Rhonda Fernandes

Engage the Department of National Defence on upskilling and retraining of personnel. Align new post-graduate work permit restrictions to provincial labour market needs, and ensure that colleges have sufficient lead time to put new credit programs in place to provide the training required. Work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to discuss international student visa processing times and the need to expand the Student Direct Stream. Engage with government officials regarding skills training opportunities under the Skills for Success, Sectoral Workplace Solutions, and Just Transition programs. Engage Innovation, Science, and Industry Canada and PrairiesCAN to expand the AI Pathways Partnership project to develop capacity at NorQuest for learning surrounding AI and upskill learners. Engage in discussions regarding health human resources to identify opportunities to expand training and employment for Indigenous and newcomer health care providers. Engage Indigenous Services Canada in discussions regarding funding opportunities for Indigenous students in Alberta seeking academic upgrade. Engage Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada to expand the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. Encourage flexibility in learning modalities to qualify for post-graduation work permits. Access federal funding for newcomer settlement services.

Exploring a potential partnership for the SSHRC Policy and Innovation Grant. Engage the Department of National Defence on upskilling and retraining of personnel. To engage with government toward adoption of Recognized Institutions Framework. Align new post-graduate work permit restrictions to provincial labour market needs, and ensure that colleges have sufficient lead time to put new credit programs in place to provide the training required. Work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to discuss international student visa processing times and the need to expand the Student Direct Stream. Engage with government officials regarding skills training opportunities under the Skills for Success, Sectoral Workplace Solutions, and Just Transition programs. Engage Innovation, Science, and Industry Canada and PrairiesCAN to expand the AI Pathways Partnership project to develop capacity at NorQuest for learning surrounding AI and upskill learners. Engage in discussions regarding health human resources to identify opportunities to expand training and employment for Indigenous and newcomer health care providers. Engage Indigenous Services Canada in discussions regarding funding opportunities for Indigenous students in Alberta seeking academic upgrade. Engage Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada to expand the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. Encourage flexibility in learning modalities to qualify for post-graduation work permits. Access federal funding for newcomer settlement services.

Advocate for place-based solutions to Canada’s biggest challenges, which support the region-specific mandates of public colleges and ensure local training needs are considered in policy development. Increase support to developing countries and other partner countries to build technical and vocational training capacity, strengthen skills development and education systems, and enhance Canada’s global education brand. Advocate for support for college-led research as a core component of federal research and innovation funding and policy. Discuss how colleges can support immigration programs, such as foreign credential recognition or international students, to meet Canada’s labour market needs, and share with officials impacts of policy changes on the college sector. Share with officials how colleges can support Canada’s training and workforce development needs to meet Canada’s biggest challenges. Share with officials the role of colleges and institutes in delivering high quality education for Canadians, and ensuring access to education for Canadians. Advance reconciliation through partnerships with Canada’s public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, polytechnics, and Indigenous Institutes of Education. Promote the role and expertise of colleges in deepening Canada’s relationships with other countries. Promote the value of educational fair dealing in supporting colleges and institutes in their mandate to provide advanced skills and to enable them to better respond to the skills shortage. Increase investments and support to address colleges’ infrastructure needs to increase Canada’s training space and access in key high-demand fields that align with federal priority areas. Enable post-secondary institutions to obtain grants and loans to develop student housing projects, with additional supports for housing that supports students from vulnerable populations. Ensure Canada’s colleges and institutes have the necessary federal support to provide high-quality training for future healthcare professionals. Ensure the specific needs of institutions, including French institutions and those in minority linguistic communities, are taken into account when federal policies and programs are designed and delivered.

Provide updates and seek new opportunities that would support the launch of an Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Academy Canada Economic Development Quebec Regions - Seeking support / consultation or financial support in order to launch an Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Academy Program Prairies Economic Development Canada - Seeking funding from the Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) stream to support the advancement of our Fellowship program in rural, remote and northern communities. Pacific Economic Development Canada - Seeking funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund for the advancement of our Fellowship program in the province. Ministry of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development - Seeking renewed funding support for Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) and the Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (I-WIL) Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) - Seeking core funding support for Venture for Canada, and the renewal of the Student Work Placement Program and Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiatives. Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship - Seeking new funding support and partnerships for Venture for Canada to launch an International Students program pilot Ministry of Forgein Affairs - Seeking new funding support and partnerships with Global Affairs Canada to launch an International Students program pilot Ministry of Finance - Seeking funding renewal for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) and Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiatives (I-WIL). Ministry of Employment, Future Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion - Maintain connections related to the delivery and renewal of the Student Work Placement Program and Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiatives Ministry of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism - Seeking new funding support for an Artist Entrepreneurship program pilot designed by Venture for Canada. Global Affairs Canada - Seeking new funding support and partnerships for Venture for Canada to launch an International Students program pilot and an international exchange program for Canadian students. Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Seeking renewed partial funding from the agency to support the advancement of our Fellowship program.

Advocating for programs and funding that support employment services and broader workforce development efforts, including upskilling, reskilling, career exploration, and support for businesses. Advocating for continued and/or increased funding for employment, language, youth, newcomer, and women's services. Immigration programing, with respect to advocating for government supports for newcomers to Canada, including settlement services, supports for foreign credential recognition, training/upskilling, pre-arrival services, language supports, and employment. Advocating for more government supports for youth, including youth programs that provide employment opportunities, training/upskilling, wrap around supports, community engagement, and mental health supports. Government investment with respect to innovations in language services applications. Amendments to existing government funded program contracts. This includes requests to increase, expand, or otherwise adjust government contracts for programs that Achev operates.

Promotion de l'avancement de la cybersécurité dans les transports publiques. Advocating for the rail sector in relation to changes to clean technology investment tax credit. Recherche de financement via le programme de fonds stratégiques pour l'innovation (FSI) afin d'offrir des solutions ferroviaires innovantes. Establishment or modification of appropriate regulations regarding trade. Research and Development funding for advanced manufacturing and developing mobility low to zero carbon technologies. Infrastructure projects related to transit systems, including rolling stocks and signalling. Establishment or modification of appropriate regulations regarding public transportation.

To arrange meeting with officials to explain nature and contribution of BC Colleges to Canada's economic and social development.

Renew CUTRIC's role as the Preferred Non Profit Provider of Planning Services under the Canada Public Transit Fund to provide feasibility studies and empirical analysis for transit agencies across Canada to advance their fleet decarbonizations. Launch Canadian Cybersecurity Innovation Initiative for Rail and Transit (CCIIRT) with funding of $50 million over eight years. The increasing digitalization of our transit systems offers numerous benefits to passengers and freight alike but it also presents growing cybersecurity risks which pose threats to transportation and national security. The CCIIRT addresses gaps in Canada's rail and transit cybersecurity by establishing a federal regulatory framework with mandatory compliance guidelines for transit operators and vendors. Establishing the need for the heavy duty transit manufacturing sector to have a seat at the table in Canada-US trade negotiations so that any renegotiation of CUSMA (Canada-US-Mexico Agreement) recognizes the jobs-at-risk within the Canadian manufacturing landscape. Positioning Canada’s North American-leading transit manufacturing sector (bus, coach, shuttle, rail and public mobility) at the heart of industrial policy mechanisms as part of the Canadian job growth strategy to benefit from support to manufacturing that other sectors and verticals will benefit from. Advocating to maintain and grow the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) to at least $5 billion per year as part of Prime Minister Carney’s initiative to Build a Stronger Canada and based on key performance indicators associated with the Zero Emissions Transit Fund (ZETF). The Government of Canada must launch the development of a robust Canadian Transportation Innovation & Industrial Development Strategy. The Strategy would require a “hub” marriage between Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC), Innovation, Science and Industry and Environment Canada, and Transport Canada on the transportation innovation file. The Strategy should be launched with a federal Task Force with the support of Members of Parliament, mobility manufacturers, integrators, fleets/transit systems, and alternative fuel providers to generate programming aimed at future low-carbon smart mobility infrastructure integration, innovation and technological advancement in transportation. Recognize that the transition to zero-emissions transportation, including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric transit, coach and rail systems, will require an energy “systems overhaul of entire fleets and infrastructural systems, meaning that incentives and funding programs designed and launched by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC), Environment, Climate Change Canada and/or Transport Canada will need to support coordinated energy systems integration efforts (i.e. both vehicle and fuelling ends of the equation) with consortia of partners to be effective, immediate and long-term from an economic sustainability standpoint. 1) Recognize that fleet adoption – specifically heavy duty vehicle fleet adoption in the public sector, including bus, coach and rail systems – offers more immediate and substantial emissions reductions opportunities for taxpayers compared to individual passenger car incentives over the next four year period. To present the Foreign Affairs, Commerce & Trade (FACT) Task Force, a multi-stakeholder working group established by the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). Its purpose is to support Canada's transit manufacturing sector in navigating international trade challenges, particularly in light of recently imposed U.S. tariffs and anticipated Canadian countermeasures. The Task Force serves as a forum for manufacturers, suppliers, transit agencies, labour representatives, and academic experts to share insights, assess risks, and collaboratively develop policy recommendations. Its objective is to mitigate

Discuss the policies and programs within Employment and Social Development Canada, such as federal skilled workers program and Fed Nor initiatives such as the Northern Ontario Development Program.

Seeking remission of federal duties to be paid or already paid on the purchase of foreign-built vessels. Previously known as Bill C-549, National Marine Day Act: in respect of identifying a specific day each year to be officially recognized as Canada Marine Day. Policy, regulatory proposals and potential legislation dealing with ballast water and aquatic invasive species. Pilotage Act: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services Pacific Pilotage Regulations: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services Marine Navigation Services Fees: working towards reduction and eventual removal of government fees on industry Laurentian Pilotage Authority Regulations: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: working towards changes that might make it less difficult and restrictive for more skilled shipping industry labour to work in the Great Lakes - Seaway marine transportation industry. Hazardous Materials Information Review Regulations: informing clients of the existing and potential status of the regulations, and assisting them representing their business interests through inclusion or exclusion of their commodities in the regulations. Great Lakes Pilotage Regulations: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services General Pilotage Regulations: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services EcoFreight Program: informing clients of the program and assisting them with application and approval process Canadian Grain Act: working towards an efficient and cost-effective grain transportation system, especially as it pertains to the marine mode Canada Marine Act: working towards an efficient, safe, cost-effective marine transportation system, especially regarding Canada's ports and Seaway systems. Canada Labour Code: working towards ensuring Canadian labour laws are as pluralistic and democratic as possible, especially insofar as providing openness and fair competition to labour markets affecting shipping. Atlantic Pilotage Authority Regulations: in respect of ensuring efficient and cost-effective pilotage services

Exploring opportunities related to interprovincial bus travel, as it relates to the federal government's motor vehicle transport act.