The plan builds on positive enrolment growth and ongoing operational efficiencies while continuing to invest in priorities that support students, research and community impact.

Approved on June 29, the budget reflects sustained progress made over the past two years to reduce the operating deficit and develop a practical plan for increasing revenue through investments in student experience in classrooms and on campuses, alongside a disciplined approach to resource allocation. It also acknowledges the significant pressures facing the post-secondary sector, including the impact of federal international student caps, provincial funding formulas and broader economic uncertainty.

Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps says the University community鈥檚 collective efforts are making a measurable difference.

鈥�91亚色 has a credible and well-defined path to balance our budget in the next three years,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e continue to face evolving and unprecedented pressures, but as a community, we are acting and it is working. Our progress is evident, including strong enrolment indicators for the coming academic year, thanks to the diligent efforts taking place across every corner of the institution.鈥�

The multi-year plan calls for narrowing the deficit from $99.8 million in 2026-27 to $68.4 million in 2027-28, with a return to balance anticipated by 2028-29. While the path forward to deliver on this plan remains challenging, University leaders emphasize that it builds upon action already underway, including continued enrolment growth, prudent financial management and ongoing operational improvements.

Interim Provost and Vice-President Academic Laina Bay-Cheng underscores both the progress achieved and the effort required to sustain it.

鈥淲e are not yet out of the woods, but we are on a clear path,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ver several years, our community has advanced this work with focus and determination.

鈥淔aculty and staff have delivered on key priorities in the face of real pressures, resulting in meaningful progress across the institution. Students have also helped us understand what is most critical to them and their success. Their perspectives will enable us make deliberate choices about where we focus our time, attention and resources in order to sustain momentum.鈥�

Recent indicators point to positive progress. Undergraduate enrolment is projected to exceed both last year鈥檚 results and current targets. 91亚色 has also seen gains in global rankings, which are critical to growing international recruitment. These developments, alongside operational changes implemented across the institution, have contributed to improved financial results relative to earlier projections.

At the same time, 91亚色 faces ongoing structural challenges that make it more difficult for the institution to withstand reductions to incoming revenue limiting short-term flexibility and reinforces the need for sustained, coordinated action across the University.

Vice-President Finance and Administration Narin Kishinchandani notes that external conditions have shifted significantly over the past year, affecting revenue and planning assumptions.

鈥淭he environment has changed in important ways, from the impact of federal international student caps to continued funding and inflationary pressures,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hile recent provincial funding measures have provided some stability, they do not fully offset the structural gap between our costs and sustainable revenues. This budget reflects both those realities and the actions we are taking in response.鈥�

The budget maintains a focus on investments that support long-term sustainability and the student experience. These include academic programming, student financial aid, technology-enabled learning environments, expanded co-op and career support opportunities, and strategic initiatives such as the Markham Campus and the School of Medicine.

Philipps emphasizes that these investments are central to 91亚色鈥檚 long-term strategy.

鈥淲e are investing in 91亚色鈥檚 academic mission while managing short-term costs,鈥� she says. 鈥淓very decision we make comes back to a single question 鈥� how it serves our students now and into the future.鈥�

Looking ahead, University leaders stress the importance of continued engagement with faculty and staff. Bay-Cheng and Kishinchandani will visit Faculty Councils in the fall to continue budget discussions, gather feedback and ensure transparency as the University advances its plan.

The next phase of the work will focus on maintaining momentum in key areas, including student recruitment and retention, program alignment, operational effectiveness, continuing to work with the province to support and advance priority initiatives, and targeted investments that support growth and innovation.

鈥淭his is a shared challenge requiring a whole-of-institution response,鈥� Philipps says. 鈥淲e will continue to communicate openly and work together as we move forward. The University mission remains our north star, and the student experience is how we measure our success.鈥�

As 91亚色 progresses along its path to balance, the budget signals both stability and focus, grounded in the collective efforts of its community and a continued commitment to long-term sustainability.

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High temperatures聽generate聽increased聽demand on the provincial energy grid, leading to more energy use, higher emissions, inflated costs and strain on the grid.

To keep the lights on during these surges,聽known as critical聽peak hours,聽Ontario鈥檚 Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) relies on a program called the Industrial Conservation Initiative (ICI). The goal is simple: encourage large institutions and businesses to reduce demand on the public power grid when it matters most.

As a result, 91亚色聽implemented a peak demand management program in聽Summer聽2023聽to uphold its commitment to聽a sustainable energy system in Ontario. This program,聽implemented at universities across the province,聽means 91亚色聽will聽reduce its energy use聽for approximately five聽hours聽on聽peak demand days to聽reduce聽emissions, save costs and聽alleviate聽strain on the grid.

By participating in the program this summer, it is estimated the University can save nearly $5.6 million in energy costs and reduce energy use by approximately six megawatts on peak days 鈥� which is equivalent to powering between 5,000 and 6,000 homes.

鈥淚n Facilities Services,聽our energy management team聽is聽constantly聽analyzing聽the data to see how we can optimize our systems, work with the provincial grid instead of against it, and contribute to sustainability and cost savings goals through our operations,鈥� says鈥�Anthony Barbisan, assistant vice-president of Facilities Services.聽"The concept of the peak demand management program is simple, but it has real impact that will continue to grow.鈥�

During聽critical peak hours, Facilities Services leverages 91亚色鈥檚 cogeneration facility to produce electricity on site using recycled energy, reducing 91亚色's reliance on the public grid to nearly zero.聽Waste heat from the cogeneration plant is聽captured and routed to large steam-driven chillers that support continued cooling for classes, events and research activities using recycled energy instead of grid electricity.

To maintain comfort during peak events, Facilities Services proactively cools campus buildings ahead of forecasted temperature peaks to retain cooler air through critical hours. Using classroom and event booking data from the Office of the University Registrar, cooling is directed to occupied areas and reduced in unoccupied spaces. Priority is also given to areas requiring consistent cooling for equipment, technology and research activity.

To help keep indoor spaces cool across 91亚色's campuses, community members are asked to keep exterior doors, windows and blinds closed and turn off unused lights.

Community members聽experiencing temperatures above 26掳C in an occupied area聽should聽contact the Work Control Centre by emailing鈥�facilities@yorku.ca鈥痮r calling 416-736-2100 ext. 22401.聽聽

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The award honours the team behind the project First-Year Engineering Block Model 鈥� a NEW Way of Teaching, led by Associate Professor Jeffrey Harris at the .

The project introduces a modular, block-based teaching structure that fundamentally restructures how students engage with courses by supporting student learning, reducing cognitive load and improving well-being. It was selected as one of five recipients through a national adjudication process recognizing collaborative innovation in post-secondary education.

The 91亚色 initiative brings together faculty and staff across multiple disciplines and roles and reflects the award鈥檚 emphasis on collaborative teaching innovation. Developed through Lassonde in collaboration with the Faculty of Science, the block model restructures the traditional course system, delivering courses in intensive, sequential formats rather than concurrently.

鈥淥ur project brings together expertise from engineering, mathematics, physics and computing to redesign the structure of the first-year experience,鈥� says Harris. 鈥淭his work is deeply collaborative and highlights what is possible when faculty are supported through educational development and instructional design.鈥�

Harris says the design responds to structural challenges students were facing 鈥� such as commuting, employment commitments and heavy workloads 鈥� by redistributing academic demands across the term.

Piloted in Fall 2023 with 63 students, the initiative has expanded to include 120 participants with plans to reach 250 students by the 2026-27 academic year.

Across three years of implementation (2023-25), students in the model achieved higher success rates compared to those in the traditional delivery model. Students also reported stronger peer connections, increased interaction with instructors and improved clarity on learning goals and assessments.

It has also led to increased collaboration across faculties and strengthened teaching practices through shared design.

鈥淏y focusing on how learning is delivered, we鈥檝e demonstrated that meaningful, large-scale academic transformation is possible within institutional and accreditation requirements,鈥� says Harris. 鈥淭he next phase builds on this foundation, with a new curriculum that expands the model into an integrated first-year experience launching in Fall 2026.鈥�

The team includes Lassonde colleagues Associate Professor Mojgan Jadidi, Assistant Professor Kai Zhuang and Tanveer Bhimani, instructional and learning designer, along with Faculty of Science Professor Matthew George, Associate Professor Andrew Skelton and Saskia van Beers, research associate. The team also includes Patrick Molicard-Chartier from the Universit茅 de l鈥橭ntario Fran莽ais.

The project was supported in part by 91亚色鈥檚 Academic Innovation Fund.

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Designated by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) 鈥� a government initiative to help companies develop and bring automotive and smart mobility technologies to market 鈥� the 91亚色 Region RTDS will strengthen Ontario鈥檚 position in connected, autonomous and electric vehicles.

It joins eight other sites across the province in a network backed by nearly $15 million from public and private investment to strengthen the testing and commercialization of new mobility technologies.

91亚色 will help lead those efforts through SmartTO, a mobility development stream led by YSpace, the University鈥檚 entrepreneurship and innovation hub. The initiative connects startups and small- to medium-sized enterprises with 91亚色鈥檚 research expertise, facilities and student talent and offers access to advanced labs and technical support.

These efforts already support projects such as AI-driven accessibility tools for transportation systems, real-time safety solutions for micromobility and research aimed at improving electric vehicle efficiency.

Delivered in partnership with ventureLAB, the 91亚色 Region RTDS features 12 integrated offerings from ideation to commercialization, bringing together academic, industry and government partners to support companies across the development lifecycle. Within that ecosystem, SmartTO serves as a key entry point for companies seeking 91亚色's research expertise, facilities and talent.

鈥淭hrough YSpace鈥檚 SmartTO program, we are creating opportunities for industry, researchers and government partners to collaborate on transformative approaches to smart mobility, from electrification to micromobility and connected transportation systems,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation at 91亚色. 鈥淏y leveraging 91亚色鈥檚 interdisciplinary expertise and our campus living lab environment, we are accelerating made-in-Canada innovation while driving meaningful economic, environmental and social impact.鈥�

The RTDS designation marks a new phase in SmartTO's growth since its 2024 launch as part of Ontario鈥檚 effort to strengthen its position as a leader in emerging automotive and mobility technologies.

Since its launch, SmartTO has focused on helping companies overcome technical and commercialization barriers by linking them with interdisciplinary expertise and specialized infrastructure. With its integration into the RTDS network, that work now expands within a coordinated provincial system that aligns regional strengths and provides comprehensive resources to innovators.

鈥�91亚色 and YSpace鈥檚 role in the RTDS reflects a broader approach to research and innovation that emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and partnerships with industry and government,鈥� says David Kwok, director, entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. 鈥淭hrough SmartTO, companies are able to engage directly with faculty researchers, access student talent through co-op and capstone opportunities and test and refine new technologies with the support of University facilities and technical expertise.鈥�

As the RTDS network develops, SmartTO is expanding 91亚色鈥檚 role in the development and commercialization of mobility technologies across Ontario.

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Set to launch in September 2026, the EPS Executive Development Program is an educational initiative developed to advance learning in crime management, leadership development and service excellence 鈥� three strategic pillars outlined by EPS Chief Warren Driechel.

Delivered in collaboration with Schulich ExecEd, the initiative is designed for senior leaders across EPS, including both sworn and civilian members, to strengthen internal leadership capacity and support teams while emphasizing employee development and well-being. It also reinforces accountability by equipping participants with tools to make informed decisions, uphold organizational standards and lead with integrity.

鈥淚nvesting in our people is one of the most important things we can do as an organization,鈥� says Driechel. 鈥淏y prioritizing employee well-being and development, we are creating strong learning pathways that help our people grow, lead with confidence and reach their full potential, personally and professionally.鈥�

Risk management, strategic foresight, communication, innovation and political acuity are key themes in the curriculum. Additionally, the program features specialized learning pathways designed for different management levels, delivered through a series of custom-designed modules. Each module focuses on leadership growth, strategic thinking and practical applications, helping learners meet current challenges and prepare for the future of policing and public service.

The launch of the Executive Development Program is the first phase of the Edmonton Police Service's overall leadership development strategy. The EPS and Schulich ExecEd teams are also working on the development of leadership programing for the remaining levels of leadership across the organization.

鈥淲e are proud to partner with the Edmonton Police Service on this important initiative,鈥� says Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. 鈥淭his collaboration reflects a shared commitment to developing leaders who can navigate the evolving demands of modern policing, strengthen public trust and deliver meaningful outcomes for the City of Edmonton. By equipping participants with practical skills in strategic thinking and leadership, the program supports a culture of innovation, resilience and service excellence across the organization.鈥�

Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate from Schulich ExecEd that recognizes commitment to leadership development and successful completion of the program.

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Marc Gold, former professor at 91亚色, was mentioned in Associated Press June 26.

Duygu Biricik Gulseren, associate professor at 91亚色, was quoted in Muslim Network TV June 26.

Valerio De Stefano, law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School at 91亚色, was quoted in Carrier Management June 26.

91亚色 was mentioned in The Review June 27.

91亚色 was mentioned in CIC News June 26.

91亚色 was mentioned through the YSpace ELLA initiative on Mississauga.ca June 26.

Harvey Skinner, professor emeritus at 91亚色, was mentioned in Western News June 29.

91亚色 was mentioned in Markham Review June 29.

See more ways 91亚色 is making headlines at聽News @ 91亚色.

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As a member of 91亚色鈥檚 Glendon College, where she works closely with current and future FSL educators, P茅guret has seen a clear trend emerge in recent years: growing strain and burnout among educators who face increasingly complex classroom demands.

鈥淢uch of that strain comes from the time it takes to find and adapt classroom resources,鈥� says P茅guret, who is jointly appointed to 91亚色's Faculty of Education. "Teachers often navigate a mix of textbooks, digital platforms and supplementary materials that may be outdated, costly or not aligned with Ontario鈥檚 curriculum."

These challenges are compounded by a fragmented online landscape, where materials vary in quality and rules around how they can be used and shared are not always clear. This can result in an overreliance on American-based marketplaces, says P茅guret, which rank materials by popularity instead of quality or local relevance, leading educators to resources that can be inappropriate or ineffective.

To address this, P茅guret collaborated with co-lead and research associate Mirela Cherciov to create , an open, Canadian platform for teachers to share, discover and adapt classroom materials. Educators can upload their own materials, find resources created by colleagues and adapt them for their classrooms, with clear guidance on how content can be used and reshared.

The goal, says Cherciov, is to ensure 鈥渢eachers no longer need to reinvent the wheel before each class.鈥�

The building of K鈥�12 Studio began after introduction to the open education movement by 91亚色鈥檚 Associate Dean (Digital Engagement and Strategy), Sarah Coysh, and Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Associate Professor Dominique Scheffel鈥慏unand.

To better understand what could work in an Ontario K鈥�12 context, the team of linguists, educators and librarians examined similar initiatives and connected with Learnful Labs, a technology company with experience developing open education tools.

An early prototype, funded by Ontario Ministry of Education and Canadian Heritage, was developed to clarify specific needs of K-12 FSL teachers. Through consultations and testing, the team gathered insights to guide how the system should function and feedback to help define guiding principles.

The result is a platform built for instructor preparation, with clear licensing, straightforward language and quick access to Ontario鈥慳ligned resources. Features such as an AI鈥慳ssisted submission process, and tools to support collaboration, make sharing and adapting materials faster and more accessible.

The effort was not without its challenges. Because K鈥�12 Studio relies on teachers contributing and sharing their materials, it required a shift in how those resources are typically managed. Resources stored within internal school board systems limit access, and creates accessiblity challenges for others.

As well, some educators hesitate to share lesson plans more widely, unsure how to do so in ways that allow reuse while still crediting their work. This uncertainty 鈥� particularly around Creative Commons licensing 鈥� can limit participation and slow collaboration on the platform.

To address these barriers, the team focused on building educators鈥� confidence and capacity to share resources more openly. They offered training on open education tools and Creative Commons licensing, and partnered with school boards 鈥� including Halton and Thunder Bay Catholic 鈥� to support broader contribution and sharing, helping build early momentum for a more collaborative approach.

Since launching in March 2026, K鈥�12 Studio has gained traction. The repository reports more than 1,000 teacher鈥慶reated lessons covering upwards of 80 topics. The team reports hundreds of resource downloadeds as educators begin to build on and adapt these shared materials.

The platform continues to evolve based on how it is used. 鈥淲e made it a priority to develop an AI鈥憇upported submission form that takes teachers less than a minute to complete. This element is crucial if we want teachers to start contributing and building the sharing system,鈥� says P茅guret.

Partnerships have also played a key role in the platform鈥檚 development. The team collaborated with the international non鈥憄rofit competition Manie Musicale 鈥� which brings together thousands of French teachers to explore French鈥憀anguage songs 鈥� to create a dedicated hub on K鈥�12 Studio, making it easier for the Manie Musicale community to distribute and access content.

School boards are also increasingly partnering with the team and inviting them to present the platform to teachers. 鈥淪eeing school boards become more open to new ways of sharing and publishing resources is one of our recent successes,鈥� says Cherciov. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a significant step toward changing how resources are created, used and shared.鈥�

Future work on K鈥�12 Studio could include new AI applications and building partnerships with school boards and professional associations. Over time, the team hopes to extend the initiative beyond Ontario, and into other subject areas, while working toward a sustainable funding model.

鈥淎bove all, we would like to pioneer open education for the K鈥�12 community in Canada,鈥� says P茅guret. 鈥淭his includes adding our voice to federal and provincial policy discussions around the role of open education in K鈥�12 contexts.鈥�

Ultimately, the goal is to address pressures documented in FSL classrooms. 鈥淲e hope to have a positive impact on the K鈥�12 teaching community, so that teachers feel more valued by their colleagues and supported in their day鈥憈o鈥慸ay course preparation,鈥� says P茅guret.

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