Top Ten

$250 million positions uSask as health science leader

Construction on uSaskatchewan’s new Academic Health Sciences Centre began yesterday.  The $250 million project is fully funded by the Saskatchewan provincial government ($100 million for phase one).  The facility “will enable unique academic, clinical and scientific collaborations in medicine, veterinary medicine, kinesiology, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and nutrition, physical therapy and public health.”  The province and university both envision uSask positioned as a leader in health sciences.  Saskatchewan News Release

Education credited higher employment in Quebec:

Measurable success has been made towards narrowing the unemployment gap between Ontario and Quebec.  A recent Statistics Canada report found that Toronto’s unemployment rate was actually higher than that of Montreal – possible for the first time in history.  12 months ago, Montreal’s unemployment rate was almost 40% higher than Toronto’s.  The spread of education in Quebec over the last 4 decades is believed to play a major role in the employment boost: today’s Quebecois are among the highest education Canadians, with 69% of those between 25 and 44 having either a college or university degree.  The Globe & Mail

NS students demand PSE review:

Students in Nova Scotia are demanding a review of post-secondary education that was promised to them more than a year ago.  The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations has been lobbying across the province to build awareness of student issues.  The review was promised by the government in the throne speech given more than a year ago: “they guaranteed they would have a review of student financial aid in Nova Scotia.”  The Cape Breton Post

Ontario invests $2.5 million in green Trent University:

Trent University will receive more than $2.5 million in funding from the provincial government towards 2 green research projects at the university.  $1.29 million will fund a state-of-the-art Microenvironment Laboratory.  $1.26 million will upgrade and expand the Worsfold Water Quality Centre, allowing researchers to better identify threats to water resources and provide more sustainable environmental processes for industry and communities.  Ontario News Release | Trent News Release

BC revamps student loan respite with innovative new website:

BC students who apply for a break from student loan repayment will know the province’s decision within hours of filing for debt relief online.  A new provincial website takes the response time down from several weeks to only several hours.  More than 8,000 people in BC are given respite from their student loan payments every year.  The site is Canada’s “first completely online interest-relief application.”  BC News Release

PEI offers mumps vaccines to vulnerable on campus populations:

After another year of mumps outbreaks in the Maritimes, PEI will be offering free booster shots for Holland College and UPEI students this coming fall.  401 cases of mumps were reported in Nova Scotia this year and 103 were reported in New Brunswick.  PEI only had 2 reported cases but the province is taking precautions regardless as students are considered particularly vulnerable.  CBC

Students and models have equally

healthy eating habits: 80% students in their early mid-20s are found to have healthy eating habits, the same percentage as fashion models of the same age.  The study was based on a survey of eating habits and self-esteem delivered to students and models alike by uWaterloo researchers.  74% of the models reported that they didn’t have to lose any weight to begin their careers.  CTV | The Globe & Mail | uWaterloo News Release

E-texts provide powerful ad opportunity:

E-textbooks are cheaper for more than one reason.  Not only do publishers pass on the savings of not having to print and ship digital volumes, in some cases they also sell ad space in e-texts which helps further reduce the costs.  The ads are slotted into “natural breaks” in the books, such as between chapters.  Ads in e-texts have the advantage of being able to link directly to your organization or product homepage, allowing the distraction happy student to browse your website without having to relocate to a computer or type in a URL.  Biz Report