Sustainability Week 2026

Join us for the 7th annual UTM Sustainability Week! Sustainability Week will be held this year from Monday March 16th to Friday March 20th, 2026, in partnership with UTMSU, the UTM Sustainability Office, and the MScSM Student Executive Council (MSEC). 

This year, the theme for the week will be "Think Critically, Act Collectively", as we collectively acknowledge there is a climate crisis and we all have a part to play, be it academic discipline, lived experience, and everything in between. The purpose of this week is to create impact and encourage collaboration on campus towards a more sustainable community both on campus and beyond. 

Stay tuned for events that will be updated here!

Monday, March 16th

HCC: Mindful Monday's Mint Planting Workshop

11am-1pm, Wellness Den (Student Services Hub Davis)

Come and join the HCC and plant some mint as part of Mindful Mondays. Drop-in!

Sustainability Campus Tour

12-1pm, Meet in MN Grand Hall

The Sustainability Office invites students, staff, and faculty to join us on a 1-hour walking tour.

The tour will include an overview of the Instructional Building, including the geothermal system and solar panels, the water harvesting system in Maanjiwe nendamowinan, and will wrap up in our newest building, the Science Building.
Date: Monday, March 16th, 2026 | Time: Noon-1pm | Location: MN Grand Hall

Rain or shine. Tour will be indoors.

Maximum attendees per tour is 25 people. Please register here.

HEAL Tabling! (Drop-in)

4-6pm (Kaneff Outside of Grad Lounge)

Join HEAL (Health, Environment, Adaptability, Longevity) to discuss all things health and sustainability.

Tuesday, March 17th

Sustainability Fair! (Drop-in)

10am-2pm (CCT Link and Atrium)

Be part of an exciting event dedicated to exploring diverse solutions in sustainability! This year’s Sustainability Fair brings together students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals to engage with new ideas, best practices, and emerging sustainability practices.

The fair will showcase how individuals and organizations are addressing environmental and social challenges, stimulating learning and collaboration across the campus community.

If your department, club, or organization is driving positive change, we invite you to join us! Whether through new technologies, eco-friendly initiatives, or community-led solutions, we want to highlight your contributions to creating a more sustainable future.

Join us in making a meaningful impact! Together, we can build a greener, healthier planet for generations to come.

UTMSU Presents: Sustainable Taste Testing

3-5pm, Student Centre

Join UTMSU in taste-testing some sustainable food and snack choices!

Regenesis Presents: Tote Bag Painting

3pm-6pm Student Centre Boardroom

A cute image of a painted totebag with the sun and flowers and information on the Regenesis Tote Bag Painting event on March 17th from 3pm-6pm during Sustainability Week.

Join the Regenesis UTM Team for the Tote Bag Painting Workshop where you can decorate your own reusable tote bag for Sustainability Week on Tues, March 17 from 3:00 - 6:00 PM in the Student Centre Board Room!

UTM Mock COP: World Climate Simulation

5:30-8:30pm, DV3130

Brought to you by the UTM Sustainability Ambassadors and the UofT COP Research Group, join us in this interactive mock simulation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (or COP, Conference of the Parties). Students will represent countries, debate on real climate challenges of countries, and negotiate a climate agreement to reduce global warming. No prior experience is required. Light refreshments will be served.

To register, please visit: UTM Mock COP: World Climate Simulation – Fill out form

Wednesday, March 18th

Fair Trade & Sustainability Market (Drop-in!)

11am-3pm MN Grand Hall

Presented by Hospitality & Ancillary Services! You can expect to see some local & national brands showcasing their products, telling their stories, and celebrating all the good that comes with Fair Trade and sustainable practices!

Bring your wallets & appetites, this year we're going to have a wide variety of products at the market, from food & flowers to jewelry, soaps, candles, tea, clothing & more! We'll have plenty of Fair Trade items available to see, touch, try, taste, and buy, as well as people ready and willing to share their cool brands and unique stories around how they're working to change the world.

For more information about the event and attending vendors, please click here.

HEAL Panel

2-4pm, KN L1220 (Drop-in)

How can innovation in healthcare also become innovation for the planet? Join HEAL (Health, Environment, Adaptability, Longevity) for an engaging panel discussion on advancing sustainability in healthcare, where leaders and changemakers will explore complex challenges, practical solutions, and the future of environmentally-responsible healthcare.

Following the panel, connect with fellow students and professionals at our networking session, and help us build a community committed to creating a more sustainable healthcare system.

Sustainable Sewing with Dino and Regenesis!

3-5pm, DV2220

Learn to make sustainab le dog toys with and for Dino, the Career Centre's best boy! Please bring in an old piece of clothing and we'll take care of the rest!

Cute cartoon of Dino sewing with info about the event aviable in text on the website.

Thursday, March 19th

HEAL Tabling! (Drop-in)

9am-12pm (CCT Link)

Join HEAL (Health, Environment, Adaptability, Longevity) to discuss all things health and sustainability.

ENV332: Sustainability Practicum Showcase!

11am-12pm DV2062 (Drop-in)

Students in ENV332 have spent the past few months tackling real-world sustainability challenges in partnership with industry and campus organizations. Their mission? To advance sustainability initiatives for groups such as Steam Whistle, Evergreen, Porter Lake, UTM Sustainability, Tin Shack, and the UTM Parking & Transportation Office.

Join us for a series of fast-paced 3-minute lightning talks where students present their project scope, results and recommendations. Come support them as they showcase their findings and celebrate their work. Coffee, tea and light snacks will be provided.

HCC Wellness Den: Stitch for the Planet - Crocheting Mesh Bags

11:30am-1pm Wellness Den (Student Services Hub, Davis Building)

Join Self-Care Thursday’s Stitch for the Planet at the Wellness Den, a session where students can learn how to crochet mesh tote bags. No prior experience is required! Grab a pair of crochet hooks, a ball of yarn and a friend and chat with us about needlework and sustainability in honour of Sustainability Week here at UTM!

ECO Canada Information Session

12-1:30pm, Student Services Hub (Davis Building)

Brought to you by the Environment Program, the UTM Career Centre, and ECO Canada, come and learn about the accreditation program through ECO Canada.

Light refreshments will be served.

MSECxTEN Present: Decarbonization & Climate Panel

12-1pm, KN L1220

Theme: A Discussion on Decarbonization & Climate

Purpose: to introduce students to key strategies and real-world approaches to decarbonization and climate action; to deepen their understanding of synergies between public and private sector approaches to decarbonization; and to encourage critical thinking about the future pathways for accelerating meaningful climate solutions in the energy sector.

All questions from the audience will be answered at the end of the panel during the Q&A period.

To register, please click here

MSECxTEN Present: Social Impact & Policy Panel

1-2pm, KN L1220

Theme: A Discussion on Social Impact & Policy

Purpose: to broaden students’ understanding of how social impact and policy shape sustainability outcomes; to explore how policy decisions affect communities and governance; and to examine the role of cross-sector collaboration in enabling or constraining effective sustainability action.

All questions from the audience will be answered at the end of the panel during the Q&A period.

To register, please click here

Just Eat It Documentary Screening

4-6pm, Student Centre Presentation Room

Come join us for a cozy screening of Just Eat It on March 19 from 4:00–6:00 PM in the Student Centre Presentation Room. We’ll have popcorn ready, and the film is about 1 hour and 15 minutes long. Just Eat It is a fun and eye-opening documentary about food waste that follows a couple as they challenge themselves to live only on food that would otherwise be thrown away, revealing just how much perfectly good food gets wasted every day. It’s a great chance to relax, snack, and learn something new together.

IEC and IMI Present: Virtual Sustainability Case Competition

The International Education Centre is excited to partner with The Institute for Management and Innovation to bring you the Virtual Sustainability Case Competition hosted by The University of Toronto Mississauga — running from March 19 – 22, 2026.

Join students from universities around the world during UTM's Sustainability Week to collaborate, innovate, and compete to develop a groundbreaking solution to a real-world sustainability challenge. Working in international teams, you'll pitch your idea as a short video on the final day — with the top three teams splitting $5,000 in cash prizes.

For more information and to register, click here.

UTMSU Presents: Sewing Workshop

3-6pm, UTMSU Boardroom

Friday, March 20th

HCC Presents: Trash Sorting Challenge - Think Before You Throw

11:30-1pm, Wellness Den (Student Services Hub, Davis Building)

An interactive, drop-in sustainability education activity where students learn how to properly sort waste on campus through a hands-on sorting challenge. Participants will sort common waste items typically disposed on campus into garbage, recycling, or compost categories. We are hoping to have the waste items be physical, but they may also be cards with pictures of the waste item.

The activity aims to increase environmental literacy, increase awareness of correct waste disposal, and promote sustainable daily habits. Participants who correctly sort items will receive small prizes.

UTM Walks

12-1pm (Meet at RAWC Lobby)

Join fellow UTM students for a refreshing guided walk along the UTM Nature Trail in celebration of Sustainability Week. This midday walk is a great way to unwind, stay active, and learn more about the campus’s natural spaces. Co-presented with the UTM Sustainability Office.

To register, please click here

UTMSU Vertical Garden Grow & Glow

3-5pm, UTMSU Vertical Garden (Student Centre Main Hall)

Wednesday March 25th

Desplazados (The Displaced) Documentary Screening with Director Q&A

4:30-6:30pm, KN L1220

Join us in person for an eye-opening documentary that dives into the world of environmental justice and greenwashing -- when organizations pretend to be environmentally conscious for their own gain. After the film, stick around for a Q&A session to chat, ask questions, and dig deeper into the topics of the short film. This event is an extension of UTM's Sustainability Week and provides a relaxed environment to learn, reflect, and snack!

Film description: Southern Chile, 1978 — a four-year-old girl and her family are forced from their home by Pinochet's dictatorship. Nearly 50 years later, she returns to the land she once called home, now a privatized luxury reserve marketed as conservation. Through pilgrimages, workshops, and legal action, she rallies her community to memorialize and reclaim the territory that was theirs. The film explores intergenerational trauma, resilience, and the fight to confront entrenched power and historical injustice in southern Chile.

Link to learn more about the director and the first cut of the film originally named How to Get Away with Greenwashing: https://www.doclands.com/pitch-how-to-get-away-with-greenwashing

To register, please visit: https://desplazados.eventbrite.ca