Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning colleges, universities, campuses, research initiatives and funding, and the tri-council (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) agencies. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to see GR activities in areas of the economy related to the Higher Ed channel? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Social Issues and BioPharma.

Dates: 2025-08-24 to 2025-08-30

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal GR News
• 🇺🇸 US Federal GR News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial GR News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Canadian Federal GR News

Canadian Space Agency Awards $2.8 Million to Post-Secondary Institutions for Space Science

On August 29, Minister Mélanie Joly announced that the Canadian Space Agency will provide approximately $2.8 million in research grants to 14 post-secondary institutions nationwide. Notable allocations include $1.4 million toward 16 James Webb Space Telescope projects—enabling Canadian astronomers at Dalhousie, Saint Mary’s, Western, Université de Montréal, Toronto, Victoria, and York to pursue research in early universe phenomena. The agency is also funding AstroSat collaborations for high-energy astrophysics at McGill, Alberta, and Calgary, and advancing the XRISM mission with $100,000 to Saint Mary’s and Waterloo. The Research Opportunities in Space Science (ROSS) program will disburse $1.1 million for projects at Bishop’s, Saint Mary’s, Sherbrooke, Lethbridge, Toronto, Waterloo, and Western. These grants further international collaboration and facilitate Canadian participation in global missions, supporting ongoing laboratory and technological research across the higher education sector.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Government Invests $10.8 Million in On-Campus Child Care Expansion for Saskatchewan Post-Secondaries

The federal and Saskatchewan governments announced an investment of $10.8 million to create 540 new early learning and child care spaces at Saskatchewan Polytechnic campuses and Northlands College. Announced August 28 by Secretary of State Buckley Belanger on behalf of Anna Gainey, the initiative aims to provide child care access to students, faculty, and staff while also serving as practical training environments for early childhood education students. This funding is part of the broader Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, supporting implementation of the Canada–Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and advancing experiential learning opportunities for students in the field.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

FedNor Commits $450,000 to Launch Northern Housing Innovation Institute at Laurentian University

Laurentian University received a $450,000 FedNor grant on August 28 for the creation of the Institute for Northern Housing Innovation at the McEwen School of Architecture. Phase one activates the purchase of outreach technology, software, training, and spatial expansion, establishing the groundwork for community engagement and research partnerships targeting housing challenges in Northern Ontario. The Institute aims to disseminate research findings, deliver training to industry professionals, and support knowledge mobilization aligned with priorities of the National Housing Strategy.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Canada Invests Over $1 Million in AI and Innovation Support for Northern Ontario SMEs

FedNor announced $1.05 million in support of NORCAT initiatives in Greater Sudbury, including $700,000 for a regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative to advance AI adoption among small and medium-size enterprises. The funding supports advisory services, infrastructure upgrades, and training, targeting skill and productivity gaps. An additional $350,000 renews the Innovation Acceleration Program, facilitating financial assistance for SMEs to access technical resources, expand labor, and pursue R&D. These efforts aim to modernize 35 Northern Ontario companies and expand technical research and commercialization.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

CIHR to Announce Major Investment in Youth Mental Health Research

Minister Marjorie Michel is scheduled to announce a significant research initiative focused on youth mental health and wellness on September 2 in Montreal. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, represented by Dr. Patricia Conrod, will outline new funding opportunities intended to bolster services and capacity in post-secondary and community contexts, with media able to participate both in person at Douglas Hall and via online access.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Government Funds Arctic Ground Search and Rescue Improvements through St. Francis Xavier University Project

St. Francis Xavier University was awarded $1.36 million by Public Safety Canada through the SAR New Initiatives Fund for a three-year project to address key challenges in Arctic ground search and rescue. The project, announced August 27, brings together university researchers and regional SAR responders, aiming to improve search, prevention, and response outcomes for northern communities, and creates further opportunities for research collaboration among higher education institutions across Atlantic Canada and Nunavut.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Polar Knowledge Canada Recognizes Graduate Research in the North

Polar Knowledge Canada awarded four graduate researchers a total of $10,000 through the Northern Scientific Training Program Special Awards on August 28. Projects recognized include reproductive care in the Northwest Territories, groundwater contamination in Yukon, biodiversity assessment of arctic freshwater invertebrates, and community experiences with research licensing in Nunavut. The program advances research priorities grounded in partnerships with northern and Indigenous communities.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Employment and Social Development Canada to Announce Funding for Youth Education and Job Supports

Minister Patty Hajdu, responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, will announce September 2 in Toronto new funding measures to support youth readiness for future economic participation. Specific programmatic details are to be released at the upcoming event and relate to national employment and education initiatives for young adults.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases 2023 Industrial R&D Data Including Energy and Intellectual Property Expenditures

Statistics Canada published new data from the Annual Survey of Research and Development in Canadian Industry for the 2023 reference year, with preliminary and intended expenditures for 2024 and 2025. The dataset informs the research funding landscape, highlighting industrial R&D spending patterns significant for university-industry partnerships and technological research development.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

StatsCan Issues August 2025 Economic and Social Reports

On August 27, Statistics Canada released five new articles as part of its Economic and Social Reports series, providing recent data analysis on topics relevant to the socioeconomic context for higher education, research institutions, and related stakeholders.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

US Federal GR News

DHS Proposes Fixed-Term Admission for F, J, and I Nonimmigrants, Ending 'Duration of Status'

On August 28, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed amendments to federal regulations to eliminate 'duration of status' (D/S) admissions for academic students (F), exchange visitors (J), and information media representatives (I), moving instead to fixed-term admissions typically capped at four years. The proposed rule requires nonimmigrants seeking to remain beyond their authorized period to apply for an extension of stay with USCIS. Key components include heightened reporting, a transition plan for current holders, and additional compliance requirements for post-secondary institutions. DHS projects costs of $390 million annually but anticipates changes will facilitate more frequent vetting of student status and eligibility, including biometric data collection and direct immigration officer review. Public comment is open until September 29, 2025.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

DoD Finalizes Contracts Restriction for Institutions Hosting Confucius Institutes

The Department of Defense on August 25 issued a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, implementing the NDAA FY2024 provisions restricting DoD funding to U.S. higher education institutions that host Confucius Institutes. The rule updates the definition to include programs funded by the Chinese International Education Foundation or the Center for Language Exchange Cooperation, with the authority for waivers set to terminate October 1, 2026. Institutions must represent their compliance as part of contract proposals. The provision applies to contracts at or below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold and covers both commercial goods and services.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

Department of Education Seeks Input on Perkins V State Plan Guide and Consolidated Annual Report Revisions

On August 27, the Department of Education published a notice requesting public comment on proposed revisions to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) State Plan Guide and Consolidated Annual Report (CAR). The revisions would reinstate previously approved versions and remove certain narrative and specific data reporting requirements, with the goal of reducing administrative burden for state and local governments. Estimated annual responses total 54 for both collections, with cumulative burden hours of 13,536.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov, U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

Education Department Solicits Comments on Student Aid Customer Satisfaction and Foreign School Eligibility Data

Federal Student Aid, a division within the Department of Education, announced requests for public comment on two major information collection instruments: surveys and focus groups for measuring customer satisfaction (projected at 8 million responses and 400,000 burden hours annually) and data collection on foreign school eligibility for participation in Title IV HEA programs (over 27,000 responses, 8,023 hours annually). Both requests seek comment on necessity, efficiency, and potential reduction of respondent burden prior to October 27, 2025.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov, U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

Canadian Provincial GR News

BCIT Opens Tall Timber Student Residence, Adding 469 Beds in Burnaby

BCIT officially opened the Tall Timber residence at its Burnaby campus, doubling on-campus housing capacity and introducing sustainable, mass-timber construction to student housing facilities.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.gov.bc.ca

Saskatchewan and Canada Expand Campus-Based Child Care

The Government of Saskatchewan, with federal support, is allocating $10.8 million to expand child care infrastructure at polytechnic and college campuses, supporting 540 new spaces and providing work-integrated training opportunities in early learning.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.saskatchewan.ca

Ontario Invests Over $23 Million in Skills Development in Mississauga Region

The Skills Development Fund will provide more than $23 million to support workforce training in high-demand sectors such as construction, health care, aerospace, and skilled trades, benefitting over 4,200 people in Mississauga and surrounding communities.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

Ontario Supports Black Youth and Young Professional Programs with $16.5 Million

The Ontario government announced new investment in over 65 Black-focused programs including STEM, arts, experiential learning, and sector innovation for youth and young professionals as part of the Black Youth Action Plan.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

B.C. Government Launches Overdose Prevention Resources in Post-Secondary Institutions

The province has provided 1,600 nasal naloxone kits and updated prevention and response guidelines to support B.C. public post-secondary institutions in addressing the ongoing toxic-drug crisis on campuses.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.gov.bc.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Quebec universities sound the alarm over plummeting international student applications: Quebec university leaders report significant declines in international student interest and applications for the upcoming academic year.
• Colleges face financial struggles as Trump policies send international enrollment plummeting: U.S. institutions are confronting financial instability as tighter federal immigration and visa policies cause a steep drop in international student enrollment.
• Mounting layoffs at B.C. schools creating 'biggest crisis in post-secondary ever,' faculty association says: Layoffs at British Columbia's colleges and universities escalate due to pressures including declining international student numbers.
• Are Canada’s research universities leaving undergraduate students behind?: Questions arise about the prioritization of undergraduate education in Canada's top research institutions.
• How to run a university in Canada? Outsource it to this management consulting firm: Analysis of university management models with a focus on outsourcing and operational restructuring.
• Ottawa’s student cap ‘keeps out way more’ than planned, says Universities Canada: University leaders warn that federal caps on international student visas are preventing access for qualified applicants.
• Job cuts loom at B.C. post-secondary institutions due to international student visa cap: News of impending reductions in B.C. post-secondary staff numbers as a direct result of federal student visa limitations.
• Inflation, commutes and cross-border tensions loom over campus life for some students: Ontario students discuss stresses including living costs and U.S.-Canada relations.
• Provincial, federal governments fund 540 child-care spaces at Sask. post-secondary schools: Details on recent joint funding to expand child care services on Saskatchewan post-secondary campuses.

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