Scott Mabury

In photos: U of T marks opening of Indigenous landscape project at Hart House Green

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 13:34:50 +0000

In photos: U of T marks opening of Indigenous landscape project at Hart House Green

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 09/27/2024 - 09:34

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The pathway that extends along the east side of Ziibiing follows the trail of Taddle Creek, a buried stream running under the St. George campus that once served as a gathering place for Indigenous Peoples (photo by Polina Teif)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Our Community

Ziibiing

Indigenous Initiatives

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Scott Mabury

First Nations House

Hart House

Indigenous

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Landmark

Truth and Reconciliation

Subheadline

The Ziibiing space includes a central pavilion, amphitheatre and plantings of medicinal trees and shrubs

The University of Toronto commemorated the official opening of Ziibiing, an Indigenous landscape project that uses architecture, horticulture and storytelling to honour Indigenous cultures and provide a space for community members to gather, learn and host ceremonies on the St. George campus.

The opening celebration for Ziibiing, held Monday Sept. 23, included a traditional Elder’s opening, a welcome song and the burning of a sacred fire – the first fire to be lit in Ziibiing’s pavilion and one of several Indigenous ceremonial practices that are welcome on all three U of T campuses.

Here’s how the event unfolded through the lens of U of T photographers:

(photo by Polina Teif)

Michael White, director of First Nations House, tends to the sacred fire in the Ziibiing pavilion as Jenny Blackbird, resource centre and programs co-ordinator at First Nations House, looks on.

Ceremonial fires, smudging and pipe ceremonies are among the important Indigenous practices that take place on U of T’s three campuses.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Blackbird performs a traditional song to welcome U of T community members to the celebration.

(photo by Polina Teif)

The vision for Ziibiing was developed by an Indigenous Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Indigenous Design Studio at Brook McIlroy, who in turn consulted with Indigenous students, faculty, staff, the Council of Indigenous Initiatives Elders' Circle and representatives of local First Nations.

The project was born out of Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin, the final report of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which outlined the need for dedicated Indigenous spaces on campus.

From left: James Bird and Shannon Simpson (photos by Polina Teif)(photo by Polina Teif)

Several members of the U of T community spoke at the event.

“Our voices, traditions and histories are woven into the fabric of this new landscape, sending a clear signal that we are seen, that we matter and that we belong,” said Shannon Simpson, senior director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and a member of the Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation, in her remarks at the ceremony.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Ziibiing is named for the Anishinaabemowin word for “river,” a reference to the Taddle Creek waterway that once flowed through the area and served as a gathering place for Indigenous Peoples.

It’s an example of how Indigenous design and Western architectural disciplines can come together to assist in placemaking, according to James Bird, a Knowledge Keeper from the Nehiyawak and Dene Nation and PhD candidate in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

“In the practice of architecture, there are ways one can approach the creation of space and its activation through design," said Bird. “This alternative viewpoint assigns agency to the metaphysical aspects that exist within Indigenous cultures and in turn allows metaphysical relationships to be made into physical form.”

(photo by Polina Teif)

In her remarks to the event’s attendees, Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president, people strategy, equity and culture, said that, in addition to serving a vital role as a teaching and ceremonial space for Indigenous students, employees and Elders, Ziibiing will encourage the entire U of T community to “find innovative ways to Indigenize this institution.”

She noted the space has already hosted a recent land-based learning workshop that invited members of the U of T community to deepen their understanding of Indigenous world views, teachings and connections to the land. The workshop was organized by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, with future sessions scheduled for Oct. 22 and Nov. 19.

(photo by Polina Teif)

The Ziibiing pavilion is supported by 13 columns that symbolize the 13 moons of the year. They circle a fire pit where ceremonial fires may be lit and maintained by Indigenous firekeepers.

(photo by David Lee)

The creation of Ziibiing took place alongside the Landmark Project, which aimed to revitalize the historic core of the St. George campus.

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships, said U of T community members have already embraced Ziibiing, as well as the other new spaces, as evidenced by their increased use of the reimagined landscapes.

“We didn’t know what we didn’t have before,” he said.

U of T budget invests in teaching, research and student well-being as sector’s challenges mount

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:22:52 +0000

U of T budget invests in teaching, research and student well-being as sector’s challenges mount

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 04/09/2024 - 14:22

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(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

The University of Toronto is continuing to invest in students – with financial aid, new housing and innovative classroom technologies – and drive forward world-class research, all while taking steps to address headwinds buffeting Canada’s post-secondary sector.

The 2024-2025 balanced budget, approved by Governing Council on April 4, plans for $3.52 billion in spending during the upcoming fiscal year, an increase of 4.9 percent over the previous period.

That includes hundreds of millions of dollars for student aid and an estimated extra $125 million related to increases in faculty, staff and librarian compensation following the repeal of Ontario’s Bill 124, which had placed strict limits on public sector pay increases for several years.

While the additional costs related to compensation required money to be redirected from other areas this year, more than $18 million will still be spent on everything from teaching innovations to upgrading classroom technologies, as well as supporting work on sustainability and inclusive research networks that seek to eliminate systematic barriers and advance members’ discoveries on a global stage.

The budget also details significant investments in capital projects that are planned or underway across the three campuses, ranging from student residences to new spaces for learning and research.

“The investments being made in teaching, learning and research across the University of Toronto’s three campuses make it possible for students and faculty to continue to excel in their chosen fields,” says Trevor Young, U of T’s vice-president and provost.

“They also underscore the university’s dedication to supporting the well-being and success of all its community members – both in the upcoming academic year and for many years to come.”

Demand for programs remains strong. Enrolment exceeded 99,000 students last fall and there are plans to increase domestic undergraduate spaces by 2,500 in the next five years, focusing on areas like nursing and medicine, including at the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH).

However, the university is forecasting slower revenue growth in the years ahead.

“We’re heading into a new planning environment compared to where we have been over the last decade,” says Jeff Lennon, U of T’s assistant vice-president, planning and budget.

He adds that the university continues to balance its budget and has benefited from strong returns on investments which will contribute to revenue growth next year. But he stresses that U of T continues to face increasing financial pressure as a result of “extraordinary increases in compensation for faculty, staff and librarians following the repeal of Ontario’s wage restraint legislation, which has required the redirection of funds from other priorities.”

That’s in addition to the financial impact of slowing enrolment amid a more complex geopolitical environment, frozen provincial base operating grants and provincial restrictions on domestic tuition, he says.

Tuition fees for Ontario students, cut by 10 per cent in 2019, remain frozen, resulting in a $15-million impact to the university’s plan for next year. The cut and subsequent freezes to tuition have resulted in a $195-million reduction in annual revenue to the university as of 2023 relative to the pre-2019 framework that had allowed for annual domestic tuition increases of three per cent, Lennon says.

The continuing tuition fee freeze runs counter to the findings of a blue-ribbon panel, which last year recommended that the province lift the freeze on domestic tuition and called for a five-per-cent tuition increase next year for Ontario students and a minimum increase of 2 per cent in subsequent years. Last month, the Ontario government announced that it would provide $1.3 billion over three years to help stabilize the province’s colleges and universities, with particular assistance for institutions with more acute budget shortfalls.

Fees for U of T domestic undergraduate students from outside the province, meanwhile, will see a five-per-cent increase in the upcoming year, while international fees will increase by an average of 2.1 per cent – although the cost to students for the latter will continue to be offset by $90 million that U of T has earmarked for international student scholarships.

Another potential headwind is the federal government’s changes to international study applications for undergraduate students, which is meant to crack down on institutions that have rapidly recruited large numbers of students from outside Canada. While U of T is not a target of the new rules, the changes may nevertheless create uncertainty for future students, Lennon says.

Despite these challenges, U of T continues to make priority investments in several areas, including through its University Fund. For example, it is planning to spend $5.1 million to fund various divisional research and teaching initiatives, including: hiring new faculty; supporting programs that help students deal with the rising cost of living in Toronto; experimenting with AI in the classroom, flexible course delivery models and more opportunities for experiential learning; and adding programming around subjects such as data science, machine learning, global leadership, and life sciences.

There are also efforts to enhance access for underrepresented students through outreach programs, mental health supports and financial supports.

As in previous years, student aid remains a top priority in the 2024-2025 budget – with more than $380 million set aside for financial supports – part of the university’s pledge that no domestic student admitted to a U of T program will be prevented from studying because of a lack of financial means.

The university is expanding its student residences with plans to add about 1,250 new spaces to its current inventory of more than 10,500 spaces across the three campuses. This past fall saw the opening of Harmony Commons at U of T Scarborough and a deal that gives U of T preferential access to CampusOne on the St. George campus. The new Oak House residence on Spadina Avenue is under construction and plans are underway for a new Phase IX Residence at U of T Mississauga.

U of T is planning to invest $4.6 billion in 29 capital projects across the three campuses, which are to be funded through a mix of: cash reserves; debt; future cash contributions; and partnerships with donors and governments. Major projects under construction include the Lash Miller expansion and Academic Wood Tower on the St. George campus, as well as the Sam Ibrahim instructional centre and SAMIH building at U of T Scarborough.

Future projects include the James and Louise Temerty Building on the site of the west wing of the current Medical Sciences Building, a new commerce building, the redevelopment of the 215 Huron site on the St. George campus and a literature, arts and media and performance building at U of T Scarborough.

“These and other projects reflect the University of Toronto’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure, fostering innovation and enriching the academic experience of students, faculty and staff across the three campuses,” says Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships.

“Such forward-looking investments play a key role in making sure we remain at the forefront of academia, research and innovation on a global scale.”

‘A win for students’: U of T acquires 20 per cent of privately owned CampusOne residence

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:24:56 +0000

‘A win for students’: U of T acquires 20 per cent of privately owned CampusOne residence

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:24

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(all photos by Lisa Logan Photography)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Our Community

Operations & Real Estate Partnerships

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

The deal enables U of T to place students directly in CampusOne and offer them residence programming and supports

In a deal that immediately adds as many as 890 beds to the university’s student housing stock, the University of Toronto has purchased a 20 per cent stake in the privately owned CampusOne residence located adjacent to the St. George campus.

U of T acquired the equity share from Knightstone Capital Management for $55 million.

While CampusOne was already affiliated with U of T, the ownership stake means the university can now place students directly in the 25-storey building on College Street (students previously needed to apply to CampusOne). U of T will also be able to influence residence programming and support services so they further align with those of the university’s existing residences, as well as its policies and procedures.

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships, said the deal potentially increases the number of beds in its portfolio by nine per cent, helping it to meet the rapidly rising demand for student housing.

“Not only will this acquisition allow U of T to better meet its first-year residence guarantee for fall 2024 in a residence directly adjacent to campus, it does so without the long lead time required to build a new residence – and without the costs and resources that entails,” Mabury said.

“For our students, staying in a residence operated by U of T and programmed by our Student Life people is important and desirable. This is a win for students, and therefore a win for the university.”

Mabury estimated the deal saves U of T at least $200 million compared to constructing a similar-sized residence from scratch.

“We paid 20 per cent to have [priority] access to the whole thing – all 890 beds. If we were building them ourselves, we would be spending at least a quarter of a billion dollars,” Mabury said. “I can’t overstate how good an outcome this is.”

The acquisition is one of several steps taken by U of T to address the growing demand for student housing on its three campuses.

Less than a kilometre away from CampusOne, at the corner of Spadina and Sussex Avenues, is Oak House, a new 23-storey residence that will house 508 students and is scheduled to open in fall 2024.

U of T Scarborough, meanwhile, opened Harmony Commons last year – a 746-bed residence dedicated to first-year undergraduate students that meets Passive House standards for energy efficiency. And U of T Mississauga is moving to build a new student housing complex on Residence Road, near its Oscar Peterson Hall and Schreiberwood residences.

Owen McCartney, director of asset management for U of T’s real estate team, said that the development period for a student residence is typically at least five years, whereas the CampusOne deal will have an immediate impact.

“These rooms can all now count toward the first-year residence guarantee, whereas previously they did not,” McCartney said.

Located at the corner of College and Huron Streets, CampusOne was constructed on land partially owned by U of T that was leased to Knightstone Capital Management. It offers accommodations ranging from studio apartments to single rooms in multi-bedroom suites. Amenities include a fitness centre, game lounges, movie theatre, arts studio and quiet study rooms.

U of T Food Services operates all-day dining programs in the building.

Negotiations for the acquisition began in spring 2023 and the transaction officially closed in mid-December. However, U of T was given the green light by CampusOne’s owners to begin placing students in the residence last summer before the deal was complete.

In addition to receiving 20 per cent of the building’s operating income, the deal will also see U of T earn a small fee for each student it places in CampusOne.

Mabury said the agreement is the latest example of U of T’s 4 Corners Strategy, which aims to advance the university’s academic and research missions by providing high-quality innovation space, student and faculty housing, and other key services – all while generating new revenue streams through ancillary retail and other leasing agreements.

“This deal is the result of years of work – including building the Real Estate and Partnerships team and bringing real estate expertise to the table – that are now generating new opportunities for the university.”

U of T budget invests in students, research amid a challenging financial landscape

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 03:28:32 +0000

U of T budget invests in students, research amid a challenging financial landscape

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 04/12/2023 - 23:28

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(photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Topic

The University of Toronto’s budget for the 2023-2024 academic year features investments in research, infrastructure, student experience and initiatives promoting equity, diversity and inclusion.

The $3.36 billion balanced budget, recently approved by Governing Council, represents a 3.9 per cent increase over last year and includes $19.3 million in priority investments on initiatives that include:

Extending the Diversity in Academic Hiring Fund to support the hiring of 30 more Black and Indigenous faculty members, bringing the total number of new positions created under the program to 190.
Implementing the recommendations of the student mental health and campus safety reviews.
Investing in classroom renewal and staffing a new student advising initiative.
Supporting interdisciplinary research projects carried out through Institutional Strategic Initiatives.
Supporting divisions facing budgetary challenges and cushioning the impacts of the province’s continued freeze on domestic tuition.

Demand for U of T’s programs remains strong as more than 90,000 students returned in-person to the three campuses in September 2022 – many of whom set foot on university grounds for the first time – and residences returned to full occupancy.

“It brings me great joy to see U of T’s vibrant community reunited after showing such resilience through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic – and we are committed to expanding access to this world-class academic experience,” says Cheryl Regehr, U of T vice-president and provost.

“Our campuses are bustling with energy and the exchange of ideas – and we are deepening our investments to support student success, inclusive excellence and innovative research. Still, we need to be strategic to make the most of our available resources as we navigate a new financial landscape.”

Other priorities in this year’s budget include a substantial increase in funding for information security and support for U of T’s Defy Gravity fundraising campaign.

“The University of Toronto is a leading hub of innovation, sustainable growth and inclusive community-building in Ontario and beyond,” says Jeff Lennon, U of T’s assistant vice-president, planning and budget.

“We will continue to work toward these goals but expect to face some tough decisions about how to help divisions meet their highest priorities.”

When combined with a 10 per cent cut in 2019-2020, the cumulative impact of the Ontario government’s four-year freeze on tuition fees means U of T saw a reduction of $195 million in annual operating revenue this fiscal year compared to projections under the prior framework. As it stands, U of T’s tuition fees for Ontario residents remain lower than they were in 2018-2019. Adjusting for inflation, tuition for Arts & Science programs is lower than it was in 1999.

The province’s tuition fee framework is among the areas that will be examined by a recently launched blue-ribbon panel of experts tasked with providing recommendations on securing the financial future of the wider post-secondary sector.

Meanwhile, undergraduate tuition for Canadians from other provinces will increase by five per cent, while international fees will rise by 2.1 per cent on average.

The university is scaling up its investment in merit-based scholarships for international students in the year ahead. The International Scholars program will reach full implementation in 2023-2024 at $75 million, with plans to boost the budget to $89 million in 2027-2028. This comes in addition to the prestigious Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarships, as well as an expansion of bursary supports for international students.

Total spending on student aid is projected to be $365 million in 2023-2024, excluding external funding and internal employment income for doctoral stream graduate students.

The budget also highlights a total of 28 capital projects taking place across the three campuses worth $5.2 billion.

Twenty-four of those projects are academic in focus. They include: the James and Louise Temerty Building on the St. George campus; a new computation, robotics and new media building at U of T Mississauga; and a literature, arts, media and performance building at U of T Scarborough, as well as the Scarborough Academy of Medicine & Integrated Health.

“We recognize the transformative power of education, research and innovation to build a better, more sustainable tomorrow,” says Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships.

“That same bold thinking is reflected in the way we’re planning – and building – the physical spaces across the three campuses to help drive that important work.”

U of T plans on-campus efforts to offset flight emissions

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:44:29 +0000

U of T plans on-campus efforts to offset flight emissions

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/22/2023 - 11:44

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(photo by Thom Lang/Getty Images)

Topic

A University of Toronto initiative to offset emissions from university-funded air travel is reaching for the skies by ensuring every kilometre flown supports sustainability projects across the three campuses.

U of T will be the first Canadian university to enact a mandatory institutional carbon offsetting program for U of T-funded air travel, charging a fee for every kilometre flown and reinvesting that money into projects that lower campus emissions and provide other sustainability benefits.

While the U of T community is being encouraged to consider whether lower- impact alternatives to air travel – such as virtual meetings – can meet their needs, some flying will still be needed to maintain U of T's international presence as a leader in post-secondary education. Ron Saporta, U of T’s chief operating officer, property services and sustainability, says the Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative is designed to minimize the impact of this ongoing, necessary air travel while taking steps to mitigate climate change close to home.

“We're drawing on our institutional knowledge and resources to find carbon reduction opportunities in our own backyard,” Saporta says.

The mitigation initiative, which is expected to roll out this term, will see the university collect a fee for every kilometre flown on operational dollars to be directed into a fund that will support sustainability projects across its three campuses. The fee will initially be based on a $30-per-tonne carbon levy and is expected to increase in the future, in alignment with federal and global carbon policies.

This strategy will allow the university to vet and invest in high-quality U of T initiatives, rather than outsourcing responsibility to a third party where the university would have no control over the initiative or its implementation, Saporta says.

“We’re holding ourselves to our own high standards to ensure these initiatives have a meaningful and lasting impact.”

Estimates suggest that, prior to the pandemic, U of T's air travel emissions were more than 50,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to roughly half of emissions from on-campus energy consumption.

The mitigation initiative is projected to generate more than $300,000 in its first year, Saporta says. A tri-campus advisory committee, comprising a range of subject matter experts, has created a set of principles to allocate funds to projects based on their potential to reduce or capture greenhouse gases and provide positive co-benefits to the university community. Projects are expected to focus on carbon reduction opportunities related to energy, food, waste, and transportation.

In addition, while many carbon offset programs charge a flat rate per flight, U of T’s mitigation initiative will calculate its fees based on distance travelled, making for a closer correlation between air travel emissions and mitigation measures.

The first project, slated to launch this spring, involves reforesting a 1.5-hectare section of land at the Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill, a U of T research site near Newmarket, Ont. The project will be a collaboration between the Sustainability Office on the St. George campus and the forestry department in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

The mitigation initiative – which comes as the COP27 UN summit this past November called on leaders around the world to take collective climate action – is the latest in a series of sustainability-focused initiatives undertaken by U of T, which was recently ranked second globally out of 700 universities in the first-ever QS sustainability ranking.

That includes divesting from all direct fossil fuel investments in its endowment portfolio and working toward the divestment of all indirect ones by 2030. The university also has a plan to make the St. George campus climate positive before 2050, an effort that involves Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field under King’s College Circle set to be in operation by the end of 2023. As well, Project Leap has secured financing to cut emissions in half by 2030 at the St. George campus.

U of T Mississauga’s Sustainability Strategic Plan, meanwhile, features more than 100 targets and more than two dozen goals. Its New Science Building, for example, will feature a geothermal system that will cover 90 per cent of the building’s energy load.

And, in fall of 2023, U of T Scarborough will open the country’s largest passive house student residence while continuing to reimagine the campus’s accessible and sustainable open spaces through the award-winning Valley Land Trail, research and teaching farm, and other green spaces.

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations, and real estate partnerships, says air travel emissions are the next piece of the carbon puzzle since they are an indirect contributor to the university’s overall carbon footprint – and that the initiative is yet another example of how U of T is doing its part to become a global climate leader.

"We strongly believe that global change starts at home," Mabury says. “We plan to draw on the ingenuity of the U of T community to help us come up with innovative ways to make our three campuses more sustainable – and share those ideas with the world.”

U of T extends Scott Mabury's term as vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships, and vice-provost, academic operations

lanthierj — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 15:22:59 +0000

U of T extends Scott Mabury's term as vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships, and vice-provost, academic operations

lanthierj Mon, 01/02/2023 - 10:22

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(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Scott Mabury

University Operations

Department of Chemistry

Faculty of Arts & Science

Governing Council

President Meric Gertler

Sustainability

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Professor Scott Mabury, a renowned environmental chemist, will serve as University of Toronto vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships and vice-provost, academic operations for another three years.

At a meeting on Dec. 15, the university’s Governing Council approved an extension of Mabury’s term until June 30, 2026.

“Professor Mabury’s visionary leadership of this large and complex portfolio has had a profound impact at the University of Toronto,” President Meric Gertler said. “The extension of his term ensures that the university maintains momentum and maximizes opportunities to complete the major initiatives currently underway.

“I am deeply grateful to Scott for his outstanding service to the university, and for his willingness to continue in this key leadership role.”

Mabury was already serving as vice-provost, academic operations, when he became U of T’s inaugural vice-president, university operations in 2012.

From the start, Mabury says, the idea of putting a professor in charge of this vast portfolio was to better align the university’s operations with its academic mission.

Mabury says as he watched Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, property services and sustainability, present the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability’s 2022 report to Governing Council, it was clear how much progress had been made toward this goal.

“We’re talking about operations and research and courses and students in this very integrated way,” he says. “The premise in the origin story of the portfolio has come to pass.”

Mabury has led several key initiatives to make U of T’s campus more sustainable. Among his recent accomplishments:

The Climate Positive plan that aims to see the St. George campus reduce more greenhouse gas emissions than it emits by 2050.
A $56 million partnership with the Canada Infrastructure Bank to support sustainable infrastructure projects.

The Landmark Project, slated for completion in 2023, that will transform the historic core of the St. George campus into a greener, more accessible park-like setting, and make Front Campus home to Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field.

But even as U of T’s leadership in sustainability wins recognition, there’s more work to be done, Mabury says.

His vice-presidential role was expanded in 2019 to include the newly created real estate partnerships portfolio, a reflection of his leadership in establishing U of T’s “four corners” strategy to develop on-campus housing, innovation space and other services.

In his extended term, Mabury says he hopes to further develop U of T’s real estate assets to advance the university’s mission while generating an economic return. To achieve this, Mabury says, he plans to leverage what he sees as one of his greatest assets: his team.

“I’m blessed with exceptional and talented leaders in my portfolio and, paraphrasing Steve Jobs, we’ve hired smart people so they can lead the way.

“Our priorities include delivering thousands of units of university housing, to help attract and retain faculty, staff and students, and complete the vision that is the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus by building the second phase building with over 400,000 square feet of bioscience labs critical to advancing the innovation economy in Toronto and Canada.”

Mabury’s portfolio oversees about 1,800 people across the three campuses and departments ranging from design and engineering to food services. Key responsibilities include campus and facilities planning, project development and information technology and cybersecurity.

He also supports the provost on budgetary matters to secure the long-term financial health of the university.

A fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Mabury is among the most highly cited scholars in his field. His research interests remain primarily focused on the environmental chemistry of fluorinated organic chemicals.

U of T partners with Canada Infrastructure Bank to boost climate positive efforts

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:06:10 +0000

U of T partners with Canada Infrastructure Bank to boost climate positive efforts

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 07/19/2022 - 11:06

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Ehren Cory, the chief executive officer of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, speaks at an event to announce a $56-million financing partnership with U of T to complete deep energy retrofit projects on campus (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Climate Positive Campus

Scott Mabury

Meric Gertler

Sustainability

The University of Toronto will receive $56 million in financing from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to accelerate the university’s plans to achieve a climate positive campus.

Through the launch of Project LEAP, U of T will use the CIB financing to complete deep energy retrofit projects – such as converting gas boilers to electric boilers and installing energy storage solutions – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 per cent, or 45,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents, by the end of the decade.

The project will also involve private sector partners that will provide additional financing while meeting stringent performance requirements.

It’s all part of U of T’s ambitious Climate Positive plan to achieve emissions reduction targets on the St. George campus that exceed the emissions physically produced by 2050. The infrastructure-focused strategy complements efforts to advance sustainability across U of T’s research, innovation and teaching missions – including the development of cleantech innovations that will aid Canada’s efforts to fight climate change and transition to a green economy.

“The University of Toronto is a global leader in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change,” U of T President Meric Gertler said. “Our Climate Positive plan is transforming energy sources and reducing energy consumption on our historic St. George campus. This will help us ensure we can deliver on our mission of excellence in research and learning more sustainably for generations to come.

“We are grateful to the CIB for recognizing and supporting our commitment to Canada’s net-zero targets and to harnessing the innovation of cleantech startups on our campuses and beyond.”

Ron Saporta, U of T’s chief operating officer, property services and sustainability, takes Ehren Cory, CEO of CIB, Karina Gould, families, children and social development, and U of T President Meric Gertler on a tour of the university’s central steam plant (photo by Johnny Guatto)

To date, CIB has funded more than 35 projects across Canada to develop the next generation of clean and connected infrastructure, including $2 billion for energy efficient building retrofits.

CIB’s agreement with U of T represents the infrastructure bank’s first partnership with an academic institution. It’s part of CIB’s Public Retrofits Initiative, which provides financial support for building retrofits to achieve significant energy savings from infrastructure owned or managed by the public sector.

The financing partnership is expected to save U of T more than $13 million over 25 years via lower interest rates on the CIB-financed projects.

Ehren Cory, CIB’s chief executive officer, hailed U of T and its commitment to addressing climate change at an event held at the university Tuesday to mark the collaboration.

“We hope this is a call to action for others in the public institution space,” said Cory noting that CIB also recently announced a partnership with Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. “We, as the broader public sector, own a lot of the building stock in this country – and a lot of the aged and less energy efficient building stock in this country.”

“This announcement is a major milestone, but it’s just a step in your journey and we’re excited to be with you the whole way.”

U of T’s planned retrofits include replacing gas boilers with electric boilers in its central steam plant and installing a supplemental steam turbine. U of T also plans to use the CIB financing to undertake deep energy retrofits of two labs and the Earth Sciences Centre, and to establish a local low carbon energy source that supplies renewable energy through technology such as solar.

“Underneath our campus, we have one of Canada’s largest and oldest district energy systems,” said Ron Saporta, U of T’s chief operating officer, property services and sustainability. “It’s over 120 years old and it’s the primary contributor to a lot of our carbon emissions because it heats and powers up buildings.

“This project allows us to modernize that system and to start to migrate away from fossil fuels as the primary heating source. We can upgrade energy-intensive buildings to reduce the amount of carbon they emit.”

From left to right: Meric Gertler, Karina Gould, Ehren Cory, Scott Mabury and Ron Saporta (photo by Johnny Guatto)

There are also plans to pilot green technology solutions such as carbon capture, utilization and a waste-to-fuel “digester” that would take the more than 500 kilograms of organic waste and convert it into fuel to heat buildings.

“The impact will be massive – it will not only improve what happens inside those buildings, but our academic mission, too,” said Saporta. “We have classes and courses across campus that are studying these types of retrofits, but this is an opportunity to see it in real life.”

The President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability has set a target of 1,000 students annually participating in sustainability-oriented projects and 5,000 students participating in community-based projects with partner organizations.

Karina Gould, the federal minister of families, children and social development, said CIB’s partnership with U of T sets an example for students.

“Whether they go on to build infrastructure, communities or businesses, the first thing they must consider is how they can leave our planet better than they found it,” she said. “So together we can support our communities to take climate action, strengthen our community and build a strong future for everyone.”

U of T’s effort to become a climate positive institution has been years in the making.

In 2019, the university unveiled its Low Carbon Action Plan, which set a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 37 per cent from 1990 levels by the year 2030 and putting it on a path to becoming a climate positive institution.

One particularly high-profile project is the urban geoexchange system being built on the St. George campus. It involves drilling boreholes deep into the ground to store surplus heat generated by nearby mechanical systems in the summer for use in the winter. It’s estimated that the system – installed alongside U of T’s Landmark Project to make the St. George campus greener, more walkable and more accessible – will reduce the university’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15,000 metric tons per year. Buildings around King’s College Circle will need to be retrofitted to take full advantage of the new system.

The central steam plant on the St. George campus is the hub of one of Canada’s largest and oldest district energy systems (photo by Johnny Guatto)

U of T’s efforts to reduce emissions today are part of a responsible growth plan that will see it double its infrastructure footprint on the St. George campus even as emissions continue to decline well below current and historical levels.

“U of T is an engine of economic growth and prosperity for its region and for Canada,” said Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships. “The demand for university space that supports teaching, advanced research, collaboration with industry, and startups to scale continues to grow.

“The CIB’s commitment to the university’s deep energy retrofit projects will assist U of T to meet this demand while reducing our carbon footprint and helping build a green economy.”

CIB’s $56-million financing partnership with U of T, an innovation leader, also promises to help Canada reach its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Saporta said the partnership marks an exciting milestone on U of T’s climate positive journey.

“It’s driving all of us to get to that climate positive goal as fast as we can.”

U of T’s global benchmarking program enters its third year

ksoobria — Wed, 18 May 2022 13:16:54 +0000

U of T’s global benchmarking program enters its third year ksoobria Wed, 05/18/2022 - 09:16

The University of Toronto has entered the third year of its participation in UniForum, a global benchmarking data collection program. The data is used to enhance administrative and support services at the University of Toronto.

More than 50 universities from around the world are participating in the program, including 7 from Canada, and more are preparing to join in the near future.

Last year, the university collected information about the services and activities of more than 20,000 employee records. This was a decrease from 2019 due to COVID-19 and campus closures. There were significantly fewer casual employees during the 2020–21 fiscal year, but there is hope that the employee levels will return to pre-pandemic levels as the return to campus continues.

The data collected through the UniForum program is used to develop a more detailed picture of work across the university, as well as how it compares to its peers. Among the key findings thus far are that the university has more generalist than specialist roles relative to peer institutions, and is also more decentralized.

“The data we’ve received helps us better understand the high-quality services employees across our three campuses provide to support teaching and research,” says Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of people strategy, equity & culture. “As well, by comparing our data with that of peer institutions, we can identify where we are leaders and where we might reimagine our processes and explore new ways of working.”

Additionally, the Service Effectiveness Survey, which was administered for the second time in fall 2021, reported a 13-point increase in satisfaction since it was last administered in 2018. The survey also yielded feedback that will be used to further enhance university services.

“Based on the data collected so far, the UniForum Steering Committee is proposing that the next step be to select specific university-wide services and engage divisions in a collaborative end-to-end process review,” says Scott Mabury, vice-president of operations and real estate partnerships.

“We’re also working to build a service transformation team and hope to be able to share news on this in the coming months.”

The 2022 data collection will continue to provide more trendline data and help the university better compare itself with other research-intensive universities in the UniForum program, such as the University of Cambridge, University of Melbourne and University of British Columbia. The key window for 2022 activity data collection will be from May 30 – July 8, 2022.

U of T’s global benchmarking program enters its third year

Kevin Soobrian

Off

U of T reaches deal to acquire Knox College building on King’s College Circle

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:40:15 +0000

U of T reaches deal to acquire Knox College building on King’s College Circle

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 03/25/2022 - 11:40

Cutline

Knox College was founded in 1844 and became affiliated with U of T in 1890. The building itself was constructed between 1912 and 1915 (photo by Arthur Kwiatkowski)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Our Community

Scott Mabury

School of Graduate Studies

St. George

The University of Toronto has reached an agreement to acquire the Knox College properties at 59 and 63 St. George Street in a deal that will bring the college’s neo-gothic building under the university’s ownership while freeing up Knox to focus on its mission of theological education and programming.

For U of T, Knox College is seen as one of the last missing pieces of the St. George campus and therefore a strategic acquisition for the university. It’s located at the campus’s historic core on King’s College Circle – a stone’s throw from Convocation Hall, Simcoe Hall and University College.

“The agreement to acquire the Knox College building is a truly momentous occasion for the University of Toronto,” said Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships. “It has been a beloved part of the St. George campus for over a century – with the grandeur of Front Campus owing much to the property.

“The chance to acquire such a historic gem to help meet the future needs of students, faculty and staff – while also being able to continue U of T’s longstanding relationship with Knox College – makes this opportunity one the university simply couldn’t afford to pass up.”

The agreement will see U of T purchase Knox College, as well as the adjacent MacDonald-Mowat House (home of the School of Graduate Studies), for $45 million, once the transaction is complete. The east wing of Knox College (on King’s College Circle) will be leased back to Knox on a long-term basis, allowing the continued operation of a theological school for the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

(Photo by Arthur Kwiatkowski)

Rev. Dr. John A. Vissers, principal of Knox College, said the deal will enable the college, a Christian theological school and seminary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, to ensure it has a robust and sustainable future.

“This is an important opportunity that unlocks the value of the Knox College properties,” said Vissers, a professor of historical theology. “It frees the college from the responsibility of owning and operating the whole building and will allow us to focus our efforts and resources on our programs and mission.

“The [agreement] provides a solid basis for the continuing and uninterrupted work of Knox College on the University of Toronto campus in partnership with the Toronto School of Theology and the University of Toronto. It positions Knox College well for success in advancing theological education for the long term.”

Vissers noted that Knox’s ability to continue using the classrooms, offices, chapel and library in the east wing for years to come means that the college will continue to operate in much the same way.

“The rich student experience will only be enhanced as we are able to focus our efforts and resources on our programs and mission,” he said.

Knox College was founded in 1844 and became affiliated with U of T in 1890.

The building itself was constructed between 1912 and 1915 after the college decided to move from its previous location at 1 Spadina Crescent – now home to the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

The building’s edifice has a U-shaped configuration that’s divided in half by a covered gallery, creating two stunning courtyards. Wrapping around the cloisters are classrooms, office spaces, a library, chapel and roughly 100 student dormitory rooms that house U of T undergraduate and graduate students as well as Knox College theological students.

Operation of the residences will be turned over to U of T following the acquisition, which has been approved by the Business Board of U of T’s Governing Council.

U of T explores university housing development at Bloor and Spadina

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 21:49:32 +0000

U of T explores university housing development at Bloor and Spadina

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 03/16/2022 - 17:49

Cutline

The proposed development of “Site 1,” visible at the southeast corner of Bloor Street and Spadina Avenue, would provide academic space and housing for U of T students, faculty and staff, as well as their families (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

City & Culture

University Family Housing

Four Corners

Scott Mabury

Cities

Faculty of Arts & Science

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

School of Continuing Studies

St. George

The University of Toronto is in the early stages of exploring how the northwest corner of the St. George campus can be revitalized to provide much-needed and attainable university housing, including academic and amenity space – all while supplying carbon-friendly energy and advancing Indigenous place-making.

The proposed development of “Site 1” – bounded by Bloor Street West, Spadina Avenue, Huron Street and Washington Avenue – would provide hundreds of apartment-style units for students, faculty and staff, as well as their families. It would also provide academic space for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and the School of Continuing Studies, and would continue to host the University of Toronto Schools, which is a current occupant of 371 Bloor West.

Envisioned as a major gateway into the northwest quadrant of the St. George campus, the proposed development also aims to better link the university with the surrounding neighbourhood and provide more open spaces for community-geared activities.

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships, said the Site 1 project exemplifies U of T’s Four Corners Strategy, which seeks to advance the university’s mission to build much-needed university housing and innovation space while also contributing to the university overall and enhancing the vitality of city life.

“This site, located at a prominent downtown intersection, represents a unique opportunity for U of T to help address its growing need for housing, provide renewed academic space and enrich the surrounding neighbourhood,” Mabury said.

He added that the site would also house an energy centre and electrical distribution hub that would make important contributions to U of T’s ambitious goal of achieving a climate-positive St. George campus by 2050.

“This site serves as an ideal location from which to supply the northwest quadrant of the St. George campus with energy derived from high-efficiency, zero-carbon technologies,” he said. “As such, it will play a vital role in helping us meet our greenhouse gas reduction targets.”

The project is currently in its nascent stages and has not yet gone to the university’s Governing Council for consideration. Consultation is underway through a working group – led by the local city councillor and involving neighbourhood associations, student groups and campus stakeholders –as the university seeks early input on how the property can advance the university’s mission while supporting local planning goals and reinforcing the neighbourhood’s character.

Due to the complexity of the project, the university plans to seek the expertise of the development industry to help support its project delivery and aims to select a development partner this summer. Selection of the design team will follow in late 2022 or early 2023 and there will be ongoing consultation throughout the design phase leading to the project’s development application and municipal approval process. It is expected that construction on the project could begin near the end of 2024 and be completed by 2028.

Shannon Simpson, U of T’s director of Indigenous initiatives, said the project will establish an engagement process to help members of the Indigenous community share their thoughts on how design choices, landscaping and common spaces can be harnessed to foster Indigenous acknowledgement and placemaking at the site.

“There was a time when the Indigenous community wouldn’t be brought into conversation early enough – so we would have ideas, but it would be too late to implement a lot of them,” she said. “Now, people at U of T are really embracing bringing us into the conversation early on.”

To that end, Simpson said First Nations House is being engaged to help amplify student voices while consultations are also being planned with Indigenous faculty, staff, Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

She noted the commitment to Indigenous engagement is important given that the Bloor and Spadina area is home to the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council, Wigwamen Terrace housing and the Spadina Road branch of the Toronto Public Library – reputed for its strong collection of Indigenous literature.

“It’s a little piece of Indigenous community in Toronto, so it’s a special corner,” Simpson said, adding that the proposed redevelopment stands to benefit both Indigenous Peoples and the broader U of T community.

“Whether if it’s a common room or study space that’s named after one of the Indigenous host territories, or a bench that has elements of Indigeneity, or native plants and medicines in and around the area – those kinds of things are important and meaningful for Indigenous students,” Simpson said. “The Indigenous community will obviously, 100 percent benefit from that, but I think everyone – every student, staff, faculty and community member – will benefit from being a part of these spaces.

“So, I don’t think it’s something that U of T or the City of Toronto are just doing for the Indigenous population. It really is for everyone.”

At present, Site 1 envisions the construction of two taller residential towers that would be integrated with the heritage building at 371 Bloor Street West. With 600 to 700 apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms, the new buildings would help meet the growing demand for attainable university housing – accommodation that enables U of T community members and their families, including those coming from abroad, to live close to campus without having to participate in the competitive Toronto housing market.

While housing arrangements are crucial for students, they are also important for faculty members making the transition to U of T and Toronto.

“The fact that the university is able to provide some new faculty with a place to live as they take up their research and teaching at U of T enables them to embed themselves immediately in the community they are joining,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, which is U of T’s largest faculty.

“Just as with students, faculty members living on campus will have the opportunity to absorb the vibrant energy of the U of T community and reap the benefits of being steps away from their home departments, their peers and colleagues, and the students they can expect to engage with daily.”

At the same time, the creation of new academic space for OISE would ensure that it maintains its longstanding relationship with the University of Toronto Schools, while continuing the more than 115-year history of teacher education programs at 371 Bloor St. West. The space provided to the School of Continuing Studies, meanwhile, would support the university’s commitment to lifelong learning.

The surface parking lot that currently dominates the block would be moved underground, allowing for increased open space. The proposed development envisions a passageway to connect Matt Cohen Park to the Huron Washington Parkette – and then onward into campus via the campus open space network. It also envisions the house forms along Washington Avenue being integrated into the proposed development to maintain the streetscape. On all sides, the development would be designed to transition appropriately to the surrounding area, from the Huron-Sussex and Annex neighbourhoods to the south and west respectively to the more urban character of Bloor Street to the north.

The redevelopment would also create new accessible open spaces for pedestrians and enhance the public realm.

When it comes to supporting U of T’s climate-positive campus plan, Site 1 would play a key role by housing energy facilities discreetly integrated into the fabric of the 371 Bloor Street West building. That includes an underground nodal plant or energy centre, which would provide low-temperature heating water, chilled water and carbon-friendly energy to the immediate facility as well as campus buildings in the Huron Sussex neighbourhood.

The nodal plant will utilize a proposed geo-exchange field located under the facility to store surplus heat generated by building systems in the summer to be used for heating in the winter. The field will improve the efficiency of the heating and cooling systems while decreasing carbon emissions significantly.

Finally, the facility would be home to a central electrical distribution substation – one of five on the St. George campus.

Going forward, Mabury said the Site 1 project planning team looks forward to working with the community and its development partners to re-imagine a key part of the St. George campus for the future.

“From providing more attainable housing and sustainable energy to forging better connections through the neighbourhood and providing welcoming spaces for Indigenous Peoples, this project seeks to advance the many shared goals of the university and the community around it,” Mabury said.

“We want this corner of campus to stand out as a jewel – not just for the university, but for the entire city.”