Students in Canada are eager to learn about issues like inequality and climate change. However, far too many courses continue to overlook or consider the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an afterthought. We at TGCC assist postsecondary educational institutions in closing that gap.
Student Demand is Skyrocketing
Students in Canada are demanding SDG-aligned education, not just being interested in it. University and college students who ranked climate action and equitable transitions as their top SDG priorities and were certain that these goals might create a better future for their generation participated in a nationwide consultation conducted by SDSN Canada. Thousands attended more than 100 campus events last year, such as SDG Month and SDG Week Canada, demonstrating how young people are setting the standard for everything from social justice to responsible consumption.
However, demand exceeds supply. According to York University's course mapping, 38% (1,635 out of 4,236) of the courses touch on at least one SDG, with many of them overlapping multiple targets. This is a good start, but the majority of the curriculum is still disjointed. All 24 participating Canadian universities received full points for providing SDG courses in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, outperforming the global average. That's an improvement, but it's not uniform: since 2019, scores for environmental SDGs like climate action (SDG 13) have been falling.
The ridiculousness? Universities brag about their "sustainability strategies" while graduating students lack the skills necessary to combat greenwashing or create low-carbon systems. It makes sense that smaller research colleges frequently perform better than giants since they are less bureaucratic.
Why Start Small: The Pilot Power Move
Overload is a problem when fully integrating the SDGs. Pilots allow you to test the waters without causing the ship to sink. Select one SDG that is pertinent to your programs, such as SDG 13 (Climate Action) for engineering or SDG 4 (Quality Education) for teaching faculties.
Here's how TGCC has seen it work on Canadian campuses:
- Scan your inventory: To identify current SDG touches, use free tools like York's Open SDG Course Mapper. Since 2021, instructors at U of T have redesigned a Design for the Environment course, teaching more than 800 students how to recognize greenwashing.
- Launch 1-2 pilots: Integrate SDGs into one course. 250+ students participated in case competitions as part of Seneca College's virtual SDG training, which combined awareness with action planning. Assignments on regional concerns, such as Toronto's trash problem for SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), should be kept realistic.
- Track simple metrics: Aim for #courses that touch at least one SDG. Queen's University measured student exposure to SDGs through the Responsible Futures project. Baseline yours now: many fall below 20%, whereas York reached 38%.
Pilots quickly reveal weak points. One TGCC partner discovered that their "sustainability elective" lacked community connections and actual measures, making it performative. It was abandoned in favour of specific SDG modules.
Rally Faculty Champions
Without support, no SDG initiative wins. The professors who are already incorporating sustainability into their lectures are known as faculty champions. For example, KPU's UN SDG Champions program granted time releases to six faculty members for SDG initiatives in 2024.
- Identify them: Look for award winners, such as Kevin Golovin of U of T, who mentors projects using hydrogen fuel cells, or the Chemistry Department's Green Chemistry program, which doubles enrollment and reduces lab waste.
- Empower with resources: Offer peer networks, SDG training (led by SDSN Canada), and microgrants. KPU champions initiated multidisciplinary discussions on integrating SDGs into curriculum objectives.
- Celebrate wins: Free stores and other initiatives that transform teacher enthusiasm into campus culture are highlighted by U of T's Sustainable Action Awards.
Champions sift through bullshit. Unless they are linked to SDG 12 metrics, they are the ones criticizing "recycling drives" as a phony tactic. With more than 30 SDSN Canada members dedicated to the SDGs, your champions have access to national networks.
Scale Without the Hype
Pilots are transformed into DNA by scaling. Cross-campus collaborations, like U of T's Reach Alliance, are highlighted by Universities Canada as they progress from student initiatives to national SDG demonstrations.
Step-by-step:
- Build on pilots: When pitching expansion, use data such as THE's full-point scorers or York's 38% SDG courses.
- Champions lead training: Launch workshops for faculty. For five years, UBC's Sustainability Hub has raised awareness of the SDGs, which has fueled SDG Week.
- Institutionalize: Connect to academic plans (York's 2020–2025 does this). With public dashboards, track the entire fleet and strive for 50%+ of the courses to touch on the SDGs.
- Partner up: Join CICan or SDSN Canada for SDG Weeks; last year, 33 campuses held more than 100 events.
Scaling stalls without accountability is the honest truth. While climate action stalled, Canadian HEIs saw an improvement in their total SDG scores from 2019 to 2023. Measure equity gains from SDG 5 pilots or carbon reductions from SDG 13 courses instead of polishing PR.
| Scaling Stage | Key Metric Example | Canadian Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | # pilot courses (1-5) | Seneca: 250 students trained |
| Champions | # trained faculty | KPU: 6 champions/cohort |
| Scale | % courses ≥1 SDG | York: 38% |
| Full Integration | THE full points | All 24 Canadian unis |
Small colleges frequently take the lead because they put action before rankings, as this table illustrates.
Roadblocks? We've Seen Them
Anticipate resistance such as "No time," "Not my expertise." Students desire climate-justice courses now, according to SDSN's youth consult. Tight budget? Pilots were inexpensive, and SDSN benefited from subsidies from Canada's SDG Program.
Greenwashing alert: If courses are out of date, mapping them is insufficient. Refresh with real-world examples, such as SDG 15 (Life on Land) initiatives led by Indigenous peoples.
Honest Hope Ahead
Full THE scores, youth activities, and course maps have given Canadian campuses impetus, but in light of the gravity of the climate crisis, environmental SDGs are regressing. The problem is that performative counts are insufficient. Graduates are prepared to repair malfunctioning systems with real integration.
To make this feasible, TGCC is collaborating with organizations and student associations. Because they begin with honesty, pilots have sparked cultural transformations.
The next step is to get the Campus Sustainability Kickstart Kit from TGCC, which includes pilot curricula, metrics trackers, and example SDG workshops. Which SDG could your team focus on this term? To brainstorm, send us an email at TGCC.