President’s Message

Ontario Tech University’s commitment to tech with a conscience and its experiential learning programs are gaining recognition; over the past three years, we have seen an increase in applications of 33.2 per cent, 19.4 per cent, and 11.7 per cent, respectively—and these increases are calculated each year using the new, higher baseline. In fact, the respected Times Higher Education rankings listed Ontario Tech among the Top 200 youngest universities worldwide. Clearly, our brand, programs and approach to education are resonating with today’s students.

In 2022, Ontario Tech continued to shine in the classroom, research laboratories, and on the playing field. Of course, the strides we made received a helping hand from our many donors who are committed to polishing this jewel of educational opportunity in the Durham Region by supporting students, research, innovation and our campus community.

Ontario Tech is growing its footprint, and it includes downtown Oshawa. The Mitch and Leslie Frazer Faculty of Education relocated to Charles Hall and the university also acquired a parcel of land on Bruce Street for further expansion. At our north Oshawa campus location, Shawenjigewining Hall, our newest building, won an urban design award from the City of Oshawa. And as we grow, we do so with sustainability in mind: Ontario Tech again earned a gold rating in the North American Sustainable Campus Index.

Our research endeavours continue apace, and we are excited by the fruits of those labours. Inside the Innovation Garage at ACE (Automotive Centre of Excellence), for example, experts developed Project Arrow, a national endeavour to create the prototype for the first all-Canadian, zero-emissions electric vehicle. Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) selected Ontario Tech as the lead academic institution for the build phase of Project Arrow, and the vehicle made its debut in January 2023 at the prestigious Consumer and Electronics show in Las Vegas. We believe in pursuing innovative research and bringing it to the marketplace. Partnerships make us all stronger.

Of course, our students continue to impress and delight us with their talent, perseverance and skill. For example, Health Sciences PhD candidate Jackie Brown was named the university’s first-ever recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Doctoral Research Scholarship, while Emmeline Meens Miller, Master of Health Sciences (Kinesiology), class of 2023, won Ontario Tech’s annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) title and went on to become the university’s first-ever provincial 3MT champion. Outside the classroom, the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks men’s soccer team captured the Ontario Athletics East crown.

Our administration also shines. We congratulate Chancellor Mitch Frazer on his appointment to the Order of Ontario, and we are pleased that he has been reappointed Ontario Tech Chancellor for another term. We were also happy to welcome James Barnett to Ontario Tech in the role of Vice-President, Advancement in October 2022. I look forward to continuing to work with James to ensure Ontario Tech attains the philanthropic support required to support its bold vision.

I have shared with you only a small sample of our accomplishments, but, as you can see, Ontario Tech’s future has never been brighter. Many of these outstanding milestones and accomplishments would not have been achievable without the tremendous help of our dedicated champions. An Ontario Tech champion can take many different forms, from donors, partners and volunteers to staff, faculty, students and alumni, and each plays an integral role in the future of our university. I want to thank each of our amazing champions, and I look forward to serving my second term as President ensuring Ontario Tech continues on this incredible trajectory. Together, let’s reach for the stars.