CIFAL Victoria

After careful consideration, we have decided to retire our account on Facebook.

Many thanks to our wonderful community for your ongoing support. We will continue to share course information and updates from our partners on Instagram (https://buff.ly/sXP9T89) & LinkedIn (https://buff.ly/GBQFWTa), we hope you will join us there!

Join the UVic Community Based Research Lab for "Making Our Waste Visible", an immersive event blending conversations, research, art, & technology to rethink how we see (& manage) waste in our communities.

Keynote Speakers:
• Dr. Jutta Gutberlet – Professor, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, and Director, Community-Based Research Lab
• Rhiannon Moore – Circular Economy Specialist, City of Victoria

Guest Speakers:
• Hazim Ismail – PhD Student, Department of Geography, University of Victoria
• James Roszel – PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, University of Victoria
• Dr. Carolina Carvalho – Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Geography, University of Victoria

🗓 Friday, December 19, 2025 from 12:00 to 04:00pm
📍 Victoria City Hall (Antechamber), 1 Centennial Square,
🎟 Free entry + refreshments provided

“We looked at belonging as a way to think about the impact that the organizations are having & we used four different indicators...access, inclusion, equity and sense of belonging to place” --Crystal Tremblay, lead author of the "Architects of Belonging" report & director at CIFAL Victoria.

A recent article from Chek News, "CRD charitable sector’s economic impact grows, according to new report" by Mackenzie Read, discusses the release of the Victoria Foundation's "Architects of Belonging" report, done in collaboration with CIFAL Victoria & the University of Victoria (UVic), which took a close look at the region’s charitable organizations & how they are impacting the region.

Read the report at the link in our bio.

CRD charitable sector's economic impact grows, according to new report A new report released by the Victoria Foundation shows the Capital Regional District's (CRD) charitable sector has significantly grown its local economic impact.

We are proud to announce the release of Victoria Foundation's Architects of Belonging report, developed in partnership with CIFAL Victoria and the University of Victoria.

This report shows the impacts of the charitable sector in the Capital Region, which has grown by more than $1.4 billion in less than 10 years. Read the full report at the link in our bio!

The charitable sector is pivotal in reducing inequality, fostering partnerships, advancing sustainable urban development, supporting community wellbeing, and aiding low-income families. Generating $5.4 billion annually, on par with the tech industry in Greater Victoria and with agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors across British Columbia.

Call for abstracts now open for the 11th Oceans Past Conference!

Join the Oceans Past Initiative at the University of Victoria June 15-19th, 2026 to connect with other scholars and practitioners interested in documenting and understanding changes in marine systems and human-ocean interactions in past decades, centuries and millennia.

Submit your abstract by December 19th at https://buff.ly/4HRntew

The last talk in the CBRL Conversation Series for 2025 will be this Fri, Dec.12 at 11-12pm PDT! Join Hanna Maria Helstelä for a discussion on "Participatory development of an environmental education plan for three municipalities in Brazil - concept, experiences and challenges".

In person in the David Turpin Building Rm B323 or online at https://buff.ly/30i1vhr.

Join the University of Victoria CBRLab this Friday December 5th at 11-12pm PDT for the next lecture in the Conversation Series. This week's speaker is Waqas H. Butt, who will share his work on "The Possibility of Reproduction: Caste, Work, and Infrastructures in Urban Pakistan".

In person in the David Turpin Building Rm B323 or online at https://buff.ly/30i1vhr

🌟 Exciting Opportunity for Canadian Post-Secondary Students! 🌟

Apply now for SDSN Canada’s "Youth CAN Sustain" FREE Certificate Program and become a leader in sustainable development!

🌍 What’s in it for you?
✔️ Master the SDGs through engaging and self-paced SDG Academy courses.
✔️ Collaborate with other Canadian Students in live online workshops led by experts.
✔️ Earn a prestigious certificate from SDSN Canada signed by world-renowned economist Dr. Jeffrey Sachs!

Enrollment closes January 15, 2026. Don’t miss your chance to learn, engage, and drive change! Only 150 spots available!

Applications are open! To register, visit: https://buff.ly/3typkXh.

University of Calgary Sustainability

Congratulations to the International, Indigenous and Accessibility (IIA) Team from UVic Co-op & Career for their well-deserved Sustainable Development Leadership Award from the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).

Read more about the awards and this program at https://buff.ly/DBzYDtR

The award recognizes the IIA team's work, in partnership with CIFAL Victoria, to develop and launch the “Advancing UN SDGs through Co-operative Education” program over the past two years. This program combines work-integrated learning, cultural intelligence, and student-led projects to provide co-op students with the opportunity to advance the SDGs in their host communities while earning a CIFAL-UNITAR Certificate of Completion to recognize their accomplishments and contributions to the .

IIA team recognized by Canadian Bureau for Int'l Education (CBIE) - Co-operative Education - University of Victoria UVic's International, Indigenous and Accessibility Team received the 2025 Canadian Bureau for International Education Sustainable Development Leadership Award.