Aircraft Maintenance Technician Day is May 24 and is a chance to recognize the people who support the industry, and it’s also a fitting moment to highlight the students training to join them. At Algonquin College, the two-year Aircraft Maintenance Technician Ontario College Diploma provides learners a direct path into a field built on dedication and real-world impact.
The program combines classroom learning with extensive hands-on training at both the Ottawa campus and the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. Requiring over 1828 hours of instruction, students work on aircraft systems ranging from hydraulics and fuel to engines, environmental systems, control surfaces, landing gear and structural repair. It’s a practical education shaped by Transport Canada requirements and guided by instructors who bring deep industry experience. Continue reading Launching skilled technicians into aviation careers
Centre: Claude Brulé, Algonquin College President and CEO, pictured with Joan Johnston, Anita Tenasco, Director, Indigenous Initiative, and Algonquin College employees and students at the Mamidosewin Centre.
May 12, 2026 Ottawa, ON — Algonquin College will award honorary degrees to two distinguished Canadian leaders during its upcoming 2026 Spring Convocation ceremonies.
The 2026 honorary degree recipients are General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, and Leah Levesque, a respected health‑care executive and former CEO of Arnprior Regional Health. Both are being recognized for careers defined by leadership, service and a commitment to learning.
“General Carignan and Leah Levesque exemplify the values of integrity, leadership and service that we seek to inspire in our graduates,” said Algonquin College President and CEO Claude Brulé. “We are proud to honour their remarkable contributions to Canada and to the communities they serve.”
Throughout their careers, both honourees have championed the value of lifelong learning, continuous growth and the importance of education at every stage of life. Through leadership in national defence and health-care, they have demonstrated how learning, curiosity and the willingness to evolve can open doors, strengthen communities and prepare people to meet complex challenges.
“Education has allowed me to be better prepared to address complexity and a whole broad range of problems, along with being more comfortable with uncertainty.” — General Jennie Carignan
“This is just the beginning. Continue to invest in yourself by continuous learning. Find opportunities where you can grow and learn from others.” — Leah Levesque
About the Honorary Degree Recipients General Jennie Carignan – Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces
General Jennie Carignan is being honoured for a distinguished career of service and leadership in the Canadian Armed Forces. As Chief of the Defence Staff, she provides military advice to the Government of Canada and, together with the Deputy Minister of National Defence, leads a Defence Team of more than 120,000 military and civilian personnel. Her career reflects a strong commitment to adaptability, respect and lifelong learning, and she has been a trailblazer in senior leadership roles in Canada and internationally.
Leah Levesque – Former Chief Executive Officer, Arnprior Regional Health
Leah Levesque is recognized for more than four decades of leadership in health care. Beginning her career as a registered nurse, she advanced into senior executive roles, including vice president of patient care and CEO of Arnprior Regional Health, retiring in 2024. Throughout her career, she championed collaboration, workforce development and partnerships with educational institutions, including Algonquin College, to strengthen patient care and health‑care leadership.
Algonquin College’s 2026 Convocation ceremonies will take place June 23–26, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Graduates will participate in 12 ceremonies over four days.
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About Algonquin College The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. Algonquin College, an Ontario public sector community college, does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected, experiential learning in close to 170 programs. Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario, with campuses in Ottawa and Pembroke, with fully online programming delivered through AC Online.
From left to right, Kathleen Ramsay, Algonquin College Public Relations alum, Silver medal recipient in CICan’s Student Leadership Excellence Award; Sara-Lynne Levine, Communications Officer, Algonquin College; Claude Brulé, President and CEO, Algonquin College, Anita Tenasco, Director, Indigenous Initiatives, Algonquin College. Sara-Lynne and Anita were honoured with a Bronze Award of Excellence by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), recognizing the College’s Kwey Indigenous Language Series.
Algonquin College has been awarded a Bronze Award of Excellence by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), recognizing the College’s Kwey Indigenous Language Series in advancing Indigenous knowledge, language revitalization, and community focused learning.
The honour was presented during the 2026 CICan Connections Conference in Ottawa, where CICan celebrated institutions and initiatives that demonstrate the sector’s essential role in building strong colleges, strong communities, and a strong Canada. This year’s awards reflect the priorities outlined in CICan’s new Roadmap to 2030, which emphasizes reconciliation, workforce development, and community resilience.
Ottawa, ON (April 23, 2026) – Algonquin College is proud to announce the industry partners who will be sponsoring its team at the Skills Ontario Competition 2026. By defraying costs associated with event registration, travelling, and lodging, the generosity of corporate sponsors removes financial barriers for learners who wish to participate in the Skills Ontario Competition. This support allows learners to focus on what is most important: having a positive, career-building experience at the event.
Algonquin College’s “Greening the Lab” Initiative cuts waste, lowers costs, and inspires change
April 22, 2026 Ottawa, ON — Algonquin College is marking Earth Day with a sustainability milestone: its innovative Greening the Lab initiative will be showcased nationally at the 2026 Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference. Nursing faculty members Sheena Barton and Nancy Lada will present the project as a model for environmentally responsible nursing education. Continue reading Algonquin College’s “Greening the Lab” Initiative cuts waste, lowers costs, and inspires change
Industry experts and Algonquin College employees gather for a judges photo with Claude Brulé, President and CEO.
Ottawa, ON (Apr. 10, 2026) – Algonquin College is bringing innovation to life today at its Technology Project Showcase, where more than 400 learners are presenting capstone projects to a panel of 67 judges, including 38 industry professionals.
Taking place this afternoon in Minto Hall at the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence, the showcase is connecting learners directly with leaders from organizations such as Google Cloud, Shopify, Microsoft, Department of National Defence, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Medical Association, and NAV Canada, among others. Supported by RBC funding for applied research, the event showcases student-led projects in construction sustainability, including Electrical Engineering initiatives focused on electrification and alternative energy solutions.
Graham Timperon, Building Performance Analyst (left), Brendan Murray, Manager, Facilities and Operations, Pembroke Campus and Mohamed Zeid, Senior Project Manager (right), part of the team behind the certification, show off the plaque from Natural Resources Canada that will be displayed in Pembroke.
PEMROKE, ON (Apr. 9, 2026) –Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus has earned ENERGY STAR® certification from Natural Resources Canada, becoming the first college in Canada to receive this respected designation for superior energy performance.
The certification recognizes buildings that meet strict energy efficiency standards and perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide. This milestone underscores the Pembroke Campus’s commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency, and environmental leadership.
Algonquin College has partnered with C’est Bon Ottawa, a local cooking school, to create two new funds in memory of Joshua Qiyuk. Established by C’est Bon, these new funds, called the Joshua Qiyuk Memorial Scholarship and the Joshua Qiyuk Memorial Bursary, will support Indigenous learners in a variety of Culinary Arts programs.
OTTAWA (March 3, 2026) – Algonquin College learners in the culinary arts program volunteered their time during reading week on March 2 to prepare 740 meals for the Shepherds of Good Hope and 1,434 meals for the Ottawa Food Bank in partnership with La Tablée Des Chefs: The Solidarity Kitchen – Next Generation Edition project. The prepared meals will feed vulnerable people in the Ottawa area who are seeking emergency food assistance.
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Aircraft Maintenance Technician Day is May 24 and is a chance to recognize the people who support the industry, and it’s also a fitting moment to highlight the students training to join them. At Algonquin College, the two-year Aircraft Maintenance Technician Ontario College Diploma provides learners a direct path into a field built on dedication and real-world impact.
