Celebrating Climate Progress Through Partnerships: Minister Dabrusin Attends CPE Research Day
On August 14, Climate Positive Energy (CPE) hosted its much-anticipated 4th Annual Research Day. The event showcased the breadth of multi-disciplinary energy, climate change, and sustainability research at U of T. Over 200 attendees gathered at Faculty Club, including students, faculty, industry, and policymakers.
The event kicked off with a presentation by Shatha Qaqish-Clavering, CPE’s Executive Director, and Professor David Sinton, CPE’s Academic Director and Lawson Climate Institute’s Interim Director, showcasing the initiative’s previous accomplishments and future directions.
Over the past 4-years, CPE’s community has grown to over 500 students and faculty members from 48 departments and across the tri-campus. The initiative raised $41.5 million in grants and funding to support 94 projects led by U of T faculty on a range of topics. It has also invested in 60 scholarships to support students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
“From empowering youth through our Leadership Project with the City of Toronto, to strengthening grid resilience through the Grid Modernization Centre (GMC), to working with community partners to develop clean energy technologies through the CANSTOREnergy project, CPE’s work thrives thanks to the powerful collaboration between researchers, government, and industry,” said Qaqish-Clavering.
The new Lawson Climate Institute will help take U of T’s and CPE’s activities to new heights. In April 2025, the university received a $60 million donation from Brian and Joannah Lawson to establish the institute – the largest gift to a Canadian university in support of climate change solutions. The Institute will focus on four interconnected activities: developing sustainable technologies; practical climate policies; climate change leaders through student scholarships and new Chairs; and transforming U of T’s three campuses into living labs to create sustainable institutions.
“In the coming months, CPE will be integrated into the Lawson Climate Institute – marking a strategic evolution that amplifies U of T’s collective impact on climate solutions,” Professor Sinton explained.
“We’re energized by the opportunities and collaborations this evolution will unlock.”
The morning capped off with remarks from the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Minister Dabrusin reflected on her great pride as a U of T alumna. She highlighted the university’s ranking as the most sustainable university in the world and its commitment to becoming climate positive – the first North American university to commit to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
She also highlighted recent investments by the Government of Canada, including the GMC and Academic Wood Tower, to support U of T’s sustainability efforts.
“Climate change is having a real impact on communities and our young people across the country. The groundbreaking research and innovation coming from students and scientists here at U of T is paving the way for solutions that will drive a cleaner, more sustainable future for Canada,” Minister Dabrusin said.
Minister Dabrusin also toured the University of Toronto’s Electric Vehicle (UTEV) Research Centre. Led by Professor Olivier Trescases, UTEV is a leading university-industry partnership that is advancing next-generation EV technologies and training homegrown talent.
UTEV is also supporting upskilling. Its custom micro-credential program for Porsche Cars Canada successfully trained 500 Porsche dealership staff, equipping them with a solid foundation in electrical principles and core EV technologies. This training has deepened their technical knowledge and enhanced their ability to communicate with customers, thereby supporting EV adoption.
“It was a pleasure to host Minister Dabrusin at UTEV and showcase the different projects our team of students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and professors are undertaking across the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,” said Professor Trescases.
“Looking ahead, retaining top engineering talent in Canada is essential to the EV sector’s growth. Investments in the country’s EV and battery manufacturing sectors should also include expanding research capacity. It’s when government, researchers, and industry work together that a greener future and real change is possible.”
GRO and CPE extends its thanks to Minister Dabrusin for joining CPE Research Day and touring UTEV.
(Written by: Catrina Kronfli)