The following is released by the University of Prince Edward Island, in co-ordination with research institutions across the country, as participants and co-investigators on the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL)

The results from a large national research project led by the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (HALO) at the CHEO Research Institute shows that about two-thirds of Canadian children haven’t achieved an acceptable level of physical literacy. Physical literacy moves beyond just fitness or motor skill; it includes the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.

Fourteen articles that looked at different aspects of physical literacy and the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL) were published today as a special supplement in the journal BMC Public Health. More than 10,000 children, aged eight to 12, from 11 sites across the country participated in the study through the CHEO Research Institute and research partners. Using the CAPL, children were assessed on a number of different areas.

The results demonstrate that more needs to be done to ensure Canadian children are physically literate. “We hear about increasing obesity rates in kids, falling rates of physical activity and more time spent in front of screens,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute and Director for HALO. “Physical literacy looks at different domains in children to give a better overall picture of children’s healthy active living and future health. Physically literate children become more active and healthy children, which sets them up for life.” 

Two of the articles published today were led by UPEI researchers. Dr. Travis Saunders, assistant professor of applied human sciences, examined the relationship between sedentary behaviour and physical literacy.

“We found that children who spend more time watching TV or playing video games had lower physical literacy,” said Dr. Saunders. “This suggests that minimizing screen time may help promote the development of physical literacy.”

Dr. Dany MacDonald, associate professor and chair of applied human sciences, used CAPL data to explore the roles adequacy and predilection for physical activity play in a child’s physical literacy.

“The findings suggest that children’s perception of adequacy and predilection need to be considered to fully understand how physical literacy develops in this age group,” said Dr. MacDonald. “In addition, it was also found that a child’s cardiovascular fitness had the strongest association with adequacy and predilection to physical activity, suggesting a complex relationship a children’s physical and psychological states and physical literacy.”

The HALO Research Group has been developing and refining the CAPL for the past 10 years.  It’s a robust tool that is valid, reliable and feasible and is being used across the country and internationally. The results of this research provide the first comprehensive assessment of the physical literacy of Canadian children.

“Through this project, we provide comprehensive evidence that Canadian children aged eight to 12 years are falling short of standards for components of physical literacy,” said Dr. Mark Tremblay. “For example, boys and girls across Canada have aerobic fitness levels at the 30^th percentile of global norms and only 20% are meeting physical activity guidelines.”

“These results show us that more needs to be done,” continues Tremblay. “Every organization concerned with the well-being of children, whether provincial governments, municipal public health and recreation departments, boards of education and sports or recreation groups, should allocate increased resources to increase children’s physical literacy. Addition education campaigns, greater priority in school curricula and increased numbers of physical education specialists could have a real impact in the health of Canada’s children.”

Findings from this project have led to further refinements of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy and the release of the second edition of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, or CAPL-2. “Ensuring that we have the right tools for coaches, educators and parents is an important way to increase physical literacy in Canada,” says Pat Longmuir, Scientist with the CHEO Research Institute, HALO Research Group. “The CAPL-2 is a shorter, easier to administer series of tests that can be used to assess and monitor physical literacy in Canada. The materials are available in both English and French, free of charge at www.capl.eclp.ca.”

This research study was made possible in part with support from the RBC Learn to Play Project, an initiative funded by RBC and the Public Health Agency of Canada and delivered in partnership with ParticipACTION, with additional support from Mitacs.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Amanda Stanyer and Kameron Kielly, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for September 24–30.

Amanda Stanyer is a third-year science major from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia and a keeper on the UPEI Women’s Soccer team. The Panthers played a couple of games on the weekend, beating Université de Moncton 4–1 and holding the University of New Brunswick to a 0–0 draw. “Amanda had a solid performance against Moncton, including a terrific penalty save and important saves against UNB, keeping us in the game,” said coach Graeme McDonald.

Kameron Kielly is a second-year business student from Charlottetown and a member of the UPEI Men’s Hockey team. The Panthers dropped a pair of tough games over the weekend, including a 5–3 loss to Université de Moncton and a 4–3 game to the University of New Brunswick. Kielly, however, scored a goal in each of the games. “Great to see Kam get off to a great start,” said coach Forbes MacPherson. “He’s an offensive catalyst for us.”

Go Panthers Go!

The University of Prince Edward Island held its nineteenth annual Recognition of Founders ceremony on Friday, September 28, today in Don and Marion McDougall Hall to acknowledge those who have contributed to the University in a significant way.

Recognized as 2018 Founders during the ceremony were Daryl Guignion and Dr. Ian MacQuarrie, both retired faculty members from the UPEI Department of Biology. Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust, Professor Emeritus, was awarded the Atlantic Veterinary College’s 2018 Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award, which pays tribute to individuals who have made an exceptional impact on the College.

As the official party entered Schurman Market Square, students Taylor Donald, Melissa Lewis, Tara Llewellyn, and Alexandra Sorensen sang O Canada. Sister Sue Kidd, University Chaplain, delivered the invocation, and Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor, delivered welcome remarks. Will McGuigan, President of the UPEI Student Union, brought greetings from the organization. Biology student Kali Ross read the citations for Mr. Guignion and Dr. MacQuarrie, and retired wildlife pathologist Dr. Scott McBurney the one for Dr. Daoust. A reception was held immediately following the ceremony.

About the Founders:

Mr. Daryl Guignion and Dr. Ian MacQuarrie

Mr. Guignion and Dr. MacQuarrie have made impressive and significant impacts on ecological and wildlife conservation efforts in Prince Edward Island. They taught courses which instilled a conservation ethic, collaborated on land use and conservation initiatives, and raised public consciousness in these areas. As a result, their legacy is generations of students who went on to prominent positions helping to make changes towards sustainable use of natural resources. Both inspired generations of students to make land and water conservation their life’s work. They were also instrumental in the establishing of the Island Nature Trust and active in other conservation organizations.

A number of years ago, a scholarship was established by past students, colleagues, friends, and family to honour the work of Mr. Guignion and Dr. MacQuarrie. The Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship in Science is granted to a first-year student in a Master of Science program at UPEI who will conduct a research program focused on the ecology and status of natural habitats and/or native wildlife.

Click here to read the citations for Mr. Guignion and Dr. MacQuarrie.

About the Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award winner:

A member of AVC’s founding faculty, Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust has worked diligently to enhance the reputation of AVC regionally, nationally, and internationally. Throughout his career, he has shared his knowledge and expertise in morphologic pathology, and his passion for wildlife health and animal welfare, with thousands of veterinary students and graduate students, and with people in Atlantic Canada, across the country including the North, and beyond. He has inspired many AVC students who have gone on to become leaders in wildlife health surveillance and management.

He was instrumental in establishing the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and served as the first regional director of the organization’s Atlantic region node until he retired from AVC in 2017, positioning AVC as the major centre of wildlife health expertise in the region. His leadership in wildlife welfare, particularly in connection to marine and fur-bearing animals, has left a major mark on Canada.

Click here to read the complete citation for Dr. Daoust.

Invitation to Student Experience Hub Official Grand Opening and Open House

The University of Prince Edward Island has aligned functional areas that are related to student affairs and the recruitment/registration process. Through a staged moving process that began October 1 and will end by October 12, the Office of the Registrar, Student Affairs, and other key student service areas have been relocating to the recently renovated Student Experience Hub at Dalton Hall. 

The restructuring is to better position the University in enhancing our supports for students and in improving upon the student experience by having services located under one roof. 

The following offices and areas will be located at the Student Experience Hub:

First Floor
Accessibility Services

Second Floor
Student Awards and Financial Aid
Student Financial Services
Work Integrated Learning

Third Floor
Office of the Registrar
Office of Study Abroad and International Collaboration

Fourth Floor
Recruitment and First-Year Advising Office
International Student Office

Fifth Floor
Student Affairs
Mawi'omi Student Centre

UPEI’s focus remains on students so that they are welcomed, can clearly find the answers to their questions and be better supported by the campus community, leading to them experiencing excellent student life and achieving student success.

The date for the Official Grand Opening and Open House has been set for Thursday, October 25 from 1 – 3 pm. All are welcome!

UPEI recently held a ceremony to recognize the recipients of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Awards and the 2018 Inspiring Young Alumni Awards.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to one or more of our alumni for their outstanding contributions to knowledge, the arts, the community, the university, or humanity. The criteria for these awards are based on the University of Prince Edward Island’s motto, faith, knowledge, service. The two recipients for 2018 are Jo-Anne Doyle Knysh (Business, 1980) and Thilak Tennekone (Adult Education certificate, 2001; Master of Education in Leadership and Learning, 2006).

The Inspiring Young Alumni Award was established in 2011 to honour alumni under the age of 40 who have shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age. The two recipients for 2018 are Laura Archer (Nursing, 2001) and Dr. Peter Hooley (Science, 2000).

Following graduation, Jo-Anne Doyle Knysh moved to Toronto to work for Clarkson Gordon (now Ernst and Young) and became a Chartered Accountant in 1982. She continued to work in public accounting until moving to the San Francisco Bay area in 1988. She joined Apple’s finance team in early 1989 and worked in a variety of positions. After some turbulent years at the company, she participated in the dramatic transformation that took place when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, becoming a ‘change manager’ with the sales and marketing teams as they launched the Bondi Blue iMac, the Think Different campaign, the iPod, and iTunes, all cutting-edge technology at the time. Jumping off of the amazing success in the iPod market, Knysh was part of the team that launched iPad in the United States to overwhelming success.

Knysh is currently the Senior Finance Manager responsible for the Beats by Dr Dre business unit. Apple purchased Beats Music and Beats Electronics in July 2014 and she was an integral member of the due diligence and integration team. Beats Music has since been integrated into iTunes as Apple Music while the headphone business has maintained the separate Beats by Dr Dre brand, which she continues to help lead.

Outside of work, Knysh is a committed community volunteer and breast cancer awareness advocate. Following a family health scare in 2015, Jo-Anne and her family have dedicated themselves to raising the awareness of breast-cancer screening and women’s health. She recently became a member of the board of directors with the US Friends of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation and has been a dedicated member of the home and school foundation in her local community for many years.

She has spoken about her experiences to students of UPEI’s EMBA program and is readily available to offer any mentorship she can to UPEI students. 

Knysh currently lives with her husband Brian in Saratoga, California while her two daughters Sara and Alison live in Chicago, Illinois. Although they are so far away, they all consider PEI to be home and can be found here every summer at their Stanley Bridge cottage.

Thilak Tennekone arrived in Prince Edward Island from Sri Lanka in 1992. As the first Sri Lankan family on the Island, the Tennekones saw firsthand the need for diversity and inclusivity in our communities. He has spent the better part of the last 25 years doing something about it. In 1993, he was one of the founders of the International Tea House on PEI, which was a series of multicultural education programs intended to promote cultural diversity in our community and designed to raise awareness across the Island. Tennekone continued to lead and build upon these programs until 2015.

Tennekone is a dedicated community volunteer, undertaking roles such as chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee with the Town of Stratford, member of the PEI Immigration Task Force, president of the PEI International Friendship Association, a founding member of the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, member of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO Advisory Committee on Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, and many other groups and organizations representing local, provincial, and national interests.

Since 2000, Tennekone has worked diligently as the diversity consultant for the Government of Prince Edward Island, strategically developing policies, practices, and programs on diversity and inclusion management in the public service.

During his time with the PEI government, Tennekone completed his diploma in Adult Education from UPEI in 2001 and completed his Master of Education in Leadership and Learning in 2006. His educational training has helped in the design, development, and facilitation of the diversity training and cultural awareness education he has been creating over the past 18 years.

Tennekone’s efforts have been widely celebrated over the last number of years. In 2014, he was the recipient of the Community Appreciation Award presented by the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada. In 2015, he was recognized with the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award for being a diversity champion, and in 2016, he received the PEI Human Rights Excellence Award for the Advancing of Human Rights in PEI.

Away from his volunteer and professional work, Tennekone is often found onstage sharing his unique Sri Lankan music at one of the many cultural events taking place throughout the year. Tennekone lives in Stratford with his wife Hema, and sons Gayan and Jayoda, both UPEI alumni.

Laura Archer from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island graduated from UPEI in 2001 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  From 2001 to 2004, Archer honed her skills in emergency rooms and hospitals across North America. In May of 2004, Archer sold all of her belongings, bought a backpack and a plane ticket, and took off on a global adventure that would change the course of her life.

After visiting several countries in Asia, India, the Middle East, and Africa and experiencing a natural disaster in Thailand, Archer knew she wanted to make a difference in some of the most devastated parts of the world. When she returned home in 2005, Archer applied and was accepted to work for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Her work with MSF took her around the world and back again. She provided emergency medical humanitarian services responding to natural disasters, epidemics, famine, conflict, and other complex health emergencies. Working in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, North Darfur, Sudan, Niger, and many others, there was always danger present, whether from disease or local groups that didn’t support the work of MSF. Despite the dangers she faced, Archer continued to work with MSF until 2012 when she was the Emergency Medical Team Leader in southeastern Chad.

Since 2016, she has been with the Global Health Unit of the Canadian Red Cross in Ottawa as the Health in Emergencies Advisor, providing operational and technical support to a wide variety of emergency medical humanitarian programs.  She has been deployed to Haiti following Hurricane Matthew, Somalia during the recent cholera outbreak, Antigua and Barbuda following Hurricane Irma, and Uganda in response to the South Sudanese refugee crisis. Archer is an experienced keynote speaker and facilitator and is often found in the front of a room filled with people looking to learn from her experiences and expertize.

When Archer is not providing humanitarian services around the globe, she will most likely be found in her art studio. Archer uses her art as a medium to tell the stories of the people she meets through her work and travel. She has appeared in many solo art exhibitions as well as juried group art exhibitions. One of her works is permanently on display in UPEI’s Applied Health Sciences building, which is home to the Faculty of Nursing.

Archer is currently completing her Advanced Master of Science in Disaster Medicine.  She lives in Ottawa with her husband Sjors and her two children Calvin and Adele.

Dr. Peter Hooley from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, graduated from UPEI in 2000 with his Bachelor of Science degree. He received the UPEI Class of 2000 Spirit Award, which is given to the student who made an outstanding contribution to the graduating class. Following his time at UPEI, Dr. Hooley proceeded to Dalhousie where he completed his medical degree in 2004 and was also awarded the Lourdes Embil prize for the top medical student in cardiovascular research.

Dr. Hooley completed his residency in June of 2006 and immediately began taking regular shifts in the emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. In July of 2006, he took over for Dr. Harry Callaghan at the Parkdale Medical Clinic with a patient load of more than 2,500 Islanders.

As an associate professor in the family medicine departments at both Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dr. Hooley has been a mentor and teacher to many doctors completing their residency programs on PEI. In 2010, he was named Preceptor of the Year by the Dalhousie University Department of Family Medicine’s residency program. In 2011, Dr. Hooley was named PEI Family Physician of the Year by the College of Family Physicians.

In 2014, he was the co-founder of the Queen Street Recovery Centre offering support services for Islanders struggling with addictions. He currently serves as the medical director and is a practicing physician at the Recovery Centre. In 2015, Dr. Hooley was the recipient of an Award of Excellence from the College of Family Physicians for his role in leading the establishment of the addiction clinic. He is a leader and highly sought after speaker on addiction as well as sport medicine.

In Dr. Hooley’s spare time, he is a community volunteer serving on several boards and government committees. He is heavily involved in the Pownal Minor Hockey Association, and has served as the team physician for the Charlottetown Islanders since 2007. Outside of the rink and office, you’ll most likely find Dr. Hooley spending time with his wife Melissa and three children Jack, Elise, and Brennen.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the release of two juvenile bald eagles by the Atlantic Veterinary College’s Wildlife Service on Saturday, October 13, at 2 p.m., at Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project in Orwell, P.E.I. Prior to the release of the eagles, there will be a Mi’kmaq smudging ceremony and drumming.

Both eagles spent a month at AVC under the care of the College’s Wildlife Service before going to the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Nova Scotia for rehabilitation.

One eagle was found in a field in Orwell on June 19, unable to fly. The young eagle possibly left the nest early because of strong winds. Students and staff built a nest in the flight cage where the bird spent its first few weeks, eating and recovering from its ordeal. Eventually it left the nest and explored the perches in the enclosure. After a month, it was transported to Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to interact with other eagles and gain flight muscle strength in the “Big Jeezley,” the centre’s huge oval flight cage.

The other eagle, also a young one, was found on July 24 in North Bedeque, P.E.I., with a stick protruding from either side of one of its wings. The stick was removed by Dr. Peter Moak, small animal surgeon at AVC, and the bird was treated with antibiotics and pain medication. It is thought that the eagle was probably still learning how to fly when it had a mishap, resulting in the stick being driven into its wing. After receiving medical care at AVC for a month, it also was taken to the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where it continued its rehabilitation.

In releasing these two eagles, the AVC Wildlife Service is honouring the late Dr. Helene Van Doninck, AVC Class of 1991. During her veterinary career, she dedicated her life to caring for injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. She and her husband, Murdo Messer, established the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in 2001. In addition to her remarkable record as a veterinarian, Dr. Van Doninck passed on her knowledge and expertise in the care of wildlife to AVC students. In April she was presented with AVC’s Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care and in July the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Humane Award for her dedication to caring for injured wildlife.

Should the weather be inclement, the release will take place on Sunday, October 14, at the same time and place.

UPEI announced today that Amy Connolly and Ryan Anstey will be inducted into the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame at its UPEI Sports Legacy Celebration on November 15.

“We are very excited to be inducting Amy and Ryan into the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame,” said Chris Huggan, UPEI’s Director of Athletics and Recreation. “Both were exceptional student-athletes, recognized at the U SPORTS level, and led their teams to AUS championships. They gave it their all while playing for the UPEI and it will great for all Panthers to be able to share in the celebration of their accomplishments on November 15^th.”

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2001 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs at the University of Prince Edward Island, Saint Dunstan's University, or Prince of Wales College. Each year, individual athletes, teams, and builders are inducted to honour their contributions towards the University's athletic success or community leadership.

The inductees will formally take their place in Panther history at the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame Gala Reception and Dinner, which will be held November 15 in the UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. The reception begins at 6:15 pm, with dinner served at 7:00 pm.

Tickets for the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame Gala are $50 each and can be purchased by dropping by or calling the Panther Central desk at 902-566-0368.

About the inductees

Amy Connolly was the cornerstone of the UPEI Women’s Soccer team from her rookie season to her final season in 2005–2006. Her coach Mike Redmond once said Connolly was “pound for pound, the toughest player ever to wear the green and white at UPEI. She could change games on her own. She was the heart and soul of this team for five years.”

Connolly was named team MVP in her rookie season. That same year, she made the first all-star team for the Atlantic Universities Athletics Association (now Atlantic University Sport or AUS)

—a tradition she would continue every year for her entire five-year university sport career. She was named to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) First-Team All-Canadian squad in 2006. She captained UPEI to its first appearance at the CIS championship in 2004. In 2005, she was named the CIS Women’s Soccer Player of the Year, as well as the UPEI Female Outstanding Athlete of the Year.

Ryan Anstey’s university sport career started with a bang, being a member of the AUS-champion Panthers in his second season with the UPEI Men’s Soccer team in 2002–2003. He was named team MVP and an AUS first-team all-star in 2003–2004. The next year, he made the AUS first team again and was named a CIS Academic All-Canadian. His final season, 2005–2006 , was incredible. He was named team MVP, a first team all-star for the AUS, leading scorer in the CIS, a CIS Academic All-Canadian, a tournament all-star at the CIS championship, UPEI Male Outstanding Athlete of the year, and the CIS Outstanding Male Player of the year.

“Ryan is a great one-on-one player, quick and hard for defenders to get a hold of," said head coach Lewis Page. “He's also a striker that will come back and help his midfielders win the ball back. But I think, most important, he's just a great person, on or off the field.” 

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Amin Suleman, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for October 1–7.

Jenna Mae Ellsworth is a third-year science student from Charlottetown and a guard on the UPEI Women’s Basketball team. The Panthers recently competed in the Concordia Classic, notching wins against Laurentian University and Memorial University, and dropping a game to the hosts. Ellsworth averaged 19 points per game, including a 25-point, five-rebound, five-steal performance in the Panthers win over MUN. “Jenna Mae had a great weekend for us in Montreal, Jenna Mae had a strong weekend for us,” said coach Matt Gamlin of Ellsworth. “She was a leader on the court in all three games. I’m very excited to see our continued development as we prepare for the start of the regular season.”

Amin Suleman is a fourth-year arts student from Toronto, Ontario and a guard on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team. The Panthers just returned from an exhibition road trip in Ontario, including a showing at the Brock RBC Classic. Suleman tallied 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the Panthers 78–61 loss to Brock University. “Amin showed lots of leadership throughout the weekend, not just his play on the court, but off it, too,” said coach Darrell Glenn.

Go Panthers Go!

The following release was issued by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency on October 10, 2018.

Being able to fill gaps in the labour market with highly educated and skilled students is critical for Atlantic Canadian businesses to thrive and grow the economy. The region’s skills shortage is top of mind within federal and provincial governments, and is a high priority for post-secondary institutions looking to recruit students from other countries. That is why both orders of government are teaming up to support the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Holland College as the schools build on their international student recruitment and retention efforts. 

Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), along with the Honourable Sonny Gallant, Prince Edward Island Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning, today announced support for PEI’s largest post-secondary institutions to grow international activity at UPEI and Holland College.

“The Government of Canada continues to support growth in business and academia to help entrepreneurs and innovators grow, export and create jobs," said Mr. Casey. "While students at any level of the education system can become the entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders of tomorrow, we still need highly skilled post-secondary graduates who are ready work in a variety of sectors. The key is to keep these bright minds engaged and working locally. These investments will help UPEI and Holland College carry out strategic approaches to attract students to learn in the province and entice them to stay, build their lives here and contribute to our economy.”

"Our government is pleased to support this project as it is a direct action item from our Population Action Plan. International students bring diversity to our Island post-secondary institutions, and furthermore contribute to our province’s overall economic growth and long-term sustainability when they choose to live and work on Prince Edward Island after their studies," said Minister Gallant.

This support will better position Holland College to apply focused strategies to build up its international student enrollment and further grow international education activity across its programs. UPEI will build on its recruitment activities and will implement a pan-Atlantic student retention initiative in partnership with Holland College and Collège de l'Île. The initiative will help attract greater numbers of international students to PEI post-secondary institutions and support students to stay in PEI and become permanent residents after graduation.

“In the last five years alone, UPEI has seen its international student body grow from approximately 600 to over 1200 students, with representation from over 80 countries," said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, UPEI's President and Vice-Chancellor. "It is important to retain our international students so that our province and region can reap the benefits of their knowledge, skills and global perspective. Thanks to ACOA and the Government of PEI, the University is in a position to support graduates in reaching their full potential right here on PEI.”

“As we see a significant increase in our international student numbers, we are also witnessing a growing interest among our international graduates to live and work in PEI," added Michael O'Grady, Holland College's Vice-President, Innovation, Enterprise and Strategic Development. "With the support of ACOA and the Government of PEI, we are confident that we can transition more international students to the Island labour force at a time of skill shortages and labour gaps.”

Over the next three years, the Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, will provide non-repayable contributions of $932,068 to UPEI and $437,175 to Holland College to attract and retain more international students. The Government of PEI will also provide $176,625 to UPEI, Holland College and Collège de l'Île through the Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning.

These investments build on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces to further support the Study and Stay program, an initiative of the Atlantic Growth Strategy. Enhancing the region’s capacity to attract and retain a skilled workforce and meet regional labour market needs is a key component of this Strategy, which supports strategic projects to drive economic growth in the region.

Quick Facts

• The international student enrollment at the University of Prince Edward Island represents approximately 26% of the student population.
• At Holland College, international students make up 18% of the student population.
• In February 2018, the Atlantic provincial governments, with support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada, announced the expansion of the Study and Stay program to Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Initially a pilot program to attract and retain greater numbers of international students delivered by EduNova in Nova Scotia, Study and Stay is being adapted to meet the specific needs of the individual provinces.

The Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament, presented by Rodd Hotels & Resorts, begins on Friday, October 12. Six men’s basketball teams from across Canada and the United States will compete in this annual three-day event.

“U SPORTS and CCAA Basketball fans will not want to miss this weekend’s Mickey Place Tournament,” said Darrell Glenn, coach of the UPEI Men’s Basketball team. “Some of the top players from across country will compete in our gym, and that's an opportunity that you don’t get everyday.”

The tournament is named after John Thomas “Mickey” Place, a long-time friend of Panther Sport, a former UPEI student union employee, and a UPEI honorary degree recipient.

Admission is free for UPEI students and students K-12. Tickets are $10 for an adult day pass, or $20 for a weekend pass. All games will be played in the UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. The full tournament schedule follows:

Friday, October 12

4:00 pm: Humber College vs University of Maine at Fort Kent
6:00 pm: Holland College vs McMaster University
8:00 pm: UPEI vs University of Regina

Saturday, October 13

4:00 pm: University of Maine at Fort Kent vs University of Regina 
6:00 pm: Humber College vs Holland College
8:00 pm: UPEI vs McMaster University

Sunday, October 14

11:00 am: UPEI vs Humber College 
1:00 pm: McMaster vs University of Regina
3:00 pm: Holland College vs University of Maine at Fort Kent

Go Panthers Go!