Mohawk College Newsroom

Media release: Mohawk College named one of Canada's greenest employers for 2nd year in a row

Thu, 23 Apr 2015 09:26:06 -0400

HAMILTON (April 23, 2015) – Mohawk College has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers for the second year in a row by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

Mohawk is the only college in Ontario, and one of two colleges in Canada, to make the 2015 list of greenest employers. The employers were recognized in a special feature in The Globe and Mail.

“Mohawk is committed to environmental sustainability,” says President Ron McKerlie. “We practice what we teach and we’re proud of the environmental leadership and stewardship demonstrated by our Sustainability Office, students, staff and faculty.”

Some of the reasons why Mohawk was selected as one of Canada’s greenest employers include:

A commitment to a 20 per cent carbon reduction target below the 2007 baseline by the year 2020 as part the college’s Environmental Management Plan. Mohawk has exceeded this target by reaching a 24 per cent reduction by the end of 2012 and has set a new target of a 30 per cent reduction by 2020.

An environmental program created by and for students to promote sustainable living on and off the campus.

Numerous initiatives to encourage faculty, staff and students to consider alternative transit, including discounted transit passes, unlimited transit for full-time students, an on-campus bicycle loan program and online carpool registrations through the Smart Commute program.

An on-campus cooperative community-based garden program with garden plots available for individuals, student groups and departments.

Design of the 64,000 square foot David Braley Athletic and Recreation Centre to meet LEED Gold certification standards, with a commitment to meet LEED standards for all future campus construction and renovations.

Mohawk teaches and serves more than 22,500 full-time, part-time and continuing education students at three campuses in Hamilton. Mohawk was named one of the top employers in Hamilton-Niagara in 2015 and was ranked number one for student satisfaction among all colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for the fifth consecutive year.

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For more information, contact:

Jay Robb, Director of Communications, 905.979.8893, jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

Alan Griffiths, Sustainability Manager, 905.575.1212 ext. 4168, alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca

Mohawk College returns to its roots with addition of a community garden co-op

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:51:20 -0400

A Mohawk Community Garden Co-op is the latest addition to the college''s Fennell campus. An initiative of Mohawk's Sustainability Office and part of the college's Environmental Management Plan, the 10-plot, 320-square foot garden near the front entrance of the campus, is already fully booked by groups of students, faculty, staff and community partners. The community garden was made possible by gift-in-kind donations by VICANO, Green Horizons, the Mohawk Students' Association and Rainbarrel.ca. The campus sits on 66 acres that once served as a working farm for the former Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. The farm's root cellar is now the Arnie pub.

Toronto Star Special Report Aboriginal Student Services

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:42:29 -0400

HAMILTON (May 1, 2013) -- Three hundred saplings will be planted in two-and-a-half hours along the shoreline of Lake Ontario Saturday morning during Mohawk College and Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington’s first Planting our Roots event.

The tree planting begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4 at Confederation Park behind Wild Waterworks. To volunteer alongside a team from Mohawk including President Rob MacIsaac and Vice President Academic Cheryl Jensen, please register online. Volunteers will be supplied with shovels, get a tree planting demonstration from Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington and receive a free lunch at noon. Volunteers are asked to bring rain boots, long pants, sunscreen and bug spray.

The trees will help anchor the soil, protect from further soil erosion, increase biodiversity and provide enhanced habitat for migratory birds.

Planting our Roots is supported by the Mohawk Sustainability Office, Mohawk College Alumni Association, Earth Day Hamilton - Burlington, the Hamilton Conservation Authority and the City of Hamilton.

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For more information about Planting our Roots at Confederation Park, contact:

Jessica Scott, Facilities Communications Assistant, Sustainability Office, Mohawk College

905 575 1212 x 4725 or 905 928 5377

jessica.scott3@mohawkcollege.ca www.mohawkcollege.ca

Laurel Harrison, Coordinator, Earth Day Hamilton-Burlington

905 973-3064 or 289 755-0433

laurel@earthdayhamilton.ca www.earthdayhamilton.ca

Mohawk College wins Smart Commute Award

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:28:32 -0500

Mohawk College has won the inaugural 2012 Parsons Brinckerhoff Employee Engagement Award from Smart Commute.

The new award recognizes a Smart Commute employer that has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and success in getting employees to re-think commuting. The winner is selected by the Smart Commute Awards Review Panel from four nominations.

Smart Commute, a program of Metrolinx and the municipalities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, help local employers and commuters explore different commute choices like carpooling, cycling and transit.

In announcing the award, Smart Commute said "The team at Mohawk has gone beyond the standardized surveys to gather opinions and feedback, implementing focus groups to engage in meaningful dialogue their stakeholders that have led to significant program initiatives.

One student-led initiative resulted in the creation of a Secure Bike Parking Program to monitor students’ use of bicycles and to encourage more cycling by providing secure facilities. An innovative spin on their Discount Transit Pass program for staff offers a 50 per cent discount to anyone who refers a colleague to the Smart Commute program.

The team systematically measures the social, financial and environmental impacts of their involvement in Smart Commute, as well as participation rates."