Building on 20 years of sustainability achievement and following extensive community engagement, we developed a strategy that will guide us toward the next generation sustainability at UBC's Vancouver Campus.

The 20-year Sustainability Strategy has been approved by the UBC Sustainability Initiative Steering Committee.

Q: What does this mean for UBC?

A: The Strategy is a framework enabling UBC to further integrate sustainability efforts through the lens of regenerative sustainability, leveraging the campus as a societal test-bed and creating academic, operational and community collaborations and connections.

We are focusing on transforming the curriculum, creating net-positive outcomes in terms of human and environmental wellbeing, and developing a model community at an urban neighbourhood scale.

Q: How was the strategy developed?

A: The strategy was developed by the 20-year Sustainability Strategy Steering Committee comprised of faculty, students, staff, external community partners, the University Neighbourhood Association and the Musqueam First Nation. Feedback was sought widely from campus constituents online and through in-person workshop sessions.

The engagement process was staged in two phases:

  • Phase 1 engaged the community in the development of a vision.
  • Phase 2 engaged the community in the development of strategic goals across the three pillars of teaching, learning and research, operations and infrastructure and community.

Q: What’s next?

A: Many activities are already underway that directly support the strategy overall. In addition to those, we will be focusing on the development of a roadmap towards implementation, developing additional metrics as required, and creating opportunities to bring together stakeholders to collaborate on addressing any new opportunities.

Read the full strategy.