Vanier College is proud to announce that it has achieved the prestigious Living Campus certification in partnership with WWF-Canada. This certification recognizes our commitment to sustainability, conservation and creating a positive impact on the environment.
The WWF-Canada Living Campus certification was introduced by WWF-Canada in 2023 to recognize the efforts of educational institutions in fostering sustainability and environmental stewardship on campus. Vanier College has successfully met the rigorous criteria set by WWF-Canada, demonstrating our dedication to creating a more sustainable and ecologically responsible campus community.
"WWF-Canada created the Living Campus certification to recognize colleges and universities that are doing an outstanding job of engaging their student and staff communities in conservation action and education," says Elizabeth Hendriks, WWF-Canada's VP of Restoration and Regeneration.
"Certified Living Campuses shine as examples of how post-secondary institutions can play a meaningful role in restoring nature, advancing sustainability and cultivating the next wave of conservation professionals. We're delighted to honour Vanier College as a certified Living Campus and congratulate the campus community on their collective achievement."
"The wonderful news that Vanier College has been named a WWF-Canada Living Campus for the 2023-2024 academic year gives us further strength and momentum to continue our efforts on campus and in the community to help reverse biodiversity loss. Our engagement and conservation activities have already had a demonstrable impact, increasing our habitat protections on campus for endangered species and giving hundreds of students the chance to document the biodiversity around them, making a tangible difference in the community. We are excited to continue this work in coming years, bolstered by WWF-Canada's inspiring community of practice," said Katherine Collin, Vanier teacher and Coordinator of the Sustainability Certificate College Major.
To achieve Living Campus certification, Vanier College implemented a range of conservation and engagement activities throughout the 2023-2024 academic year. These efforts include planting more trees on the Vanier campus, installing a Monarch butterfly waystation to help protect this endangered species, and organizing the highly successful Spring 2024 Greater Montreal City Nature Challenge Bioblitz in which over 200 students participated. These actions reflect Vanier College's commitment to conservation and align with WWF-Canada's mission to build a future where people and wildlife thrive together.
