On April 27, NC’s Dr. Nadja Bressan, Associate Dean of the School of Trades, addressed federal government’s Standing Committee on Science and Research: Implications of the Canada-China Preliminary Joint Arrangement on Canada’s Electric Vehicle Sector, where she represented the College’s expertise in electric vehicle (EV) education.
Dr. Bressan, who holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and has over twenty years of experience as a tenured professor and academic leader, was asked to present and provide input into the committee’s study as they examine the scientific, research, and industry implications on foreign electric vehicles. Dr. Bressan, alongside other industry experts, outlined their perspectives on the Canada-China Preliminary Joint Arrangement and its implications for Canada’s EV sector, followed by questions from lawmakers.
Dr. Bressan spoke to broader workforce issues in the green automotive sector, including their effects on recruiting, retaining and developing talent considering the decision to import EV’s.
Dr. Bressan speaks before the standing committee in Ottawa on behalf of the College.
“It’s not every day that you get called to the speak before a parliamentary committee, and I was honoured to represent Niagara College,” said Dr. Bressan.
She emphasized the importance of EV safety, noting NC’s efforts to train first responders on the high voltage technology in the College’s Green Automotive Technology lab. Dr. Bressan asserted that all new EV’s in Canada should be designed with transparency to ensure public safety and ease of maintenance.
Dr. Bressan also contextualized the impact of the foreign trade agreement considering the federal cap on international student study permits and post-graduate work permits. These factors have reduced the pool of skilled workers in Canada’s automotive sector, an area in which the College has been a leading institution in training talent.
Dr. Bressan linked stable, well-paying employment in Canada’s automotive industry to easing cost-of-living pressures, while also noting the lead that Niagara College is taking to expand innovative programs to train the future workforce and to respond to industry needs.
