Working in Partnership

While health is a fundamental human right, Indigenous Peoples in Canada consistently experience systemic barriers to equitable care which are rooted in colonialism and shaped by social determinants of health.

In response, York signed an agreement with the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) in September 2024 to center Indigenous health priorities, research, and data sovereignty in the university’s new School of Medicine in ways that both reflect and build on its Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and the Indigenous Framework.

Rooted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the agreement aims to embed Traditional Knowledge into medical curricula, create pathway programs for Indigenous learners, facilitate student placements in Indigenous health organizations, and foster community-driven research.

This collaboration will also grant all faculty members, staff and students at the School of Medicine access to the IPHCC’s Indigenous Cultural Safety training tools and resources, an essential component of culturally safe medical education.

York University proudly awarded several honorary doctorates during the 2024–25 academic year to distinguished leaders who exemplify the university’s core values.

At the Fall 2024 Convocation, Mark Beckles was recognized for fostering social impact and innovation. Jeffrey Reading was honoured for his tireless advocacy for Indigenous health equity. Robert Potts was acknowledged for his decades-long work in advancing Indigenous land rights, and Edward Sorbara for his philanthropy and dedication to community development.

At the Spring 2025 Convocation, Dr. Malcolm King was honoured for his groundbreaking research in Indigenous health and wellness, and François Boileau for his exceptional dedication to equity in public service. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Wayne Isaacs was recognized for his global impact and inclusive business leadership. Angela Swan was acknowledged for her impactful contributions to Canadian contract law and legal scholarship, while Nick Nurse was celebrated for his innovative leadership as an NBA coach and his advocacy work. Chief Kelly LaRocca was recognized for her visionary leadership in Indigenous governance and environmental stewardship.

For over twenty years, Joan and Martin Goldfarb have played a pivotal role in shaping York University’s visual arts landscape. Their support has included donating major artworks, backing major capital projects that expanded York’s arts infrastructure, serving in key leadership roles at York, and contributing a total of more than $10 million to the university to date.

In November 2024, York unveiled the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery, a stunning new cultural space on the Keele Campus made possible through the Goldfarb’s most recent $6-million gift and an additional $3 million from York to bring the project to life.

Primed to be a focal point for artistic excellence at York and beyond, the new gallery houses three exhibition spaces, a performance pavilion, and a Visible Vault which offers a behind-the-scenes look at York’s art collection for research and education.

A transformative $749,500 gift from the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) is enabling the creation of Ontario’s only doctoral fellowship in Métis Studies, hosted at York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

The Métis Nation of Ontario Doctoral Fellowship will support Métis-led research into Métis history, culture, and ways of life, while advancing Indigenous representation in academia. Rooted in principles of reciprocity, respect, and recognition, the fellowship supports scholars for a minimum of three years at $20,000 per year.

The partnership builds on York’s strong commitment to Indigenous education, research, and community engagement, and is poised to empower the next generation of Métis leaders, educators, and advocates to lead in their communities and contribute to broader conversations on Indigenous rights.

In early 2025, York University signed two five-year Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and the City of Richmond Hill to formalize partnerships focused on shared goals in areas such as community development, sustainability, innovation, and economic growth.

Both MOUs create opportunities for collaboration in areas that include research and capstone projects, experiential learning opportunities for York students, professional development and training opportunities for municipal staff, support for local economic development initiatives, and other special projects.

Building on York’s legacy of positive impact through YSpace, the university’s successful entrepreneurship and innovation hub, and the recent opening of the Markham Campus, these agreements strengthen the university’s ties within York Region and embody its commitment to building more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous communities through transformative collaborations.

With the global climate crisis continuing to intensify, the need to decarbonize the Canadian economy and align capital investment with climate change commitments has never been more urgent.

To address this challenge, York University’s Schulich School of Business has partnered with Corporate Knights to develop one of Canada’s first climate finance indexes. With private investors constituting 83% of all capital expenditures in Canada, the index will track and measure private-sector climate-finance flows to help companies across industries measure their decarbonization progress while providing policymakers with valuable insights.

Led by Professor Olaf Weber, CIBC Chair in Sustainable Finance at Schulich, the new index will be featured in an upcoming Corporate Knights report, with Schulich experts contributing sector-specific insight and data interpretation.

In March 2025, York University and the Aga Khan Museum signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deepen their partnership through experiential education, research, and public engagement.

The collaboration will create opportunities for student placements, internships, and curatorial mentorships; joint class engagement and co-teaching; co-creation of curricular materials; academic research involving the Museum’s collections; and joint funding submissions. The MOU also paves the way for digital project development and shared events such as lectures, symposia, and workshops, while also providing access to gallery spaces at both institutions and connection to the Museum’s international network.

Building on earlier collaborations, this partnership strengthens York and the Museum’s shared vision of a more just, sustainable, and interconnected world through inclusive and intercultural scholarship.

With global shifts accelerating the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the United Nations Environment Programme has underscored the importance of collaborating across sectors to ensure the health and well-being of both people and planet.

In April 2025, York University and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) embodied this call to action by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand joint efforts focused on sustainability and community well-being.

The MOU outlines plans for collaborative research in areas ranging from biodiversity and climate justice, waste management, and water dynamics to community health and urban planning; student learning opportunities including experiential education and co-ops; community engagement and knowledge mobilization activities; and corporate, facility, and site sustainability.

By leveraging their complementary strengths, the partnership aims to build community capacity in the Greater Toronto Region while advancing environmental sustainability for future generations.

In March 2025, York University and ventureLAB renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their collaboration in talent development, research, and innovation within the technology sector.

This expanded partnership will provide faculty and students at York’s Lassonde School of Engineering with enhanced access to ventureLAB’s cutting-edge facilities, including its hardware lab and Innovation Centre. The collaboration aims to foster hands-on learning, support groundbreaking research, and accelerate commercialization in key sectors such as hardtech, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and medtech.

Through joint programming and experiential opportunities, the MOU will also connect students, researchers, and entrepreneurs to ventureLAB’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.

In February 2025, Making the Shift, a youth homelessness social innovation lab co-led by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) at York University and A Way Home Canada, organized the International Conference on the Prevention of Youth Homelessness in Toronto.

With more than 600 attendees from across the globe and over 100 presentations by leading experts, the conference created a dynamic forum for exchanging knowledge and driving impactful prevention efforts worldwide. The event featured several prominent keynote speakers: York Professor and COH president and CEO, Stephen Gaetz; Professor Jama Shelton from Hunter College; Professor Peter Mackie from Cardiff University; and Jeff Olivet, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Other speakers included Marci Ien, who was then serving as Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth, and Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, who was serving as Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities at the time of the conference.