Leaders from Atlantic Canada’s four public colleges gathered in St. John’s on Wednesday, May 21 to sign a common Environmental Stewardship Agreement.

The signing took place during meetings of the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium (APCCC), an interprovincial partnership promoting and supporting the strategic development of regional collaboration, coordination, and sharing of resources among the four public colleges in Atlantic Canada.

“The signing of this agreement on environmental leadership demonstrates that Atlantic Canada’s colleges are very concerned about our environment and we recognize that we have a role to play in improving our world by utilizing our expertise and resources to that end,” says Jean Madill, President of College of the North Atlantic in Newfoundland and Labrador and Chair of the APCCC’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Brian McMillan, President of Holland College in Prince Edward Island, who was represented by Vice-President Michael O’Grady at the signing, believes the combined efforts of all colleges in Atlantic Canada can make a substantial contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“If we can educate our 25,000 full-time students and 60,000 part-time students to be good stewards of our environment during their time in our institutions and after they graduate from our four public colleges, the impact will be felt in all of the communities and the businesses and industries where our graduates are employed.”

Jean-Marc Dupuis, CEO of the New Brunswick Community College, notes that the signing of this leadership statement on environmental leadership is a prime example of the many collaborative efforts among community colleges in Atlantic Canada.

“Working through the APCCC on environmental sustainable activities will, in my opinion, prove to be one of the flagships of collaboration and cooperation in our region,” he says.

Nova Scotia Community College President, Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair, says colleges are in a unique position to have a significant impact in the Atlantic region in terms of addressing climate change.

“By embracing energy efficient solutions in new building design, in retrofitting older campuses and imparting knowledge to students through program design and by way of example, we can make a substantial contribution to a greener environment. We are doing that,” she said.

The idea for signing such an agreement was born more than two years ago when the APCCC board was briefed on the Eastern Canadian Premiers/New England Governors Climate Change Action Plan. Stemming from that was the formation of an APCCC Climate Change Action Plan Advisory Committee with specific terms of reference intended to help Atlantic community colleges embrace best practices in “greening” campuses. Although the committee has been very active in the sharing and learning about best practices in environmental stewardship, the signing of an Environmental Leadership Statement publicly acknowledges the Atlantic community colleges’ commitment to a sustainable environment.

APCCC Executive Director Cyril Farrell says the action demonstrated by these college presidents is very much in line with the mandate of the consortium.

“Collaborating on environmental sustainability activities is a prime example of how Atlantic community colleges can work together for positive regional impact,” he said. “Undertaking this commitment supports the efforts of the Council of Atlantic Premiers in their collaboration on environmental issues.”

This consortium, which reports annually on its activities to the Council of Atlantic Premiers, is officially recognized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the provincial ministers responsible for community colleges and the presidents of the community colleges in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.