender equity and inclusion. However, it is also an occasion for us to recognize the ongoing local and global forces that continue to challenge progress for cis and trans women and girls in all areas of social life.

On March 8, let鈥檚 honour and appreciate the social, cultural economic and political contributions and achievements of girls and women, while also paying attention to the intersectional barriers that remain in the way of full inclusivity. The continued prevalence of misogyny/misogynoir, gender-based discrimination and violence, and the clawing back of health care, education and voting rights and freedoms for girls and women in some countries around the world, confirm that the work to advance and actualize gender equity is not only far from done, it must be intensified.

快播视频 has long recognized the importance of gender equity. Examples abound of the ways in which students, staff, faculty members, alumni and retirees contribute to disrupting and undoing gender inequity 鈥� such as research excellence at the Centre for Feminist Research, new partnerships with global networks, cutting-edge and interdisciplinary courses and academic programs focused on women and gender, programming for women-identified students, supports for women entrepreneurs and so much more.

I want to highlight just a few of the remarkable achievements by community members from the past year, and hope you will take time to engage with their stories.

• The selection of Professor Emerita and Distinguished Research Professor, Pat Armstrong, to join the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy, advising the federal government on how to better support both paid and unpaid care providers.
• The work of staff and alumni Talisha Ramsaroop and Krystle Skeete to empower youth in community and on campus.
• The naming of Pina D鈥橝gostino, associate vice-president research, to Chair of the Ontario Centre of Innovation board of directors.
• The inspiration of alumna Lilly Singh, who was awarded an honorary degree.
• The scholarship through co-creation and cultural storytelling of Stephanie Fearon, York鈥檚 inaugural assistant professor of Black thriving and education.
• The work and initiatives to build stronger pathways for women to succeed in computer science and engineering by the Women in Computer Science and Engineering group.

I invite you to celebrate International Women鈥檚 Day in a way that makes sense to you and that marks the many achievements of women and girls around the world. And, I encourage community members to learn more about the barriers to gender equality that remain.

Together, we can ensure that everyone has the chance to flourish and contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.

Parissa Safai
Interim Vice-President Equity, People & Culture

The post 快播视频 celebrates International Women鈥檚 Day appeared first on YFile.