The University of Niagara Falls Canada (UNF) is fulfilling its dedication to global transformation during SDG Month.
Developed by the United Nations (UN), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide strategies for improving health and education, reducing inequality, combatting climate change, and driving economic growth. Numbering 17 in total, they comprise the heart of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by all UN member states in 2015 to increase peace and prosperity across the planet now and in the future.
In March 2023, the inaugural SDG Week Canada was launched to showcase how universities and college campuses across the country were contributing to and spreading awareness of the SDGs. UNF came on board in January 2024, when it was one of more than 360 post-secondary institutions that signed the SDG Accord, a global initiative created to emphasize the role of the higher education sector in promoting the SDGs. Two months later, the second annual SDG Week Canada took place from March 4 to 8, 2024. This year, it has expanded to include all of March 2025 as SDG Month Canada.
By signing the SDG Accord, UNF promised to help deliver the SDGs, report annually on its progress, and share any lessons learned with other institutions globally. Fittingly, March has come with several one-time and ongoing events and initiatives that align with SDG requirements.
The Nourish and Flourish program, organized by the Student Success Office, speaks to SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The program is a series of events designed to promote healthy eating amongst the student body at UNF. March’s event was a DIY Snack Station, where students could drop by and stock up on an assortment of healthy snacks. Past events have included Fresh Fruit Fridays, which allowed students to start their weekend by picking up fresh fruit such as bananas, apples, and clementines, and Recipe for Success, an initiative that provides students with the recipe and ingredients for a nutritious meal as well as resources to help them access healthy, affordable food options in the Niagara region.
“Fulfilling the SDGs has given the Student Success Office an opportunity to create events that, along with being fun and a chance to socialize, show students how to take care of themselves, each other, and the world as a whole,” said Sam Edgar, Associate Director, Student Experience. “They’ve been an amazing guide to follow.”
Student-run clubs also help to address a number of items raised through the SDGs. Launched in fall 2024, the UNF Football Club shows a focus on student health and fitness that addresses SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. The UNF Language Club hosts weekly language lessons at the Niagara Falls Public Library, thereby addressing SDG 4: Quality Education. This SDG is also met through on-campus services like exam preparation offered by UNF’s Writing Centre.
On March 15, the university’s Woman in Leadership Luncheon naturally tied into SDG 5: Gender Equality. Forty students attended this event to hear how three female leaders have achieved success in the Niagara region’s public and private sectors. The featured leaders included Tapo Chimbganda, founder of the non-profit organization Future Black Female, Krystle Caputo, a senior consultant with ONpoint Strategy Group, and Mona Patel, a city councillor for the City of Niagara Falls.
SDG 12 highlights the importance of responsible consumption and production. UNF addresses this by offering three streams of recycling on campus, which include organics, cardboard and paper, and glass, bottles, and cans. All coffee pods are also completely compostable, and two water bottle filling stations are available to help eliminate single-use plastic bottles. Additional battery recycling bins can be found in student and staff areas.
As UNF continues to fulfill the SDGs in meaningful and creative ways, David Gray, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, remains optimistic about the positive impact doing so will have on the university community.
“Our goal is to provide innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the modern world,” said Gray. “By addressing the SDGs, UNF is enhancing the wellbeing of our community and showing students how, through dedicated effort, they can use their skills, passion, and knowledge to effect real change.”
