Our projects

Canada is committed to decarbonizing its transportation sector and becoming a global leader in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). In recent years, the market share of ZEVs in Canada has steadily grown, driven by various federal, provincial, and territorial government actions, including regulations, purchase incentives, and investments in charging infrastructure. 

With the Government of Canada’s goal of achieving 100% zero-emission vehicle sales for all new light-duty vehicles by 2035, McMaster University is preparing for an increase in EVs on campus. This project involves students in crucial advocacy work to develop new procedures for EV charging stations on campus, including determining optimal locations for these stations. 

The objectives of this project are as follows: 

1. Complete a scan of other Canadian campuses EV procedures and/or policies 
2. Determine ideal locations for EV stations across campus  
3. Compile the findings into a report   

 Community Project Champions

• Robert Morrallee, Director, Parking & Transit Services, Real Estate, Partnerships and Ancillaries, McMaster University
• Dave Cano, Director, Sustainability, Facility Services, McMaster University 

The award-winning Pathways to Education Program supports high school students living in low-income communities across Canada. By offering a holistic combination of academic, financial, social, and one-on-one supports, the program effectively removes barriers to graduation and fosters positive youth development during the critical high school years.

This project aims to better understand the needs of high school students who receive support from Pathways to Education and to identify why certain days of the week see higher attendance in after-school programs. Students involved in this project will explore strategies to boost active participation in after-school programs at Mission Services and COMPASS Community Health. The objectives of this project are:

1. Create a social media campaign to promote the programs.
2. Design posters to promote the programs.
3. Collect and analyze data on whether the marketing efforts increased participation in the programs.

Community Project Champion
Nathan Savelli, Pathways to Education Project Coordinator  

As sightings of coyotes become more common in the City of Hamilton, including in backyards, fields, cemeteries, and potentially on campus, it is crucial to raise awareness about how to coexist safely with these animals. Although coyotes have been known to attack humans and pets, posing a potential danger, especially to children, the risks are minimal. Most incidents can be reduced or prevented through changes in human behavior. 

Project Objectives for Advocacy Campaign on @macsustain Instagram account:

1. Informative Carousel Post: Develop concepts and storyboards for an informative carousel post. This will be based on background research, focusing on key messages and visually appealing elements to educate the community about coyote behavior and safety tips.  
2. Engaging Reel: Brainstorm and create ideas for an engaging reel that captures attention and effectively communicates important information about living safely with coyotes.  
3. Story Highlight: Recommend consolidating specific content related to coyotes into a story highlight. Plan the sequence and organization to ensure the information is easily accessible and informative. This social media campaign aims to educate and inform the Hamilton community about coyotes, promoting safe coexistence and reducing potential conflicts. 

Community Project Champions

Ashley Low, Communications Assistant, Academic Sustainability Programs Office

Molly Mikola, Instructional Coordinator, EIP

McMaster Libraries hosts a seed library, open annually in the winter term since 2023. Seeds are available to students, staff, faculty, and community members to borrow and grow in their own gardens, and includes a collection of?non-GMO native vegetable, herb, and flower seeds.
 

The objectives of this project are as follows: 

1. Support Seed Packing Events in January: Assist in organizing and facilitating seed packing events.  
2. Promote the Seed Library: Develop strategies to raise awareness among the campus community.  
3. Create Seed/Plant Profile Pages: Develop profiles with essential growing information.  

For more information about the McMaster Libraries Sustainability Committee and the seed library, please visit here. 

Community Project Champion

Nicole Doro, Teaching and Learning Librarian, McMaster Libraries Sustainability Committee co-chair 

The Food Collective Centre is a McMaster Student Union (MSU) service that provides food security resources to support students and community members. Their resources include an on-campus food bank, cooking workshops, Good Food Box?(a subsidized fresh produce ordering service), and educational/fundraising events. They aim to cultivate stronger food systems within the McMaster community and advocate for practices that improve food security for all.

For more information, visit our website: https://msumcmaster.ca/service/fcc/

The objectives of this project are:

1. Plan an educational social media campaign about food insecurity in Hamilton and/or among post-secondary school students. This includes conducting research on food insecurity and creating drafts of the medium (ie. Instagram story, reels)
2. Create a detailed plan to help increase perishable donations for the Food Collective Centre 
3. Create a virtual cookbook

Community Project Champions

Ella Ying, Food Collective Centre Director

Zoe Yalung, Food Collective Centre Assistant Director

Stop Sprawl HamOnt (SSHO) is a coalition of citizens and community groups advocating in an intense and unprecedented way to maintain Hamilton’s urban boundary and save farmland from sprawl development.

StopSprawl Students is a student led club that was created two years ago to advocate for supporting local farmer’s and farmland among university students.   With their work, they create awareness about current legislation being enacted that threatens to expand the urban boundary of the City of Hamilton onto farmland.  

In March 2024, StopSprawl Students invited ~100 students to explore the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, meeting the farmers that grow the food they eat, as well as learn about current legislation affecting the Urban Boundary, and the future of farmland in Ontario.   

The objectives for Winter 2025 SUSTAIN 2SS3 students is to: 

1. Create marketing materials for future Spring Farmer’s Market events 
2. Create a communication guide on how to share the marketing materials
3. Package this information in an advocacy guide 

Students taking on this project will be strongly encouraged to attend the event being held in March of 2025. 

*To learn more about this event check out @stopsprawlstudents on Instagram to see promotional and recap videos from last year’s event and learn about Bill 185 here. 

Community Project Champion: 

• Sunit Toor, Member, Stop Sprawl Student
• Cherish Zhang, Member, Stop Sprawl Student

CPC Advisor:? 

• Michelle Tom, Co-Founder Stop Sprawl HamOnt
• Shania Ramharrack-Maharaj, Founder of Stop Sprawl Students

Every year, the City of Hamilton celebrates active mobility in the winter months with Winter Bike Day. This year, Cycle Hamilton, a local advocacy non-profit, is helping to coordinate the event to get Hamiltonians out on their bike and join the Hamilton community at City Hall on February 14. 

Students who take on this project will support with:  

1. Creating social media for the event 
2. Organizing guided group rides to City Hall 
3. Helping with set up and take down of the event 

Students who take on this project should be available on February 14 and should be able to participate in the event by cycling, rolling, and running to the event.  

*Joining the ride is optional as not all students will feel comfortable or have the means to ride a bicycle.  

Community Project Champion: 

Abbie Little – Co-Chair, Cycle Hamilton

Since 2009, McMaster has continually worked to expand its campus composting program. Compost bins now exist in many buildings on campus in both kitchens and common areas such as libraries, the Student Center, and most residence buildings.[1] 

In addition to the efforts of McMaster’s Facility Services Department, student groups have also been working to foster responsible production and consumption, including composting. Zero Waste McMaster is ‘a club focused on promoting sustainable, low-waste living on campus and in our community’.[2]

According to McMaster’s 2022 Waste Audit, only 6% of what’s found in the garbage is organic material, signaling the effectiveness of the University’s composting program.[3] However, based on visual audits, some composting bins have very little contamination by items that should have been placed in the garbage or recycling while other composting bins are highly contaminated.  

The challenge for SUSTAIN 2SS3 students is to develop an advocacy campaign to ensure that we are maximizing composting efforts,?across campus – including all eateries run by Hospitality Food Services, MSU and GSA.? The objectives of this project are: 

1. Update the McMaster Compost & Specialty Bins map with active, inactive, and Specialty bins  
2. Create marketing materials on where the bins are located  
3. Understand the coffee ground composting that is happening La Piazza

Community Project Champion(s):

• Nelly Okwu-wolu, Project Team Executive, Zero Waste McMaster
• Sonia Chernov, Project Team Executive, Zero Waste McMaster

Project Advisor:

• Dave Cano, Director, Sustainability, Facility Services, McMaster University
   

https://facilities.mcmaster.ca/app/uploads/2023/02/Waste-Audit-2022.pdf

https://facilities.mcmaster.ca/sustainability/waste/

https://www.instagram.com/zerowastemcmaster/

This project explores McMaster students’ perceptions of biking and awareness of Bike Month activities in Hamilton. Bike Month is an annual celebration in June promoting cycling as a fun, sustainable, and accessible mode of transportation in Hamilton. Key community partners such as Cycle Hamilton, Hamilton Bike Share, Kidical Mass, and Bike for Mike play vital roles in fostering a vibrant cycling culture through events like group rides, educational programs, and advocacy for safe, active transportation.  

The goal of this project is to enhance student participation in Bike Month activities by conducting community research to understand McMaster students’ perceptions and awareness of these events. 

1. Conduct community research to understand McMaster students’ perceptions and awareness of Bike Month activities by hosting an information table in collaboration with HBS (Hamilton Bike Share) and engaging students through targeted questions. 
2. Identify the most effective communication channels and motivational factors that encourage students to participate in Bike Month activities. 
3. Compile a concise report summarizing research findings and providing actionable recommendations for future engagement strategies. 

Community Project Champion 

Daniel Chong – Project Lead at Bike for Mike

Hamilton Bike Share (HBS) is the local not-for-profit organization that operates the City’s Bike Share system. Bike Share has over 900 smart bikes, 32000 active members and a service area that extends from Dundas to Kenilworth Ave in the lower city. Following a student-led referendum in January 2024, all full-time undergraduate McMaster students now have access to a universal bike share pass as part of their student fees, with the option to opt out.

Last semester, Hamilton Bike Share worked with students from SUSTAIN 3S03 to run a “Learn To Ride” event which helped 5 students learn to ride a bike and dozens of individuals to understand how the U-Pass works. HBS is now looking for a passionate, eager and well-connected group of students to continue the momentum from the previous SUSTAIN students by creating a step-by-step guide book to:

1. Increase awareness of the Mac U-Pass
2. Communicate the value of the pass and the fees students pay
3. Educate students on how to use bike share for the next pass launch and opt out period in September 2025

Students who take on this project are strongly encouraged to participate in Bike Day on Friday, February 14.

Community Project Champion
Olivia MacAskill, Community Engagement Manager

This project will build on previous work completed by SUSTAIN students to further advocate for the McMaster Community Fridge.   

Did you know that many McMaster students don’t have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food? The McMaster Community Fridge aims to reduce barriers and support food security by providing food for folks in the McMaster community and surrounding area who need it. The McMaster Community Fridge is a fridge, freezer, and pantry located on campus by Mills Library and Lot B that is accessible 24/7. It provides fresh food and non-perishable items at no cost to those who need it. 

There are many downstream and upstream factors that contribute to food security, which for many people may not be well-known. The role of the intersectionality campaign is to educate members of the McMaster community and beyond on the different factors and determinants that impact the food security of individuals. This project will incorporate Indigenous education into understanding intersectionality. 

This project will build on the work of students in SUSTAIN 2SS3 (2021), SUSTAIN 3S03 (2021), and SUSTAIN 2SS3 (2022) with the goal to design, curate, and host a social media campaign focused on intersectionality.  

Students who take on this project will be tasked with 1) Creating 5-10 social media graphics and captions, 2) Hosting a social media story takeover on @mcmastercommunityfridge Instagram account and 3) Reporting on engagement from the social media campaign and takeover. 

This project is open to student creativity and innovation as it supports research and consultation about food security support and promotion at McMaster.  

Community Project Champion(s) 

Zachary Nott, Community Fridge Liaison, McMaster Community Fridge 

Maureen Saha, Communications Coordinator, McMaster Community Fridge 

 On Sunday, June 18, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm, King Street East in Hamilton will be closed to vehicle traffic from John Street to Gage Avenue and opened for residents to walk, cycle, roll up and down the street. The street will be transformed into additional public space with physical activity stations and other activities. This event is the first of its kind and is an extremely exciting opportunity! The goal of Open Streets Hamilton is to get as many people as possible outside and exploring on the event day. The event touches on a number of goals: community engagement, increased physical activity, LRT awareness, sustainable transportation, environmental stewardship and business engagement.

Students who take on this project will be tasked with promoting this event through the following ways: 

1. Design a 6-week social media campaign (for IG, FB, Twitter) promoting the event that includes:

1. 1. Save the dates and action posts (i.e: Join us for a run, Check out this yoga class at 10am etc.)
   2. Encourage residents of Hamilton to register their own Open Streets Activation
   3. Volunteer recruitment 
   4. Template for organization/programming partners to promote their involvement and easily create posts like “I’m part of Open Streets” 
   5. Draft a press release for media outlets
2. Create an map (virtual and physical) that highlights programming hubs and program partner locations from John Street to Gage Avenue
3. Research an open source photo sharing gallery to present to your community champion.

This project is ideal for organized and driven students who are creative and passionate about Hamilton!

Community Project Champion

Laura Buckley, Open Streets 2023 Coordinator 

McMaster University is signatory to the Okanagan Charter, which is committed to optimizing the health and well-being of campus. Since 2019, McMaster has worked to promote native bees on campus and currently has 75 native bee nests, a plan to implement a native bee nesting garden, and is a Bee City Campus. As a designated Bee City Campus, the University is required to participate in Pollinator Week, which is occurring from June 19 –25, 2023.  

SUSTAIN 2SS3 students who take on this project would be tasked with creating a campaign for Pollinator Week. This will entail: 

1. Designing a social media campaign for @macsustain and @natureatmac Instagram accounts that will be posted for Pollinator Week 
2. Pre-recording a social media story takeover for @macsustain and @natureatmac Instagram accounts that will be posted for Pollinator Week 
3. Drafting a Daily News story highlighting McMaster’s native bees that will be posted for Pollinator Week 

This project is open to student creativity and is ideal for students who like graphic design and are passionate about educating the McMaster and broader community about McMaster’s native bee population.  

Community Project Champion: 

Veronique Audette, Coordinator, Communication & Initiatives of Nature at McMaster  

Noah Stegman, Coordinator of Nature at McMaster and Pollinator Team member  

Sustainability poses complex challenges that require interdisciplinary solutions. McMaster’s Interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainability was developed in 2014 with the goal to develop students’ interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of sustainability. All undergraduate students can pursue the minor, choosing from 80+ courses from faculties across campus. So far. More than 250 students have graduated with the minor.  

Despite efforts to generate awareness, we often hear from students that they found out about the minor too late in their undergraduate career to satisfy the course requirements.  

The goal of this project is to develop an advocacy plan to reach more students early on, so that more students can obtain robust knowledge of sustainability for which they can apply to help create a more sustainable future for all.

Community Project Champion  

Kara Salvador, Program Administrator, Academic Sustainability Programs Office 

Liaison and Project Mentor 

Dr. Kate Whalen, Associate Director, Academic Sustainability Programs Office. 

Zero Waste McMaster is a club that is focused on promoting sustainable and accessible low waste living. In 2020, Zero Waste McMaster began its partnership with free Ecosia, a search engine that donates its ad revenue to reforestation projects across the globe. For every 45 searches, approximately 1 tree is planted. Ecosia has planted over 160 million trees and has approximately 200 million users. To date, McMaster students’ collective search count on personal devices has reached 55,000 and consequently over 1,200 trees planted. 

In October 2022, Zero Waste McMaster collaborated with the McMaster Students Union (MSU) to pilot Ecosia on 20+ staff computers, and the pilot is currently underway. In the Winter of 2023, Zero Waste McMaster and students from SUSTAIN 2SS3 worked with the McMaster Memorial Library to install Ecosia as the default web browser on 170 public-facing library computers. Read the Daily News story here: https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/articles/ecosia-search-engine-mcmaster/  

Students who take on this project will be working with student leaders from Zero Waste McMaster to prepare an advocacy plan complete with clear, concise, and compelling communications to engage other departments in an Ecosia pilot. 

While the project is open to creativity, SUSTAIN 2SS3 students can expect to create and disseminate information through email, memo, and presentation to department and faculty leaders and leadership teams. Students will develop communication strategies that advocate for the importance of Ecosia to users, and gain community feedback to learn more about effective implementation strategies. This project provides an opportunity for SUSTAIN 2SS3 students to extend their course experience to go above and beyond by implementing their advocacy plan and materials and successfully launch the next Ecosia pilot at McMaster, paving the way for sustainable change on an institutional level by setting up McMaster University as the first Canadian university to make the switch to Ecosia.  

Community Project Champion(s):  

Nelly Okwu-wolu, Project Team Executive, Zero Waste McMaster 

ASP Liaison and Project Mentor 

Dr. Kate Whalen, Associate Director, Academic Sustainability Programs