University of Toronto Mississauga
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

In 2020, UTM published a sustainability strategic plan, entitled "Fostering a Culture of Sustainability 2030". The plan includes goals under 5 different pillars: Academics, Research, Community Engagement, Civic Engagement, and Facilities & Built Environment.

The goals in the Academics section of the plan include: by 2030, 30% of all students will have graduated across all disciplines with a sustainability certificate/minor; and by 2030, UTM will increase by 25% the number of faculty who self-identify as a leader in sustainability teaching and learning.

Updates from the Sustainability Strategic Plan Progress Report 2022-2023:

• In Fall 2021, the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI) launched the Certificate of Completion in Global Sustainability. The goal of the Certificate is to provide an opportunity for all UTM undergraduate students to have access to an education in global sustainability, which includes all aspects of the planet and human wellbeing covered by the United Nations’ 17 UN SDGs. Since the launch of the program, 447 students have registered, and 283 students have completed the certificate. Given the enthusiasm shown by UTM students, plans are in place to expand its reach to more students.

• Each year, UTM students actively engage in Campus as a Living Lab projects. Such projects contribute to the operational sustainability goals of the University while providing an opportunity for research and experiential learning, where students are directly involved in addressing real world sustainability problems of interest to the University.

• In 2022, the UTM sustainability office launched the Waste Ambassador Program, and the Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) launched the Sustainability Ambassador Program. Both programs offer UTM students a platform to actively engage with their peers and champion sustainability concepts throughout the campus community.

• In 2022, The Office of the Vice-Principal, Research (OVPR) created an inventory of faculty at UTM who conduct research in the sustainability field, finding that there are 22 UTM faculty who actively research topics on sustainability. Moreover, the UN SDGs are another research area being explored by UTM Faculty, with 7 UN SDGs being actively researched by 49 Faculty members.

In 2020, UTM published a sustainability strategic plan, entitled "Fostering a Culture of Sustainability 2030". The plan includes goals under 5 different pillars: Academics, Research, Community Engagement, Civic Engagement, and Facilities & Built Environment.

The goals in the Engagement sections of the plan include: by 2025, internal collaborations will honour and celebrate environmental programs, events, camps, and initiatives helping to facilitate a culture of sustainability on campus; and by 2025, collaborations with neighbouring schools will encourage learning and sharing of experiences, helping to promote sustainability.

Updates from the Sustainability Strategic Plan Progress Report 2022-2023:

• From March 13th to 17th, 2023, UTM proudly hosted its fourth annual Sustainability Week in close collaboration with UTMSU, the UTM Sustainability Office, and the MScSM Student Executive Council (MSEC). Guided by the theme "Acknowledge. Align. Act.," the week underscored the importance of collectively acknowledging the climate crisis and aligning efforts to initiate pivotal changes for our planet's well-being.

• On June 12th, 2023, the Institute for Management & Innovation’s (IMI) Master of Science in Sustainability Management Program (MScSM) and UTM’s Sustainability Office launched the first-ever Climate Camp to address the urgency of climate anxiety and climate education through a positive, solution-driven, and empowering lens for children aged 8 – 12.

• The Sustainability Office in collaboration with the City of Mississauga hosted two campus litter clean-up events, the first in June 2022 to celebrate World Environment Day, and the other to celebrate Earth Day in April 2023. In total, 120 people participated, collecting 68.13 kg of landfill, and 4.54 kg of recyclable materials.

• In May 2022, the UTM Sustainability Office participated in the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance’s (PEYA) first in-person Amazing Green Race since the beginning of the pandemic. The AGR is a full day outdoor event where youth (high school to age 30) walk, bike, scoot, or transit across the city completing various environmental challenges. UTM was the last stop of the AGR, where participants were tasked with exploring the campus and identifying some of the sustainability features such as green buildings and performing a safety check at UTM’s BikeShare.

• UTM celebrated orientation week in September 2022 and the Sustainability Office participated in a number of events between September 6th – 16th including:

Centre for Student Engagement (CSE) – Resource and Involvement Fair
U of T Tri-campus Parade/Clubs Fair
CSE – Shoreline Clean-up at Erindale Park
Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI) - Welcome BBQ
City of Mississauga Community Ride at UTM
UTM Student Union (UTMSU) Campus Clubs Crawl

In 2020, UTM published a sustainability strategic plan, entitled "Fostering a Culture of Sustainability 2030". The plan includes goals under 5 different pillars: Academics, Research, Community Engagement, Civic Engagement, and Facilities & Built Environment.

The goals in the Facilities & Built Environment section of the plan include: by 2030, UTM will meet or exceed its commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 37% from 2005 levels. Concurrently, UTM will carry out a plan to create a carbon neutral campus before 2050; by 2025, UTM will create a mitigation program to reduce emissions from business-related travel.

Updates from the Sustainability Strategic Plan Progress Report 2022-2023:

• UTM has continued to implement GHG reduction projects that work towards achieving UTM’s climate goals. In recent years, while UTM has significantly expanded to accommodate for the increase in students, resulting in more buildings, energy use, and GHGs, the campus has seen a reduction of 28 per cent in GHGs emissions compared to 1990 levels. Additionally, UTM has committed to achieving a climate positive campus and has released a standalone Climate Change Mitigation Strategy.

• UTM’s MScSM Director, Shashi Kant received a $100,000 group grant to determine a methodology to account for scope 3 GHG emissions at U of T. The project is titled: Scope 3 Emissions: A Conceptual Accounting Framework and Measurement of Selected Categories of Emissions, Climate Positive Energy Research Initiative U of T. This grant was provided by U of T’s Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) Climate Positive Energy research.

• The ATEMI (Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative) program, introduced by the U of T St. George (UTSG) campus Sustainability Office in 2022, is designed to address the issue of air travel emissions resulting from business-related trips undertaken by members of the University's community. This tri-campus initiative seeks to find a harmonious approach that both reduces air travel emissions and compensates for them when essential travel is unavoidable. The core principle of ATEMI revolves around levying fees on air travel and channelling the collected funds to support various carbon offset projects.

In 2020, UTM published a sustainability strategic plan, entitled "Fostering a Culture of Sustainability 2030". The plan includes goals under 5 different pillars: Academics, Research, Community Engagement, Civic Engagement, and Facilities & Built Environment.

As part of the Facilities & Building Environment pillar, a sub-section for wellness & wellbeing is included. Goals in this section include: by 2021, UTM will introduce recognition awards for all UTM staff, faculty, librarians and students who showcase and outstanding commitment to sustainability; by 2025, UTM will continue to expand the sustainability dialogue through recruitment and on-boarding of students, staff, faculty, and librarians; and by 2021, UTM will establish a working group to explore best practices and create an action plan for priorities related to diversity, equity, inclusion, health and well-being.

• The Sustainability Office delivered a workshop called “Being Positive in the Time of the Climate Crisis” in Sept 2022 and again in Sept 2023 where the goal was to engage in meaningful conversation, discuss solutions to cope with climate anxiety, and feel supported by other students. Additionally, the Sustainability Office was happy to recognize staff through the tri-campus Sustainable Action Awards, and UTM’s Principal Sustainability Award nominating Sustainable Change Office program Team Leads.

• Lastly, due to the pandemic and the shift to fully remote work for most of the U of T community, there was an adoption of Alternative Work Arrangements (AWAs). Formally, the AWAs state: “The University of Toronto is committed to formalizing requests and opportunities for staff to participate in alternative work arrangements (i.e. remote work setting, hybrid-remote work setting, or differentiation in work hours on a weekly basis) by providing operationally supported, wellness-driven work arrangements.”

The AWAs have significantly helped foster a positive workplace culture by allowing hybrid and flexible work hours, which not only supports staff mental health and wellness but also boosts productivity.

Sustainability is a priority at UTM and it has been highlighted as such in the Strategic Framework. “UTM’s Strategic Framework provides focus for our campus and partners. It expresses core priorities that will strengthen consensus, inspire action, and guide investment. But it also designs room for change, giving our community the flexibility to realize our priorities in many ways—including in ways we haven’t yet imagined.”

The following information appears in UTM's strategic framework on page 19:

At a department meeting in November 2020, during a discussion about the future of campus research space, a faculty member evoked the Constitution of the Iroquois Nations. “Have always in view,” the Constitution advises, “not only the present but also the coming generations.” UTM embraces this vision as a basis for action. We foster a culture of sustainability and professional competence that lifts up communities in the present and cares for our environments and resources for the future.

COMMITMENTS
• Design green buildings and spaces that enhance belonging, biodiversity, and operational resilience.
• Foster sustainability across our teaching and research programs and our external engagements.
• Identify and implement evidence-based approaches to take care of our environmental, infrastructural, and financial resources.