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.
Elevating partnerships for college excellence
Welcome to our Government Relations (GR) hub, your trusted source for staying up-to-date on post-secondary news and announcements, navigating legislative and regulatory changes impacting our sector and exploring grant and funding opportunities. The GR team is excited to establish an integrated hub and spoke model government relations strategy to highlight, promote and enhance opportunities for George Brown Polytechnic aligned with municipal, provincial and federal goals.
Explore our resources, stay informed, and together let the GR team help showcase your exceptional programs and all that the college has to offer to government officials at all levels.
The GR team works across jurisdictions to promote the prominence of the college and understanding of our value to the fabric of Toronto, Ontario and Canada to various levels of government. Key themes in our advocacy include:
- Post-secondary education
- Supporting international students
- Tuition and affordability
- Sustainability
- Housing
- Transit
Advocacy on recent Blue Ribbon Panel: In March 2023, the Ontario government created a blue-ribbon panel to provide advice on the financial stability of postsecondary education. Over the past few months George Brown Polytechnic has participated in the Blue-Ribbon Panel to discuss and provide solutions in response to the challenging landscape of post-secondary tuition. The panel delivered their report of recommendations to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in November addressing tuition and how to better align education with labour market needs.
Connect With Us
If you have an upcoming event involving local, provincial or national government, or would like to discuss advocacy on behalf of an initiative or grant, please email GR@georgebrown.ca
News and Announcements
City of Toronto Councillor Josh Matlow visited George Brown’s Casa Loma Campus for a guided tour of teaching labs and facilities, followed by a discussion of the campus’s role in supporting learners and the surrounding community.
Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, Nolan Quinn, visited George Brown Polytechnic’s Casa Loma Campus on March 9th to discuss advancing post-secondary education, strengthening STEM and skilled trades pathways, and ensuring students are prepared for in-demand careers.
George Brown Polytechnic and the University of Toronto have entered a new strategic partnership aimed at transforming how both institutions deliver post-secondary education across Ontario.
New partnership strengthens academic innovation, institutional efficiencies, student mobility, and industry engagement—while also reviving the Ontario Wine Awards through a shared hosting model.
The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, led by Consul General Kristine Leilani R. Salle, officially launched the Reimagining Binakol: A Fashion Design Challenge with George Brown Polytechnic’s (GBP) fashion students.
George Brown Polytechnic welcomed Chi Nguyen, Member of Parliament for Spadina—Harbourfront, for her first official visit to the institution’s Waterfront Campus.
George Brown welcomed the Ontario Chamber of Commerce's Ontario Business Advisory Council on December 8th for a forward-looking discussion on Ontario's economic future and workforce readiness.
Our partnership with Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) helps us support small businesses and startups to secure their future ideas and innovations.
Dr. Fearon spoke at the Waterfront Symposium, hosted by the Toronto Region Board of Trade. George Brown hosted a tour of Limberlost Place as part of the event.
The Honourable Charmaine A. Williams, Associate Minister of Women's Social & Economic Opportunity for Ontario, visited George Brown's newest learning space, Limberlost Place, on July 15th to tour the state-of-the-art mass-timber building and discuss the ongoing success of the provincially funded Women in Fashion Technology program.
ON THE HILL
Learn about legislative announcements, parliamentary key dates and more.
October 25, 2023
GBC Advocacy with Polytechnics Canada in Ottawa: On October 25th, President Dr. Gervan Fearon attended lobby day in Ottawa with Polytechnics Canada.
October 3, 2023
CICan On the Hill: GBC President, Dr. Gervan Fearon and Laura Jamer, Director, Government Relations represented the college in Ottawa at Colleges and Institutes Canada advocacy day on the hill on October 3, 2023. The full-day event provided an opportunity to engage with parliamentarians and senior federal officials to share perspectives on how colleges and institutes support Canadian students to gain global skills and contribute to international education.
PARLIAMENTARY UPDATES
Learn about recent happenings at Queens Park at the Ontario Legislature and at the House of Commons in Ottawa.
December 7, 2023
IRCC Announces New International Student Measures: On December 7, 2023, Hon. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced measures to improve the international student experience, building on reforms to the International Student Program announced in October. Notable changes include increased financial requirements in alignment with the true cost of living, an extension of student work hours and recognition of designated learning institutions that provide top-quality student services and support. Read the IRCC’s announcement.
November 2, 2023
Ontario Fall Economic Statement Launch: On Thursday November 2nd, Ontario Released their Fall Economic Statement, forecasting the complete scope of government spending for the upcoming year.
October 27, 2023
Federal Announcement on Supports for International Students: On October 27th Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada Minister Mark Miller announced steps to strengthen Canada’s International Student Program. The plan aims to combat fraud, stop bad actors, and fast-track study permit applications for high quality institutions. The plan will include a multi-layered acceptance letter authentication system and the adoption of a “Recognized Institutions” framework to support universities and colleges who provide proper supports for international students. Read more here.
September 2023
Senators Author International Student Report: In September 2023, four senators co-authored the Strengthening the Integrity of Canada’s International Student Program report, discussing the current landscape, complexities, and recommendations on how to create policies that will continue to enrich Canada with international students while mitigating the challenges.
September 18, 2023
MPs Return to Ottawa: Members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons on September 18 after an approximately 3-month summer break. Many MPPs are entering with new roles as Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet in July, appointing new Ministers and unveiling a list of new Parliamentary Secretaries in September. Housing, inflation and the cost of living have dominated debates since the return to Ottawa.
September 11, 2023
Province Undergoing Student Housing Consultations: The Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop has been consulting with the sector on how to remove barriers to create affordable on and off campus student housing and is hosting fall roundtables with municipalities, private career colleges and builders. The government is not considering regulation of international student tuition at this time. GBC is actively looking to offer solutions to ensure both domestic and international student are fully supported throughout their education. Read the full article here.
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Stay in the know with our Government Relations Roundup email. Our monthly newsletters will share relevant federal, provincial and municipal post-secondary news, legislative updates, grant deadlines, events and more
GRANTS
Funding opportunities and grants are available across all levels of government. While the Government Relations team does not author grant applications on behalf of the college, we support employees to navigate the process effectively.
We can also advocate on behalf of applications through our networks. With our assistance, you'll be better equipped to seize the opportunities that match your vision and make a positive impact.
EXTERNAL PARTNERS
As a member of the broader post-secondary community within the City of Toronto and the province of Ontario, we work with valued partner organizations to achieve common goals as well as all levels of government.
At the national level we are proud to partner with Colleges & Institutes Canada (CICAN) and Polytechnics Canada.
Provincially we partner with Colleges Ontario and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
We also have key partners at the local level including the Toronto Region Board of Trade, Waterfront BIA and Waterfront Toronto.