January 2026 Newsletter
Welcome
This edition of the CEC newsletter highlights The Premier's Awards 2025, Ontario Colleges' new online applications portal, and welcomes Sheridan College's new president. As well, recent CEC webinars are revisited along with updates on labour relations with the four union bargaining groups.
Follow the CEC on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay informed in between newsletters.
What's Going On?
Ontario colleges leadnational research rankings |
George Brown, OCAS and Mohawk named top employers
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In December, three Ontario colleges were named among the top 10 research colleges in the country. Mohawk College (2), Lambton College (5), and Humber College (6) were at the top of Canada's Top 50 Research Colleges in the Canada's Innovation Leaders (CIL) 2025 rankings by Research Infosource. Research income increased at 32 colleges across Canada in 2024 and declined at 18 others, according to Research Infosource. Ten Ontario colleges reported an increase in research revenue in 2024 vs 2023. Mohawk had the second-highest research income in the country ($18.4 million, up 14.3%) and Fanshawe College reported the greatest research income growth by tier (large college) with growth of 100.8% year-over-year. Find the complete list of Canada's Top 50 Research Colleges, including 18 Ontario colleges. |
This month, George Brown Polytechnic was named one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026). OCAS Application Services was recognized among Waterloo Area's Top Employers (2026) and Mohawk College is among Hamilton-Niagara's Top Employers (2026) in an editorial program run by Mediacorp Canada that recognizes employers that offer exceptional places to work. The editors provided a number of reasons for George Brown’s recognition, including:
Some reasons listed for OCAS’ recognition include:
And, Mohawk’s recognition was based on:
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Maureen Adamson assumes role of president and CEO at Colleges Ontario |
New president takes the helm at Canadore College
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Earlier this month, Maureen Adamson officially became the new president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, following her strong leadership in the role on an interim basis over the last year. Adamson brings more than three decades of leadership experience across government, post-secondary education and the not-for-profit sector. During her interim tenure with Colleges Ontario, she helped unify member colleges around shared priorities and supported more coordinated advocacy at Queen’s Park. “As I transition into this role, my priority is to advocate for our public colleges and build a deep understanding of the value colleges bring to our communities, our economy and our province,” Adamson said. CEC looks forward to continuing to work closely with President Adamson to support Ontario colleges. |
Dr. Sandra Efu will officially take over as President and CEO of Canadore College on January 27. Dr. Efu previously spent more than a decade at Keyano College (Fort McMurray, AB), where she began as a faculty member and progressed through a number of leadership roles, including Vice-President Academic and Student Experience, before her appointment as Interim President and CEO in 2024. Her vision for Canadore, as expressed in the college’s announcement, “focuses on student and employee success, community partnership, Indigenous empowerment, innovation, and regional economic development.” Congratulations and welcome, Dr. Efu. CEC looks forward to working with you in your new role. |
Governance training offered for sector leaders
The Board Excellence Learning Centre program provides governance learning experiences for college governors and leadership, offered through webinar courses, and two upcoming virtual, live sessions:
Good Governance - Scenarios
For new board members and board staff. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between the president, board chair and board members; will strategize on how to contribute to productive board meetings.
February 25, 2026: 10:30 am - 12 pm OR March 11, 2026: 3 pm - 4:30 pm
Risk Management - Scenarios
Delegates will practice the key risk management concepts learned in Risk Management – Key Principles (webinar).
March 26 2:30 pm - 4 pm OR April 7 10:30 am - 12 pm
All sessions are offered through The College Centre, a collaborative partnership between CEC and Colleges Ontario.
For more information visit the Board Excellence website or contact Diane Posterski, Director, The College Centre.
Bargaining Update
Part-time Academic Staff
The OPSEU bargaining unit for part-time and sessional professors, instructors, counsellors and librarians was officially certified on April 16, 2025. The College Management bargaining team has been assembled and is preparing for bargaining, but no dates have been confirmed at this time. Further updates will be provided once dates have been set.
Part-time Support Staff
A renewal collective agreement between OPSEU Part-Time Support Staff and CEC was awarded by Arbitrator William Kaplan on December 15, 2025. This result concludes nearly two years of negotiations between CEC and OPSEU. The new collective agreement three-year term will end on January 31, 2027.
Learn more about the details of the arbitration award.
Full-time Support Staff
Full-time support staff at Ontario colleges voted to ratify a renewal collective agreement on November 4, 2025. The tentative agreement was reached after a weekend-long private mediation session broke a bargaining impasse and ended a five-week strike on October 15, 2025. The new collective agreement three-year term will end on August 31, 2028.
Full-time and Partial-Load Academic Employees
Ontario colleges and their full-time academic employees finalized a new three-year collective agreement on July 2, 2025, following a mediated arbitration award issued by Arbitrator William Kaplan. The renewed collective agreement expires on September 30, 2027.
