Niagara College’s commitment to sustainability has earned national recognition.

On September 12, World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) recognized NC for its outstanding commitment to sustainability, conservation and the environment. The College was one of only nine post-secondary institutions in the country to earn the WWF-Canada Living Campus Certification.

Both the Welland Campus and Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake received the Living Campus Certification for implementing a range of conservation and engagement activities throughout 2023-24.

“It’s a pleasure to be acknowledging our partner Niagara College’s accomplishments with our new certification,” says Elizabeth Hendriks, WWF-Canada’s VP of Restoration and Regeneration. “We’re proud to recognize their successes in engaging campus communities in conservation action and education, which have benefits for wildlife today and are helping create a future where nature and people thrive.”

NC is a partner with WWF-Canada through its Living Planet @ Campus program.

In order to meet the rigors of WWF-Canada’s criteria, the College – led by its Sustainability team – developed an action plan for both conservation and engagement, and annual reporting. The plan aligned with NC’s new 2024-2029 Sustainability Plan: A Time for Action, with the team leveraging existing activities and initiatives.

“We wanted to reinforce and utilize the activities we already have in place, aligning with the Sustainability Plan, to ensure long term viability and success, maximizing meaningful opportunities for our students and the community,” explained Taryn Wilkinson, NC’s Manager, Sustainability.

Examples include the College’s annual Bioblitz (engagement), and proactive efforts of phragmites management(conservation).

About NC’s 2024-2029 Sustainability Plan.

This summer, NC introduced their new Sustainability Plan: A Time for Action, a bold approach to shape a sustainable, inclusive, and healthy campus community for today and for generations of Knights to come.

Aligned with the priorities in the Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Plan embodies the College’s commitment to taking actions for the betterment of the environment, and the theme underscores the urgency of the climate crisis and this crucial time to act.

The plan builds upon NC’s great culture of sustainability and the momentum of the plan’s first iteration in 2019.

Learn more: www.niagaracollege.ca/sustainabilityplan/

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.

Photo1: Students James Jayeshbhai Patel (Office Administration-Health Services Program), Shuming Wang (Environmental Technician Program) and Neva Chaudhary (Ecosystem Restoration Program) work to remove phragmites from campus grounds.

Photo2: Ecosystem Restoration program student Maria Fernanda Sanchez Salgado removes phragmites on the edge of the lagoon at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Photo3: Environmental Technician Program students Kaitlin Gracey and Haadeon Scott remove phragmites from the lagoon.