| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | AA | AB | AC | AD | |
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1 | u | Overall progress by % = 59 | Note: No numeric measurement for 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Title | Goal | Strategy | Progress - Strategies | Progress - Goals | Next Steps | Barriers/Flags | Timeline | January 2024 Extension Review | Progress by Section (2024) | Progress by Section (2022) | Progress by Section (2020) | ||||||||||||||||||
3 | Identify the degree to which each strategy is achieved: no progress, some progress, considerable progress, substantial progress, achieved (mark out of four) | Identify the degree to which each goal is achieved: no progress, some progress, considerable progress, substantial progress, achieved (mark out of four and notes on what progress has been) | Identify what next steps are needed in order to further progress/what strategies are outstanding | Are there barriers or challenges to completing this strategy? Identify any concerns/red flags (for ex. are there any strategies that are no longer relevant, or that need to be modified, or factors identified that put the strategy at risk of not being achieved?) | What timeline is needed to implement each strategy (e.g. 2020-2021, 2020-2022) | Identify whether low, medium, or high priority, and timeline. | Percentage complete for all goals. *please note, these are still being finalized as of September 20, 2024 | Percentage complete for all goals. | Percentage complete for all goals. | |||||||||||||||||||||
4 | ACADEMICS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Curriculum 1 | Utilize campus grounds, infrastructure, and operations as living environments for multidisciplinary learning, applied research, and practical work that will advance sustainability on both campuses. | 1. Build a working “wish list” from various stakeholders on campus, including Physical Plant, to be used as potential research projects (e.g. Emerald Ash Borer assessment and treatment plan, guided nature trail, waste audit). 2. Ensure diversity in topics to cover various areas of sustainability, including: energy, grounds, water, coordination, diversity and affordability, campus engagement, air and climate, buildings, dining services, purchasing, transportation, waste, health, wellbeing, investment, and public engagement. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Achieved, 4/4 | Substantial progress, 3.5/4 This goal is being implemented in an ad hoc way, where opportunity and partnership arises. The wishlist has mainly been derived from actions in the Sustainability Plan that students could help advance. Stakeholders have not been consistently invited to add projects to a list, however they are involved by the relational nature of sustainability work. Strategy 1 is awarded a 3, rather than marked as achieved, due to the fact that no current "wishlist" exists, however living labs work is conducted annually. The Sustainability Plan could be considered a list. Examples: - NRMT 4250/5815 - Waste audit (2016) - Rain Garden (2018) - Depave Classroom (2019) - ORPT 4411 - Nature trail signage (2020, 2020) - INDI 4301 - Decolonization walk (2020) - INDI 4301 - Decolonization walk (2021-2022) - POLI 1100 - Sustainability course inventory (2021) - Climate action field school (2021, 2023) - Labyrinth (2022, 2023) -EDUC 5634- Facilitation Guides for Braun Rain Garden, CASES, and CAP LID’s (2023) -EDUC 5634- Facilitation Guide for Climate Action Park (2023) -CEWIL grant 2023 - EDUC 4374-FC Environmental Education | - Continue to connect ongoing sustainability projects to living labs work where possible - Consider advertising a small list of sustainability projects connected to the Plan in the beginning of the Fall semester for 1-2 thesis students (identify possibility to set aside a small pot of money to fund this research). By keeping list connected to the Plan, stakeholders are by default involved (without being solicited to add new and further projects which is beyond capacity at the time of this review). The Plan itself can be considered a wishlist that was curated by the community and multiple stakeholders. - Discussion: who is responsible for making this happen? | Discussions with various partners suggested that we do not have the capacity for a formal structure at this time. May be best to keep projects internal until capacity of Office grows. Wording of the strategies for this goal could include actually conducting living labs work (this is missing). | Ongoing throughout plan, 2020-2025. | Ongoing--considered high priority. | 54% | 40% | 11% | ||||||||||||||||||
6 | Curriculum 2 | Offer sustainability courses and include sustainability in courses across the curriculum. | 1. Create an inventory of sustainability-focused courses as well as other courses that include sustainability topics. 2. Increase the number of courses that include sustainability, and increase the number of disciplines that incorporate sustainability. 3. Provide ongoing support for faculty to develop new sustainability courses and/or incorporate sustainability into existing courses. | Strategy 1: Achieved, 4/4 Strategy 2: Achieved, 4/4 Strategy 3: Some Progress, 1/4 | Substantial progress, 3/4 A sustainability course inventory was conducted (2018-2020), available in a spreadsheet. This includes all courses at Lakehead. It is also listed on the website. In 2021, Institutional Planning and Analysis conducted an additional SDG course inventory of all courses connected to the UN SDGs through keyword search of curriculum navigator. The original sustainability course inventory was used to build a course outline for the proposed sustainability minor. The interdisciplinary minor is awaiting faculty approval from FSES and will then be in the process of Academic/Senate Approval. It is set to commence in the 2025/2026 academic year and will introduce a new .5 FCE 100 level Intro to Sustainability Course and a .5 FCE 400 level Sustainability In Action Capstone Course. Both will be team taught by faculty across various disciplines. In addition, a number of faculties and departments identified sustainability- related courses and added them to the electives package, so there is broad participation in the sustainability minor across disciplines. The structure itself has received approval in principle from the Academics Working Group, Provost, and Vice Provost, as well as FSES. Currently, an Academics working group subcommittee is developing the example Intro course outline. Strategy 2 is marked as achieved because, as per the wording, we have increased the number of courses and disciplines through the forthcoming minor. There was no numeric metric for this strategy, however it is in the interest of sustainability to consider this ongoing and continue adding courses. For Strategy 3, more support is needed outside of the incentive to join the minor, and occasional consultation with Office of Sustainability. Office of Sustainability has done presentations and living labs work in existing courses. | - Consider adding course inventory to curriculum navigator--potential to collaborate with Institutional Planning and Analysis for Times Higher Ed Impact Rankings. All courses could be flagged as sustainability related - this is time intensive but could provide an ongoing and measurable way to identify sustainability courses. - Analyse inventory to assess gaps in course offerings by department, and strategize where to focus increase of course offerings. - Identify a way to have Faculties report on course additions or deletions related to sustainability to keep inventory up to date. This would also allow us to develop am up-to-date metric on % of sustainability courses. - Identify ways to support faculty with sustainability course development or increase sustainability content in existing courses (for ex. outreach materials, workshops). funding); Consult with Faculties to see if they can consider a strategy to increase sustainability-related course offerings -Continue working with FSES and Academics Working Group to move the Sustainability Minor through the approval process. The Office of Sustainability is set to play an integral role in support of the creation and instruction of the two new courses in the Sustainability Minor. | Creation of new courses takes time and resources. Times Higher Ed Impact Rankings may prioritize courses connected to SDGs, this is much broader than the definition used in the original sustainability course inventory. Difficult to track courses that have been created. Given capacity, do we need to measure sustainability courses annually? Faculty need supports to add new courses, what does that support look like? | Ongoing throughout plan, 2020-2025. | Ongoing--considered high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Curriculum 3 | Assess the sustainability literacy of students, faculty, and staff. | 1. Conduct a university-wide sustainability literacy assessment of students, faculty, and staff. | Strategy 1: Some progress, 1/4 | Some progress, 1/4 -Grad assistant researched assessment tools and identified Sulitest as an internationally-utilized and free or low cost assessment tool, accredited for the STARS Assessment. -Spoke to IPA about the possibility of rolling out this assessment, but would need lead time and to consider audience targets, time of year, etc -Office of Sustainability employed Sulitest’s Sustainability Literacy Quiz game during SDG Week to introduce the tool to campus informally. | -Convene Academics Working Group to discuss -Meet with IPA again to determine if Sulitest tool is appropriate and timeframe/parameters for assessment | Requires institutional approval, significant advance planning and coordination with IPA, and potentially human or capital resources to deploy the assessment. -Is the output worth it? How will the information be used? | Possibility to complete within time frame of plan if implemented in Fall 2025. | Not critical to continue-low priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Curriculum 4 | Offer sustainability-focused immersive experiences. | 1. Compile a list of existing sustainability-focused immersive experiences already offered to students (e.g. co-op, internships, field courses, servicing learning, community engagement activities). NOTE: Some overlap with Curriculum 1 2. Expand number and type of immersive sustainability learning experiences across the university. | Strategy 1: Some progress, 1/4 Strategy 2: Substantial progress, 3/4 | Considerable progress, 2/4 For Strategy 1, and inventory has not been developed, however initial discussion around how one could be developed has taken place. In 2017 an experiential learning inventory was conducted, sustainability immersive experiences can be pulled from both that and the sustainability course inventory. However, this is now outdated. For Strategy 2, various immersive experiences have taken place in an ad hoc way. In 2021 the Climate Action Field School (CAFS) was a week-long experiential training program consisting of in-person and virtual workshops, site visits, and events in coastal communities across the Lake Superior Watershed in August of 2021. Summer 2023 Lakehead hosted another Climate Action Field School and Education graduate students also facilitated and participated in experiential learning opportunities in conjunction with the field school. In Fall 2023, the Office of Sustainability coordinated 10 Work-Integrated Learning experiences with partner EcoSuperior for undergraduate students to support Circular Economy Month in Thunder Bay schools. The Office of Sustainability has hosted graduate assistants and Social Justice placement students annually since its inception, with the exception of the current year. | -Analyse sustainability course inventory and experiential learning inventory to develop list of existing sustainability-focused immersive experiences--GA or undergrad thesis student - Identify gaps in offerings and possibilities for increasing sustainability immersive experiences; Potential bursary for faculty who integrate immersive experiences. Incentives are needed to encourage immersive learning experiences. -Continue to work with campus and community partners as opportunities arise and continue to identify funding opportunities to support immersive learning experiences. Additional capacity may be needed within the Office to help support these. Question: Immersive experiences are happening in an ad hoc way, do we need a structure? Do we need an inventory/to measure immersive experiences given capacity constraints? | - C2, C4 and C5 all require significant resources and time, consider ways to overlap strategies - Resources and release-time are often needed to plan and implement immersive experiences - Who is responsible for supporting immersive experiences? Funding and capacity remains an issue. | Ongoing throughout plan, 2020-2025. | Ongoing--medium priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Curriculum 5 | Where possible, increase the number of programs that include a focus on sustainability. | 1.a) Investigate possibilities for interdisciplinary undergraduate and/or graduate collaborative program(s) that involve a number of Faculty/Departments and/or a specific School of Sustainability Studies. b) Expand land-based field school programming, in partnership with community organizations, where students can learn from and on the land. Consider how this potential programming could connect to the Indigenous Content Requirement. | Strategy 1a: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 1b: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2.5/4 Strategy 1 is well underway, but not marked as achieved as it has not completed approval through the official channels. The interdisciplinary Sustainability Minor is awaiting faculty approval from FSES and will then be in the process of Academic/Senate Approval. It is set to commence in the 2025/2026 academic year and will introduce a new .5 FCE 100 level Intro to Sustainability Course and a .5 FCE 400 level Sustainability In Action Capstone Course. In July, Keewatinase (Indigenous Education Department) held a one-week “Culture Camp” course, created as part of the new Keewatinase Indigenous Teacher Education Program (KITEP), currently undergoing Senate approval and OCT accreditation. The camp course brought 57 students together from various Indigenous communities across Ontario (from both Orillia and Thunder Bay regions), Manitoba, and Minnesota for a week of cultural immersion, grounded in Indigenous teaching practices and worldviews. For Strategy 2, further work is needed to support land-based field school programming. Work is currently happening in an ad hoc way. More partnerships are needed with Indigenous Initiatives, Indigenous Learning, and/or ICR. Land-based programming: -2021 Climate Action Field School -Decolonization Walk -2023 Climate Action Field school -KIE programming has included Aki-based learning. -Sustainability Walk includes land-based programming. -Keewatinase "Culture Camp" | Continue to support sustainability minor through the approval process and support in the continued work to create the 2 foundational sustainability courses for the minor. There is currently no formal structure to encourage land-based programming.Current developments are ad hoc. Assess whether formal structure can be created, or other method to deepen the engagement of this work. | -Updates are in progress with the ICR and with IL course listings. Strategy 1b will depend on these developments. -Limited capacity affects ability to do develop this programming -Resources/funding needed to implement further land-based programming -What does "where possible" mean, concrete metric missing | Scheduled to be complete by 2025 This is a big goal, may take more time (sus. minor set for implementation in Fall 2025 if approved) | Ongoing--high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Research 1 | Formally track faculty research on sustainability topics. | 1. Identify faculty who are conducting research related to sustainability (broadly defined and inclusive). Create an inventory that describes this research so that it can assist faculty in working together as well as be communicated to current and potential students and the community. | Strategy 1: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2/4 Discussions have initiated between Office of Sustainability, Academics Working Group, Research Office, and IPA--potential to conduct a research inventory as part of THE Impact Rankings. Multiple methods are being explored: ScIVal Elsevier Research Metrics database, survey of faculty who self-identify as being involved in sustainability related research, manual review and follow up of faculty profiles. What is the most feasible option and has the most potential to collaborate? 2023 Office of Sustainability Intern identified use SciVal Elsevier Research Database likely best for review. A research review was undertaken for THE Impact Rankings, but is connected more broadly to the SDGs. See in particular page 11. It identifies faculty, research centres, and CRCs doing research related to the SDGs. | - Consult AASHE and other universities to develop strategy (templates exist), or consider methods described here. - Consider how to keep this updated in future. Question: How will we use the information, given capacity efforts is the ends worth the means? | Times Higher Ed Impact Rankings may prioritize research connected to SDGs, this may be too broad. | Likely not possible within timeline of current plan. | Ongoing if implemented due to maintenance--low priority | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Research 2 | Implement program to recognise and support faculty members across all disciplines who are conducting sustainability research. | 1. Determine what sorts of support would best enable researchers to conduct sustainability research (e.g. creation of internal research grants or other funding, space, conference travel), investigate feasibility of different options, and put in place. 2. Ensure that sustainability-focused research, particularly community-engaged and multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research is understood and recognized within the university. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2.5/4 For Strategy 1, no official review has been undertaken to determine the best type of supports that could be offered, however various supports have been offered in the duration of the Plan. The Office of Research has offered a Sustainability Research Grant in the past. YOCA Research Awards were granted in Fall 2021 - 7 awards of $5,000 each. These awards are granted on an ad hoc basis--no institutionalized, recurring system in place. In 2023, as part of the first-ever SDG Week Canada, the Office of Sustainability coordinated a Climate Action Summit on both campuses to highlight and share research from the YOCA award winners. SDG Week also saw other faculty, staff, and student researchers share their sustainability-based research (including Thunder Bay’s community-based Remedial Action Plan partners). For Strategy 2, Sustainability and YOCA research grants were awarded to multiple disciplines. | -Discuss with Academics Working Group, and Research Office, best ways to offer continued support of sustainability research, considering a formal structure -Consider Sustainability Research Award as a way to recognize sustainability research -Continue to use SDG Week as a platform to share sustainability research -In conjunction with LUSSC Chair/ VPRI Dr. Andy Dean, coordinate a Sustainability Speaker Series for 2024/2025 academic year | -An ongoing and permanent funding source for research is needed to provide stability and support for sustainability research, however funding remains limited. | Ongoing. | Ongoing-high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Research 3 | Implement program to encourage and support students conducting sustainability research. | 1. Create financial support (e.g. research fund, bursary) to encourage graduate and undergraduate student research in sustainability. | Strategy 1: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2/4 YOCA Research Awards were granted in Fall 2021 - 7 awards of $5,000 each. | - Discuss with Academics Working Group, and Research Office, best ways to offer continued support of research, how can this be made permanent? - Consider Sustainability Research Award as a way to recognize sustainability research - Consider aligning with C1 | - R3 should be prioritized above R2, given limited funding to students - A formal structure requires funding | Ongoing. | Ongoing--high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Research 4 | Provide open access to scholarly articles, theses, and dissertations related to sustainability by faculty, staff, and students. | 1. Create a repository of scholarly articles, theses, and dissertations related to sustainability by faculty, staff, and students and make it publicly available. | Strategy 1: Some progress, 1/4 | Some progress, 1/4 Options have been discussed with Library. The discussion was that there are four main options: -Tag all theses and dissertations in the Knowledge Commons titles as sustainability-related, and place them in a sustainability folder, or tag them with keywords similar to the SDG inventories at UofT. The second approach is more time-intensive. There are over 3000 titles. We also have a place for open access articles in Knowledge Commons but we are relying on researchers to approach us and there are limitations on what can be added based on copyright and the publisher agreements signed by the author. Moira also said it is possible to do a bibliography of sustainability research at Lakehead and have that as a pdf document. -The library can also create a sustainability resource folder with publications from our community. I believe that folks would have to manually drop them in though. This could be an annual process through the LUSSC, or departments. -We have a new library system exploring the concept of collections. This is what Brock has done: https://ocul-bu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01OCUL_BU:BU_DEFAULT. We could establish a Sustainability collection - it works best for books (I believe a mock-up is started). I'm not sure if we can include articles. -We could use some kind of software that would let us have metadata with or without actual files. This approach sounds ambitious. IPA has some interest in this because of THE Impact Rankings, may be potential to collaborate. | - Consult with Academics Working Group on relevancy of this action and/or next steps moving forward - Identify whether new software could be used for this purpose | - Will be some copyright issues - Time-intensive, Academic Working Group initial thoughts are that outcome may not be worth the effort. - It is possible to search within existing systems | Depends on method. | Too many barriers--low priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | OPERATIONS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | Grounds | Create a landscape management plan, and biodiversity management strategy designed to identify vulnerable ecosystems and species on campus and prevent, manage, and/or remediate damage to natural habitats and sensitive natural areas. | 1. a) Conduct an assessment to identify endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on University-owned or -managed land. b) Conduct an assessment to identify environmentally sensitive areas on University-owned or -managed land. 2. Create a sustainable landscape management program to manage the grounds that includes plans to protect or positively affect the species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas identified. For projects related to this section, consider plants with traditional Indigenous uses, as well as plant species beneficial for all living beings (for example, pollinator friendly plants). | Strategy 1: Some progress, 1/4 Strategy 2: Some progress, 1/4 | Some progress, 1/4 As part of the Sustainable Building Policy, stormwater management is integrated into building design through LIDs, bioswales, and other methods.These designs generally support habitat for pollinators and other species. Note: Other work is being done in an ad hoc way. The Outdoor Classroom, Rain Garden, Labyrinth, and Climate Action Park selected plants with traditional Indigenous uses, as well as pollinator-friendly plants. NRMT has done a tree assessment to identify species of uniqueness, ORPT has created land stewardship plan in past, and assessed riparian zone near Lake Tamblyn. Climate Action Park is restoring habitat on river with addition of boulders and logs at shoreline, amphibian beach, and bank stabilization. Next phases of CAP to continue as funding allows. A WWF Canada grant was secured for fire pit-adjacent plantings of species of ceremonial and culinary significance to Indigenous Peoples as well as pollinator-friendly species. This project did not formally assess endangered and vulnerable species or environmentally sensitive areas, however it did work with faculty in Geography Department and landscape architect to identify ways to restore habitat. Various other grants have been attempted and continue to be pursued. We regularly communicate with the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority over flood mapping concerns, - flood mapping, and identification and management of invasive species. The Anthropology Department has identified and mapped arechaeologically sensitive locations on Thunder Bay campus. Any further development takes into consideration ancestral belongings that may be present. | - Consider integration into Campus Master Plan (CMP) - Potential project for a student thesis--NRMT, Biology, etc., but this is not ideal. Alternatively, Rob Stewart is willing to engage his 4th year environmental management class in a campus-wide project or assessment like this. This past year, they did a campus-wide assessment on the feasibility of composting on campus utilizing local knowledge, student support, and best practices from other Ontario universities. - Ensure involvement from Indigenous Stakeholders and Elders Council | - Capacity issues: personnel and funding - Recommended to be outsourced - $50,000-100,000 ballpark to create landscape management plan - CMP can't incorporate to the level of detail we need, CMP has limitations, could only identify precincts and area of concern | Could be potential fall thesis, but spring/summer ideal when grounds are in bloom. Otherwise multi-year process, but can be completed within a defined timeline. | Multi-year--medium priority (campus does have significant undeveloped space). | 57% | 40% | 29% | ||||||||||||||||||
16 | Dining Services | Continue to increase support of sustainable food systems through food and beverage purchases, minimize the purchase of conventionally produced animal products, and continue to mandate vegan options in their dining services operations. | 1. Ensure dining services purchase food and beverages that are third party verified to be ecologically sound, fair and/or humane. 2. Establish the goal of increasing the use of sustainably-based food products to 50 percent (see 2.2). Ensure they are: a) Sourced from local community-based producers (directly or through distributors); b) Contain raw ingredients (excluding water) that are third-party verified and/or locally harvested and produced (e.g. bread made with organic flour or local honey); c) Exclude products from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), products that have minimal nutritional value (e.g. soda, chewing gum, candies made predominantly from sweeteners), and products from producers that have been convicted of one or more labor law violations within the previous three years. 3. Establish the goal that conventionally produced animal products comprise less than 30 percent (see 3.2) of the University’s total dining services food purchases. Conventionally produced animal products include all food products that contain animal derived (i.e. meat, fish, egg, dairy) ingredients that have not been verified to be sustainably produced. 4. Continue to mandate diverse, complete-protein vegetarian and vegan options at all meals in at least one dining facility on campus. 5. Continue to provide labels and/or signage that distinguishes between vegan, vegetarian (not vegan), and other items. | Strategy 1: Considerable progress, 2/4 Strategy 2: Unable to evaluate until we have baseline data Strategy 3: Unable to evaluate until we have baseline data Strategy 4: Achieved 4/4 Strategy 5: Achieved (but expanding) 4/4 | Considerable Progress: 2/4 To make further progress, extensive baseline data is needed to assess current situation and develop plan for growth. All 5 strategies were included in TB Food Services RFP, Fall 2024, as well as requirement to report on sustainability performance indicators, and therefore this goal should gain more traction with the new contract Aramark has a chain of custody certification with the MSC and ASC for seafood purchases. This allows them to display the ecolabels on menus. Some meat is local, some eggs are local (Thunder Bay Feeds), dairy is provincial. Fairtrade certification is being pursued, but we are waiting for confirmation that LUSU can join. Aramark and Dana are able to meet the requirements. DANA Hospitality is providing local ingredients in Orillia. Aramark has signed the Cool Food Pledge to reduce the GHG impact of its food offerings 25% or more by 2030. Discussions ongoing with Aramark locally and their corporate Sustainability Director to initiate data benchmarking for Summer 2023. Aramark launched Second Harvest. In the last 12 months (as of August 2024), 40 donations were made, totaling 2812 meals. This represents nearly $10,000 in value and 13,704 lbs. of greenhouse gasses averted. Aramark is giving fruit and vegetable food scraps to Barefoot Farm (Loop Resource). Fairtrade coffeeand tea - 1 in Starbucks, Marley blend in Main Cafeteria, White Buffalo in Library Local suppliers over local product. More than 50% of suppliers are local (bread, persians Nuccis, potatoes Debruins, syrups Twin City, halal Superior Foods/Tbay Abbatoir, speciality cheeses from Maltese, Thunder Oak Gouda Farm). However individual product is a small percentage. Every meal has vegetarian and vegan option at all vendors. Labeling icons are used to identify halal, vegan, vegetarin, gluten-free. Also on the website for the Residence Menu. | - Need baseline data from Aramark and DANA to understand where items are coming from and what is possible (Working with Aramark to generate baseline data. Will initiate conversations with DANA/Orillia to understand what is possible and timeframes for data benchmarking there). - Potential goal to launch more Fairtrade in TB - We need to define 'local' to understand what is possible - Issue of location is a contributing factor for Thunder Bay - Reach out to Sustainable Food Systems Lab, Meal Exchange, Food Security Committee for further input or support | - May need to simplify or create stages - May need to consider rewording Strategy 1-3, clearer metrics, OR may require more time than life of plan - Thunder Bay may have a harder time meeting goals | Ongoing, longterm | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | Energy | Reduce building energy usage and support renewable sources. | 1. Reduce total building energy consumption per gross square foot/metre of conditioned floor area comparable to the leading universities in Ontario. 2. Support the development and use of energy from clean and renewable sources. | Strategy 1: Achieved, 4/4 Strategy 2: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Substantial Progress, 3/4 We continue to lead the sector on having one of the smallest energy footprint per area, weather normalized. The historical data can be found on the website noted below. The province no lunger publishes comparison data, so it si not possible to measure this strategy in the way we used to. https://www.ontario.ca/page/broader-public-sector-energy-reporting Using the 1990 baseline, Lakehead has achieved an actual reduction of GHGs for Scope One of 42% which exceeds the previous provincial goal of 37% by 2030. Strategy 2: We have made considerable progress but further work is needed to use energy from clean and renewable sources. GGRP retrofits Bora Laskin HVAC Upgrades -replaced steam boilers with condensing type high efficiency natural gas boilers, replaced hot water circulation pumps with variable speed pumps, upgraded the controls system with new thermostats and control valves, replaced the existing air handling system with modular air handling units, replaced domestic hot water heater and storage tank with semi-instantaneous hot water heaters. Replaced the roof on the Bora Laskin building with high insulation factors UC Kitchen High Efficiency Retrofits - replaced the cooler and freezer refrigeration, replaced steam kitchen appliances with natural gas and electric appliances, replaced steam boiler with natural gas boiler, upgraded to new LED lighting, installed a new kitchen exhaust heat recovery system, installed a drain water heat recovery system, and installed a new roof mounted Photovoltaic (PV) system. Photovoltaic system in Thunder Bay (approx. 1% of electricity), Geothermal in Orillia, (approx 90% heating and cooling). Library Penthouse HVAC which supplies air to floors 3, 4, 5, has been replaced with energy efficient fan system and a heat recovery ventilator. 8 Dual Level 2 EV Charging stations installed in Thunder Bay. The University continues to lobby for energy reduction and clean and renewable energy through participation in external groups such as OAPPA and OCUSP. | - Energy reduction across post-secondary institutions is taking the form of carbon neutral targets and pathways. Next steps would be to formally declare and make a carbon neutrality target and implementation plan. LUSSC to continue considering a recommendation for a Zero Emissions Pathway or Race to Net Zero. - CMP could include net-zero target but not the pathway to get there - Look for funding opportunities, potential to integrate into Campus Master Plan, external funding opportunities may be difficult to find. SREP or Deep Retrofits programs announced in Budget 2023 along with national support for universities, may provide funding for a Net Zero Plan (Blackstone can do this work (GRAAP) and likely would cost $200k or more) | - Outsourced cost could be $200,000 or more but would make us eligible for many retrofitting grants and programs in the future by having the necessary data and plan - Older buildings costly to retrofit - Funding is competitive - Too specialized to be part of CMP - Requires upfront capital, but cost-avoidance once plan is achieved | Ongoing. Goal is for continuous improvement (no final achievement). | Ongoing. Zero-emissions pathway planning priority in next iteration of plan, based on Year of Climate Action recommendations. | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | Waste | Increase diversion of materials from landfills and incinerators, and conserve resources, by recycling and composting. | 1. Transition to centralized and standardized waste on both campuses. 2. Update the type of multi-unit recycling bins and rearrange them to synchronize with consumer behavior. 3. Implement institution-wide composting. 4. Identify ways to reduce consumption at intake. For example, in tandem with the goal to increase recycling rates, reduce the amount of paper used or increase use of reusable dining ware in cafeterias and conference services. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 3: Some progress, 1/4 Strategy 4: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2.25/4 During Reading Week 2023, Thunder Bay transitioned to a centralized and standardized waste management system. However, existing blue metal bins remain and some peripheral buildings did not receive the new style bins. Efforts were made in those buildings to standardize as much as possible on a building to building basis (BL, PACI) and consistent signage was applied across all bin types of campus. Reusable containers (mugs, take-out clamshells), through Cano Co., are now available in the main dining hall at Thunder Bay, with plans to expand. A reusable container program was included in TB Food Services RFP, which could allow it to be assumed as a standard practice. E-waste/Office Supply recycling days held several times during 2022/2023 year and scheduled for 2024. Also 2 clothing swaps were held in 2022/2023 to reduce source generation and disposal of clothing on campus. Orillia/DANA is composting the food preparation cutoffs through their vendor who picks up weekly. In 2023 Dana Hospitality launched Winnow in their food services, which is a weighing scale installed under the kitchen waste bin and a method of identifying the type of food that is being discarded. They also use a dehydrator to reduce overall food volume. The compost produced from the dehydrator is provided to the campus gardens. Since the launch of Winnow, they have been able to reduce food waste by 25%. This translates to 21 tons of food waste, 49,200 meals and 93 tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided. Their goal is to reach 30% food waste reduction by December 2024. Orillia Water Bottle Policy renewed again in 2022/2023. Consideration of similar policy in Thunder Bay included in new TB Food Services RFP. In 2021 the Ontario government passed O. Reg. 391/21: BLUE BOX, legislation that changes the way that higher education institutions report and pay for recycling. Instead of reporting with an automatic calculator to Stewardship Ontario based on the number of students enrolled, we must now annually report to the Resource Productivity Recovery and Authority (RPRA) the actual amounts of materials that we produce that are collected in Blue Box recycling programs. This new legislative framework supports Ontario’s transition to a circular economy by holding producers responsible for the full life cycle of the materials they produce. Producer accountability incentivizes the reduction and redesigning of products and packaging to be more sustainable. Under the framework, Lakehead University is considered a producer. In April and May, 2024, the Office of Sustainability collected 2023 supply data from units across campus. The weight of reported materials was calculated based on standard paper weights. Where standard paper weights could not be provided or where materials were reported as plastic, items were either estimated or samples of the items were sent to the Sustainability Coordinator who weighed them individually and to the gram. The 2023 results indicate an approximate 15% reduction in paper weight from 2022. This is also the first year we reported any plastic or paper packaging weights. | -Continue standardizing waste/recycling bins in peripheral buildings as budget allows in future years. An assessment and reordering of the current bins is needed because signs and bins have become misplaced. This needs to be done on an ongoing basis. Ideally, budget is needed to update some bins to current industry standards as our bins are outdated and do not support best practices. So as not to create more waste, some bins can be "renovated". Ongoing staff training and communications is needed to incoming students re: centralized/standardized waste. - Orillia: consider scaling up compost generated at other buildings. - Composting to be mandated municipally 2025, will result in Thunder Bay local infrastructure capable of accepting large volumes of compost--How can we participate with TB City on composting (internal composting may not be feasible), this will require a composting contract--more info forthcoming beyond life of this plan - Resource Productivity and Authority - we pay for total volume of paper we produce, opportunities here to reduce paper waste through Print Shop form, or policy creation - Analyse data related to Water Bottle Directive (how many bottles avoided, water consumption changes?) and review data for Thunder Bay possible application - Reusable container program needs further support to increase userage and build capacity to expand across vendor locations. | -Strategy 3 is at risk of not being achieved in the duration of this plan for Thunder Bay, we do not have municipal infrastructure to support the collection of institutional waste, opportunities will present in the coming years. This is an external barrier that can likely be addressed in second iteration of the Plan. Given that organic waste can make up one quarter to half of the waste, if not more, in institutional bins, this would have a significant impact on our waste diversion. -Internal composting is very costly, and logistically complicated | Ongoing | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | Water | Implement policies and programs to reduce rainwater (i.e. stormwater) runoff and resultant water pollution, and treat water as a resource rather than as a waste product. | 1. Use Low Impact Development (LID) practices as a matter of policy or standard practice to reduce rainwater/stormwater runoff volume and improve outgoing water quality for new construction, major renovation, and other projects that increase paved surface area on campus or otherwise significantly change the campus grounds. The policy, plan, and/or strategies cover the entire campus. 2. Adopt a rainwater/stormwater management policy, plan, and/or strategies that mitigate the rainwater runoff impacts of ongoing campus operations and treat rainwater as a resource rather than as a waste product. The policy, plan, and/or strategies address both the quantity and quality (or contamination level) of rainwater runoff through the use of green infrastructure. Though specific practices adopted may vary across the campus, the policy, plan, and/or strategies cover the entire institution. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Considerable progress, 2.5/4 Strategy 2 is marked as 2/4 because we have done background research to set up the backbone of a plan. We have applied to 2 funding streams to create stormwater management plan, both denied. LID implementation is being done in an ad hoc way, although the Sustainable Building Policy does commit to LEED standards, which include stormwater in building design. Stormwater practice examples: - We have completed a stormwater infrastructure map of campus, and some background research on stormwater management in Thunder Bay and at other universities - TB Campus: We have installed one rain garden, one bioretention area, and one depave area, Orillia Campus: Bioswales - Climate Action Park installed Fall 2022 aimed at improving stormwater management along McIntyre River, TB campus. Continuing grant applications to expand to complete next stages of the CAP. - While there is not yet a policy, stormwater management has been implemented into the most recent builds on both campuses (CASES, Wolf Den) - May 2024 planted 300 trees along CAP | - Secure funding to develop official university-wide stormwater plan, with workshop participation from staff, faculty, and students, OR incorporate stormwater plan into Campus Master Plan (would be broad and not detailed) - Develop stormwater BMP demonstration site near storm drain outlets - Potential to update Building / LEED Policy to explicitly reference stormwater management, each new build currently has stormwater management incorporated | - Watch changes to Ontario Building Code (may become business as usual), becoming a requirement - Watch government regulations for changes and/or updates related to stormwater management -Only new builds being added, CMP could add to older builds | Dependant on funding, 1-2 years for a plan. | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | Transportation | Continue to support sustainable transportation systems. | 1. Support sustainable transportation and commuting alternatives for students and employees. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 | Substantial progress, 3/4 Although there is no metric, the Strategy is not marked as achieved because we have not completed all the potential actions that were listed. Further there are many more initiatives the can be undertaken. Fossil fuel-based transportation is a significant portion of global greenhouse gasses, therefore this remains high priority. - LU participated in Commuter Challenge for two years now, won both years - We are now participating in Active Commute Challenge in TB for two consecutive years - 2023/2024. - We were a member of Commute Ontario (access to carpooling software, emergency ride home program, and other sustainable transportation campaigns), this ended in 2021 - 8 dual level II EV Charging Stations installed in winter 2023 on TB campus and opening ceremony held with leadership, media, and local EV owners as part of SDG Week -Initial research has been conducted to fund EV chargers in Orillia. - The Alternate Work Arrangement Guideline makes allowances from WFH, which reduces transportation needs. - LUSU Bike Shack reopened 2024 - The student unions offers a subsidized bus pass to students | - Install EV charging stations on Orillia campus (ZEVIP funding announced in Budget 2023 may make this possible, would need to fund 50% internally and determine need, location, electricity logistics, etc) - Consider electric/hybrid vehicles for new campus fleet additions - Investigate possibility of designated carpool space with Parking - Discuss carshare possibility with LUSU - Create outreach materials (map of campus bike paths, shelters, racks) and add to website -Consider website additions such as a carbon calculator for commuting - There is interest from Orillia and Thunder Bay LUSSC reps to create an active transportation working group to support pilots and other active transportation initiatives in and around both campuses. | - Safety procedures, funding, working within existing built environment, and signage/policies that discourage bikes from being utilized centrally on campus. | Ongoing. | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | ENGAGEMENT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | Campus Engagement 1 | Assess the sustainability culture of the campus community. | 1. Conduct an assessment of campus sustainability culture that focuses on sustainability values, behaviors and beliefs, and may also address awareness of campus sustainability initiatives. | Strategy 1: Achieved, 4/4. | Achieved 4/4 The survey was completed in Sept 2018 and was open to staff, faculty, and students. Survey conducted, results indicate increased awareness of sustainability initiatives on campus is needed; results indicate top priorities among campus community centre around waste diversion and energy efficiency. | - Consider implementing the survey again (discuss frequency) to measure growth -More analysis is needed to make survey useful. | - Results not particularly useful for the Office of Sustainability, results not worth the effort - This type of data comes naturally through Sustainability Plan creation | Complete | Achieved - low priority. | 71% | 58% | 54% | ||||||||||||||||||
23 | Campus Engagement 2 | Produce outreach materials and publications that enhance student learning about sustainability outside of the formal classroom. | 1. Distribute a sustainability newsletter twice a year. 2. Establish signage that highlights green building features, as well as signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed. 3. Establish signage that includes Indigenous historic landmarks and recognizes the history of the land, in English and the local dialect. Seek counsel from the Elder’s Council on development of signage. | Strategy 1: Substantial, 3/4. Strategy 2: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 3: Some progress, 1/4 | Considerable Progress 2.5/4 Four signs installed on Thunder Bay campus that highlight sustainable groundskeeping/landscaping strategies; more work needed to develop signage on green building features (opportunity in Orillia, so far this has been done on the TV screens); more work needed to develop signage that includes Indigenous historic landmarks and history of the land. Some signage of traditional medicinal plants (including their names in Anishinaabemowin) was developed for the Outdoor Classroom, however it has not yet been printed due to lack of clarity around dialect spelling. Signage for Climate Action Park (TB) implemented in Fall 2022 and summer 2023. The newsletter was distributed in Fall/Winter 2018 and 2019, however only in Spring 2020 due to capacity issues. In the 2022/2023 year, an annual newsletter was produced and a 3-page update from the Office of Sustainability was included in the Our Trail to Wellness Newsletter for their Environmental Wellness addition. An annual newsletter was produced in 2023/2024. A LEED Silver plaque has been placed in CASES building. | - Develop a sign for green building features (in Orillia and CASES/Wolf Den) - Develop a volunteer base or student volunteers to contribute to newsletter -To increase frequency of newsletter, it may need to be simplified (no editorials), and continue to be offered once a year - Identify funding source(s) for signage - Go to Indigenous Initiatives for advice re: Indigenous historic landmark sign | Capacity issues for ongoing development of newsletter--increased staffing needed. Many universities are able to publish monthly or more frequently and can include more information on their programs, timely updates, and sustainability tips. | Ongoing | Ongoing - high priority for Strategy 1. | |||||||||||||||||||||
24 | Campus Engagement 3 | Include sustainability in student orientation activities and programming; address sustainability issues during new employee orientation. | 1. Include sustainability prominently in student orientation activities and programming. Sustainability activities and programming are intended to educate about the principles and practices of sustainability. The topics covered include multiple dimensions of sustainability (i.e. social, environmental and economic). 2. Cover sustainability topics in new employee orientation and/or in outreach and guidance materials distributed to new employees, including faculty and staff. The topics covered include multiple dimensions of sustainability (i.e. social, environmental and economic). 3. Develop a sustainability tour for both students and employees. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 3: Achieved, 4/4 | Substantial Progress 3.5/4 The Office of Sustainability attends tabling events as part of student orientation. A Guide to Sustainability at Lakehead is available on the website and advertised on bulletin boards and in the LUSU newsletter. A sustainability walk is also offered to all students in the Fall. The Office of Sustainability provides a full Guide to Sustainability at Lakehead as part of the New Faculty Orientation (NFO). A sustainability tour was developed and is offered to staff, faculty, students, and community members by request or as a scheduled event. Over the 2017/2018 academic year, the Office of Sustainability conducted seven sustainability tours to over 60 people. In the 2018/2019 year, the Office of Sustainability conducted 8 tours to approximately 60 people (this includes tours for EcoSuperior, Residence employees, Ontario Graduate Studies Dean's Council, graduate classes, public tours, etc). In 2020 we have offered 3 tours to 60 people (2 more to 40 people were cancelled due to COVID-19). Tours ran minimally in 2021/2022 due to the pandemic. In 2022/2023, at least 12 tours were conducted with approximately 220 people. In 2023/2023 4 tours have been conducted with more scheduled. The sustainability tours introduce participants to sustainability-related services on campus. They also include segments of the nature trails available on campus, and explore the concept of sustainability from multiple worldviews. Tours have been delivered to students both in and outside of classes, and as part of employee training for some departments. The decolonization walk was offered as part of NFO in 2021 and 2022. Asynchronous sustainability materials were also offered as part of new faculty orientation. Further work on the decolonization walk is being pursued in order to continue offering it during NFO. A teaching and learning with the labyrinth session was held in Fall 2022 for faculty and staff to introduce the new Wellness Path. | - Sustainability training needed for incoming staff (consult HR) - Consider different approaches for different types of employees (faculty, staff) - Continue to collaborate with LUSU and Student Success for students (will continue to offer tours during orientation week and outside of orientation week in September) - What exactly do we want new students and staff to know about sustainability/the Office? - Guide to Sustainability needs to be updated annually - Guide + Sustainability Walk + one additional program is sufficient, increased capacity will open additioanl opportunities | -The office is able to provide sustainability tours for students but tabling and printed materials are both a capacity and budget constraint of the Office. | Ongoing | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
25 | Campus Engagement 4 | Develop co-curricular programs and initiatives that contribute to students learning about sustainability outside of the formal classroom. | 1. Increase co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives, with emphasis on: a) Outdoor programming that uses campus gardens and green spaces to engage students. b) Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience. c) Indigenous land-based tours and learning spaces (both indoor and outdoor) to engage students, including a land acknowledgment walk. | Strategy 1a: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 1b: Substantial progress, 4/4 Strategy 1c: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Substantial Progress 3/4 Outdoor programming includes the sustainability tour developed and offered outdoors to students, staff, faculty, and community members, and the Outdoor classroom, Rain Garden and Climate Action Park were developed to encourage learning outdoors. They can be booked through Conference Services. The Office of Sustainability has partnered with faculty and staff to host the Climate Forum offered annually. The decolonization walk research phase was initiated with an undergraduate Indigenous Learning course (to better understand the history of this land and Lakehead’s complicity in ongoing settler colonialism). This is a partnership with the Indigenous Curriculum Specialist, and previously Dr. Jessica Jurgutis. The walk itself has been offered at NFO as well as to various community partners. Outside of the pre-existing sweatlodge site in Thunder Bay, and the Wiigwasitig Gitigaan in Orillia, we do not know of other Indigenous land-based learning spaces, further funding and discussions needed to add or develop more. The 2021-2022 Year of Climate Action hosted 42 events and collaborated with 34 units. In 2022/2023, the Office of Sustainability supported Lakehead's participation in the first-ever SDG Week Canada with 16 events across two campuses spanning multiple units, student partners and participants, and community partners. The new firepit plantings at the CAP will further support outdoor spaces for Indigenous learning. The Office of Research has agreed to fund a Sustainability Speaker Series for the 2024/2025 academic year. The Office of Sustainability has co-hosted Campus Beautification Days in Thunder Bay (2023 and 2024) with plans to continue. This event gets staff/faculty/students gardening. Further plans to run this event in Orillia are in order. More land-based tours may exist, further consultation needed to assess current program offerings. | - Climate Action Park (Phase 1) has been installed and funding has been applied for additional projects at CAP. Will continue to search for funding for additional components of the park including seating and naturalized landscaping. - Further work on decolonization walk needed to make it applicable to multiple audiences - demand is there. - Run CBD in Orillia -What type of Indigenous land-based learning spaces do we need and want? | - Strategy 1 c) requires significant funding and involves deeper work that is ongoing. Gichi Kendaasiwin Centre may contribute to this goal - Note that the terminology for 1 c) changed from land acknowledgment walk to decolonization walk, with potential to change again. The strategy also says tour(s) which at present is a capacity issue if owned by the Office of Sustainability. How can this work be shared across departments? | Ongoing | Ongoing - high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
26 | Public Engagement 1 | Develop campus-community partnerships to advance sustainability. | 1. Develop one or more formal community partnership(s) with school districts, government agencies, non-profit organizations, NGOs, businesses and/or other external entities, to work together to advance sustainability. This includes campus-community partnerships that the institution supports (materially or financially) and that address sustainability challenges in the broader community. This may be demonstrated by having an active community partnership that meets one or more of the following criteria: a) The partnership is multi-year or ongoing, rather than a short-term project or event; b) The partnership simultaneously supports all three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health. Effort should be made to ensure the partnership is inclusive and participatory, i.e. under-represented groups and/or vulnerable populations are engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review. 2. Develop multi-year and ongoing partnerships with Indigenous communities and Elders, cultural knowledge keepers, and Indigenous organizations to work together to advance sustainability. | Strategy 1: Substantial progress, 3/4 Strategy 2: Some progress, 1/4 | Considerable Progress 2/4 While there is not yet a formal partnership with the Office of Sustainability specifically, we have been working with EcoSuperior on an annual basis; other partnerships that have arisen within the institution include the Lake Superior Living Labs Network (LSLLN) which includes formal ongoing partnerships with other universities, non-profit organizations, NGOs, businesses and/or other external entities. Further work could be done to develop partnerships with the Office of Sustainability specifically, or to inventory existing sustainability partnerships at the University. In 2023/2024 academic year, the Office of Sustainability partnered with EcoSuperior on a Work-Integrated Learning Grant that will funded education students to conduct sustainability programming in local schools as part of Circular Economy Month. For Strategy 2: More work is needed to build relationships in this area, particularly within the Office of Sustainability. | - Respectful and reciprocal relationships are ongoing and will continue to be strengthened -Consider the role of the Office of Sustainability; is it about existing partnerships or creating new partnerships? - Supporting community work is important -Reflect on where and how to build relationships with Indigenous communities, and increase priority in this area. Why has this not happened yet? | -Description of strategies limits possibilities. (for ex. use of the word 'formal'), language is limiting and strategy is hard to measure. -Partnerships should support work of the Office of Sustainability and the work of its partners -Question to consider: what does it look like to be in partnership? -Other partnerships outside of the Office of Sustainability occur, but are difficult to track - Could consider "encouraging" partnerships, as measuring this at a university-wide level almost impossible. | Ongoing, never really 'achieved' | Ongoing - medium priority. Strategy 2 is high priority. | |||||||||||||||||||||
27 | Public Engagement 2 | Provide continuing education courses and programs in sustainability to the community. | 1. Offer continuing education courses that address sustainability. 2. Create at least one sustainability-themed certificate program through its continuing education or extension department. | Strategy 1: No Progress, 0/4 Strategy 2: Achieved, 4/4 | Considerable progress, 2/4 The Ontario Master Naturalist Program is offered on both campuses as a certificate program. There is also the Environmental Sustainability Certificate, designed for professionals and practitioners alike who want to enhance their skills, knowledge base and expertise in the field of environmental sustainability. Note: There may be pre existing continuing education courses focused on sustainability. These need to be identified in an inventory. Since CEDL is now decentralized, these courses are managed by department. | -Determine what counts as a continuing education course (e.g. professional development in education, certificate, Humanities 101) -Inventory continuing education courses -Determine type and content of new continuing education course, if relevant -Could be long term intention to collaborate with departments | Developing a course can take substantial time and resources, increased capacity needed. - Need to determine whether continuing education courses are even offered at Lakehead anymore. -Similar work is covered in C4, CE 2 + 4 | 2020-2025 | Definitive timeline - Low priority | |||||||||||||||||||||
28 | PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | Coordination | Continue to dedicate resources to sustainability coordination. | 1. a) Create a part-time Sustainability Coordinator position in Orillia b) Increase operational capacity of the Office of Sustainability. | Strategy 1a: Some progress, 1/4 Strategy 1b: Considerable progress, 2/4 | Some progress, 1.5/4 Sustainability coordinator position became permanent in November 2019. Graduate assistants have been provided to the Office of Sustainability on an ad-hoc basis by the Faculty of Education for a number of years. In 2021-2022 Social Justice Studies provided a graduate practicum student and will do so again in Summer 2023. For 2023/2024, we understand that GA's must be attached to a course and will not be permitted to work in research ships such as the Office of Sustainability. NOHFC Sustainability Internship secured for 2024/2025. | -Secure funding for additional Orillia position -Develop job description for Orillia -Additional funding for work-study student to Office of Sustainability operational budget may be a good starting place -Operatioanl budget for Sustainability Office | -Budgets are continually limited, funding programs are short-term - Progress on this section has gone backwards with removal of GAs | Won't be completed within the timeframe of plan. | Ongoing - high priority | 54% | 42% | 15% | ||||||||||||||||||
30 | Two-eyed Seeing | Continue to recognize the importance and value of Indigenous ways of knowing and how they influence the University’s understanding of sustainability. | 1. Organize a process that facilitates and supports ongoing dialogue on the tensions and commonalities between Indigenous and Western worldviews and definitions of sustainability, and their implications. | Strategy 1: Some progress, 1/4 | Some progress, 1/4 Ongoing professional development is part of sustainability coordinator portfolio. The Office of Sustainability has worked with Elders Council and Indigenous stakeholders on its projects. This needs to continue. There is currently no formal process, not enough priority has been placed on this. In particular, the Office of Sustainability has been collaborating with the Indigenous Curriculum Specialist and Department of Indigenous Learning on a decolonization walk. The walk is a public education project in the form of an alternative campus tour that engages participants in place-based, anti- and decolonial forms of learning. It allows participants to reflect on how they might play a role in unlearning and challenging colonial assumptions and narratives, while centering Indigenous voices of resistance and resurgence. Over the course of the walk key campus sites are used as entry points for exploring Lakehead’s own colonial history and to prompt conversation and reflection about what taking action towards reconciliation means at Lakehead and in the larger Canadian and post-secondary contexts. A key part of this work includes engaging with campus departments and organizations as partners/co-collaborators and learning alongside one another as we strive to enact more meaningful forms of reconciliation and institutional accountability on campus. Teachings of Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility are used as a framework to develop each site visit. | -Consideration is needed as to how this goal takes shape practically, and meaningfully - Relationships and collaboration need to be prioritised -Reflect on best ways to approach this goal/developing a process for two-eyed seeing in practice that is not onerous to Indigenous Initiatives or other groups, but rather contributes in a meaningful and helpful way - Consider for next sustainability plan that the goal for this strategy is that two-eyed seeing is implemented across all the programs at the Office of Sustainability -Attend and support reconciliation-related events at Lakehead | -Capacity and personnel, decolonization work is necessary work, but also deep work. It is difficult to conduct meaningful work without further staff support. | Ongoing | Ongoing - high priority | |||||||||||||||||||||
31 | Investment | Make investment decisions that promote sustainability. | 1. Establish a committee on investor responsibility (CIR) with multi-stakeholder representation (e.g. Board of Governors members, faculty, staff, students, alumni) that can make decisions that promote recommendations on socially and environmentally responsible investment opportunities. | Strategy 1: Achieved, 4/4 | Achieved, 4/4 * Please note, we are currently confrming this information is still correct and up to date as of Sept 20, 2024. The current committee meets the basic requirements of this action (for example, it includes student representation) On November 26, 2020, Lakehead confirmed its leadership on climate change by announcing it is divesting its endowment of fossil fuel stocks, the sixth Canadian university to do so. It completed divestment in December 2022, ahead of schedule. The BoG also signed the Investing to Address Climate Change Charter which compels us to measure the carbon intensity of our investment portfolio annually and make plans to reduce it year over year. First report expected spring/summer 2023. | Complete | Achieved | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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