George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
First, On a Personal Note
June witnessed the publication of my book, Parables, that presents a strikingly original approach to short fiction and modernizes the parable form. In it, you will discover fresh, never-before-attempted styles of depicting characters that place them in unique states of mystery, imbalance, and unearthing. The parables span from the philosophical and hypnotically surreal to the historical and psychologically complex. Geographically expansive, the settings of the parables range all the way from Canada, the UK, the United States, and Sweden to Italy, Brazil, Japan and the African states of Morocco and Libya.
Convocating with Class
No better way to have kicked off June than by celebrating the Class of 2026, represented by over 12,000 graduates! I was honoured to join our amazing faculty and staff colleagues for the 2026 Convocation Week. The beautiful gathering spaces, corridors, and amphitheatre at Meridian Hall were filled with proud graduates and their family and friends. By the end of Convocation Week, these learners joined the more than 285,000 George Brown graduates who drive every sector of our economy and make an impact across Canada and the globe.
President Fearon spoke to graduates of the importance of maintaining a “moral compass,” and the remarkable investment they have made in themselves through their educational journey. Our irrepressible Chancellor, Geoff Smith, added to the ceremonies by giving a rousing address with his message about “lending your strength to others.”
Other highlights included our nine inspiring valedictorians, who shared their unique journeys, while the keynote addresses of Dr. Kathryn Nichol, Chef Nuit Regular, and Alana Powell, brought wisdom and insights from their professional and leadership experience.
As always, George Brown’s incredible Events team and the amazing folks in the Registrar’s Office pulled off all the complex logistics of week! Kudos to everyone involved!
World Class Events: FIFA World Cup 2026 and Pride House Toronto
George Brown’s Waterfront Campus served as Toronto’s official Pride House during FIFA World Cup 2026, and between June 11 and July 19, 2026, our campus was transformed into a month-long centre for Pride celebrations and FIFA World Cup watch parties!
A first amongst many firsts that George Brown has been a part of: this was the first official Pride House in Toronto during the FIFA World Cup.
From Mayor Olivia Chow’s opening of Pride House, the special on-campus screening of Pink Light (a short film that tells the story of a former pro-hockey player), and selected displays from the Orinoco Odyssey Exhibition (by George Brown alumnus and Trinidadian artist and designer, Jair Kale) to welcoming more than 400 community members to the Waterfront Campus to cheer on Team Canada, the months of June and July were abuzz with activity and fun!
RISE and Shine!
At George Brown, we are serious about having fun. The dynamic George Brown Research, Innovation & startGBC Entrepreneurship (RISE) Showcase returned on June 25.
In packed rooms and hallways, startGBC-supported innovators displayed their unique products and services: companies such as Visioom, which develops modern, steel-framed backyard homes for work, family, or rental income.
And Pathwai, which promises to turn a fragmented innovation economy into a searchable, connected, measurable network.
And let’s not forget Vybe AI, which builds intelligent AI agents that automate customer support, capture leads, and streamline business operations.
And, of course, many more. Check out the impressive list!
Attendees got a chance to connect with many of George Brown’s Innovation Ecosystem Collaboration Partners, including MaRS, VentureLab, and the City of Toronto Economic Development and Commerce.
We also took the opportunity at RISE Showcase to extend our partnership with VentureLab through a new MOU. Looking forward to enhancing our engagement with this wonderful organization even further!
Interconnected: The Canadian-Caribbean Tourism Resilience Symposium
July 29 and 30 saw George Brown host the Canadian-Caribbean Tourism Resilience Symposium, in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). The two days were packed with insights and conversations that probed the complexities of the tourism sector in both Canada and the Caribbean, the significant and impressive economic contribution the industry makes to the GDP, and the need for sharper public policy focus to leverage the full potential of the sector.
The audience heard from the Honourable Edmund C. Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica and Founder/Co-Chair, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), as well as a wide range of experts, including Dona Regis-Prosper.
Secretary General and CEO, Caribbean Tourism Organization, Dr. Hilary Becker; Associate Professor of Accounting at Carleton University, Dr. Lloyd G. Waller, Professor of Digital Transformation Policy and Governance at the University of the West Indies; Gordon Cole, Assistant Vice-President North America, Tropical Shipping, and some of our George Brown colleagues: Dr. Gervan Fearon, President; Robert Ruggieri, Professor of Supply Chain Management and Program Coordinator; Dr. Krista Holmes, Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation; and Dr. Tyrone Hall, Head of Research & Innovation, the Brookfield Sustainability Institute and Program Director of the GTRCMC at George Brown Polytechnic (GBP).
I had the pleasure of joining Philip Mondor (President and CEO, Tourism HR Canada), Dr. Luz Longsworth (Senior Corporate Director, Sandals Corporate University), Sharon Banfield-Bovell (Director, Resource Mobilization and Development, Caribbean Tourism Organization), and Dr. Cecil Cornwall, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Western Hospitality Institute (WHI) on a panel discussion on Workforce Resilience: Skills Development, TVET, and Retention.
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