Competition to solve freshwater issues begins in Atlantic Canada

Field sampling is an important part of the work Environmental Science students do in classes and in research work with professors. Photo Credit: Dr. Linda Campbell

A competition to solve Atlantic Canadian water issues through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship begins this week. The competition is organized by AquaAction in partnership with Saint Mary’s University. 

“We are excited to bring the AquaHacking Challenge back to Atlantic Canada,” says Dr. Anne-Pascale Richardson, AquaHacking Challenge Program Manager at AquaAction. “AquaAction’s mission is to restore freshwater health in North America. We do this by engaging with local communities to empower talented young innovators and support them as they work to improve freshwater in their region. The first Atlantic Canada AquaHacking Challenge was a great success, and we look forward to this year’s competition.” 

Atlantic Canada is home to a spectacular system of dynamic freshwater and marine environments. Water is core to ecosystems and communities across the region. The Atlantic Canada AquaHacking Challenge brings students, developers, designers, scientists, programmers, engineers, technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs together to form interdisciplinary teams to tackle different freshwater challenges facing these important ecosystems. 

The issues they’ll be focusing on are:  

1. Innovations for alteration projects in Lakes and Rivers
   Water Issue Leader: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change - Water Branch

2. Affordable Automated Water Quality Monitoring
   Water Issue Leader: Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc.

3. Saltwater Intrusion
   Water Issue Leader: Clean Foundation’s Clean Coasts team

4. Aquatic Invasive species
   Water Issue Leader: Coastal Action

5. Green Infrastructure (Stormwater Prevention)
   Water Issue Leader: ACAP Saint John

“AquaHacking is the type of interdisciplinary competition that allows students and young people to apply their knowledge to practical, real-world situations,” says Michael Sanderson, Director of the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC). “We are proud to partner with AquaAction to bring this great competition back to Atlantic Canada.” 

Participants should have an interest in problem solving, collaborating with students from various faculties and applying innovative solutions to bring impactful change to communities in the Atlantic region. They are required to be between 18-35 years of age, a resident of Canada within the Atlantic region and enrolled in a post-secondary institution or be a recent graduate. The entire team doesn’t need to be residing in the Atlantic region, but the majority of the team should be within the Atlantic region.  

“Our students are excited and ready to challenge the freshwater issues facing Atlantic Canada,” says Adam Khamis, the Project Coordinator of Skills, Development and Training with SMUEC. “This competition is a dynamic blend of entrepreneurship, social action and science that offers students a unique opportunity to work with people in areas they may not otherwise have discovered.”  

After working on their pitches for nine months, all teams will have the opportunity to pitch their solution during the AquaHacking semi-final event. The top teams are selected from these pitches to go on to phase two of the program.  These finalists receive $2,000 to support the continuation of their work as they refine their solution in preparation for their pitch at the AquaHacking finale. All five finalist teams are winners, receiving kick-start business training, leadership training, a spot in a local incubator, Lavery Lawyers credits and seed funding based on their final ranking. 

For more information about the challenge, how to participate and the great partners that support the competition, visit https://aquaaction.org/challenge/atlantic-canada-2022-23/.  

About AquaAction 

AquaAction is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring the health of freshwater by engaging young innovators in solutions creation and supporting the activation of their technologies. Its flagship program is the AquaHacking Challenge, a tech innovation competition which aims to engage university students in developing new solutions to water issues. Recently AquaAction developed the AquaHacking alumni and AquaEntrepreneur Québec. Across Canada, 36 water technology startups have emerged from the Challenge. AquaAction was established by the De Gaspé Beaubien Foundation in 2015, is powered by the RBC Foundation since 2018, accelerated by Ovivo since 2017 and supported by several partners including IBM Canada, Lavery Lawyers, and Mitacs. 

Pioneering N.S. filmmaker Margaret Perry focus of three-night event series with FIN, N.S. Archive

Margaret Perry

The career work of pioneering Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry is being showcased with a digital release, artist interventions, and three nights of events from the Atlantic International Film Festival, the Nova Scotia Archives and a team led by a Saint Mary's University researcher.

"Margaret Perry is one of the most influential yet unknown people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century. Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the 40s, 50s and 60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province," says Saint Mary's University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and the lead organizer behind the events. "Although these are technically government films, they are also documentaries and artist-made works. Perry's influence can be felt in all her films. She was very interested in highlighting women's labour, cooperative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia."

The event series, Activating an Archive: Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, mark the digital release of the career work of Margaret Perry, one of Canada's most important and least-known woman filmmakers and early film bureaucrats.

The events are:

• Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • A reception at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at 6:10 p.m.

  • A sample screening of Perry’s work in film and a Q&A at FIN, the Atlantic International Film Festival.

• Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at 7 p.m.

  • A talk by Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh at the Halifax Central Library, discussing the collection, the process of digitizing/activating it (and some related ethical complexities), and the discovery of materials that shed new light on Perry’s artistic development and filmmaking practice. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh

Starting out in New Brunswick as a wartime projectionist where she taught herself to make short films about everyday life, Perry went to Ottawa to work with John Grierson at the National Film Board of Canada. In 1945, Perry moved to Halifax to become Director of the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, where between 1945-1969 she made and oversaw the production of over fifty promotional films that depicted Nova Scotia as a tourist destination, an industrial and agricultural centre, and a complex site of cultural heritage.

"For a long time, this collection has been ignored, often without being seen, on charges of being boring government film,” says Dr. VanderBurgh. “In reframing and animating this collection as artist-made works, we're reconsidering the significance of these films, what they remember, and some of the ethical considerations and responsibilities of activating the collection in Nova Scotia today."

More information about Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau Films and the research of Dr. Vanderburgh and her research team.

Atlantic School of Theology Students to Benefit from New Online Registration System

Atlantic School of Theology (AST) and Saint Mary’s University (SMU) are partnering on admissions and registration systems that will directly benefit students who register for courses and programs at AST. 

Using digital technology to streamline processes for students, the project team will access SMU’s well-established digital admissions and registration system to create a tailored solution for AST and its students.  

The project is an aspect of the Shared Vision initiative of the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents (CONSUP).  The mission of the Shared Vision initiative is to make the university sector in Nova Scotia better for students, more competitive, and more efficient through collaborative action on solutions. 

“The project will benefit our students, faculty and administration by replacing the current outmoded information process with a system that is agile, digital and connected,” says Dr. Tim O’Neill, Interim President of Atlantic School of Theology. “Students who wish to register at AST will be able to choose their courses and program of studies from any location through internet access.” 

In the first year, the project will build a new online admission and registration portal for AST. In the second year, the project will expand so that AST students can more easily access financial services. 

Saint Mary’s University President, Robert Summerby-Murray says, “This project has received support from CONSUP, the organization that represents the presidents of the 10 degree-granting institutions in the province, because it aligns with our express desire to encourage the collaboration on service delivery, where it makes sense, among the province’s universities. For our part, Saint Mary’s University is pleased to find another significant project where we can partner with AST.” 

The two-year project is anticipated to cost $250,000.  Funding is being provided by the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Advanced Education.  

Since March 2002 Atlantic School of Theology has been affiliated with Saint Mary’s University. Both institutions are committed to achieving the operational efficiencies that will strengthen each institution.

Saint Mary’s University exceeds goal and timeline for greenhouse gas reduction

The Saint Mary's University Quad

Rendering of what will become North America's North America’s tallest solar-integrated building, the Saint Mary's Loyola Residence.

New Vanier Plant Condensing Boilers

Saint Mary's Campus

Saint Mary’s University has achieved its 2025 target for greenhouse gas reduction three years early.   

“Sustainability is an institutional pillar for Saint Mary’s University,” says President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Using a sustainability lens in our operations allows us to find efficiencies and opportunities to address financial uncertainties while reducing our environmental footprint. I am proud to share that Saint Mary’s University has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions in excess of 40 percent, putting us on a strong footing to meet or exceed the provincial goal of a 53 percent reduction by 2030.”  

Saint Mary’s exceeded its 40 percent reduction by 2025 goal through a series of projects that finished this year.  

“This achievement comes from the forward-thinking and consciousness of many faculty and staff members over the years, the efforts of facilities management and the support of key university executives such as President Summerby-Murray,” says Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management at Saint Mary’s. “We are exceeding our emissions reduction goal, and with innovative projects such as North America’s tallest solar-integrated building Saint Mary’s is taking a leadership role in the post-secondary sector towards a more sustainable future.”  

Fundamental changes that support emissions reduction include: 

• replacing the steam heating plant with a high-efficiency hot water plant; 

• switching from oil to natural gas for heating; 

• using compact fluorescent lights; 

• replacing less efficient lights with LED lights; and 

• increases in Nova Scotia Power’s energy blend from renewable sources.   

From 2005 to 2019, the university's overall emissions reduction was 36.8 percent. In 2021, a conversion from steam to hot water for the university’s central heating plant increased the total emissions reduction to over 40 percent. Further emissions reductions are on the way from the upcoming solar-integrated project at the university’s Loyola residence, the incorporation of solar panels at the Sobeys Inspiration Hub currently under construction, and other forthcoming solar and green energy projects.  
 
All targets and goals use 2005 as the baseline year per the provincial government’s Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act.  

Saint Mary’s University Moves Ellucian Banner to the Cloud

In a world where change is constant and expected, Saint Mary’s University is positioned for growth and innovation by going to the cloud.  Cloud computing or “the move to the cloud” with the Ellucian Banner ERP system was successfully and seamlessly completed in March 2022, and paves the way for modern, secure, and adaptable services for SMU students, researchers, academics, administrators, and community, from any location on the globe.          

Saint Mary’s University is only the second institution in the country to move all Ellucian Banner-related data and products to the cloud.   

“Building on its strong tradition of accessibility and community engagement, Saint Mary’s is a leading example for institutions on the path to digital transformation. Now live in the cloud with Banner, Saint Mary’s has added flexibility and agility to meet the evolving needs of its community, with a modern experience that today’s users expect and deserve,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “We are proud to partner with Saint Mary’s and honoured to support its students and staff through this significant development in their journey.”  

“Moving our data and supports to the cloud is the smart decision” says Michelle Benoit, Vice-President, Finance and Administration. “This move gives us significantly enhanced security, better integration, and facilitates our ability to better meet the needs of those we serve in our global community.”    

This bold move is part of the strategic investments in information technology first announced in 2021 when the university signaled a multi-year digital transformation.

“The future requires that we continue to innovate,” says Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice-President Academic and Research. “Befitting a university with global reach, we will be able offer global access to university services and supports anywhere in the world with access to the internet.”  

In upcoming phases, as additional software and tools are added, the online experience will evolve and resemble the App Store where students, faculty and staff can access any university services they need on any device.  A single point of entry or sign-on will make it easier for users to find courses, marks, registration documents, online academic advising, and even health and wellness services.  

Cyber security has been greatly enhanced as the new hosting environment is SAS 70 compliant, achieving the highest standards, and all data is now fully encrypted.

“With global cybersecurity threats on the rise, it was imperative we make this move to the cloud as it provides a greatly enhanced secure environment,” says Todd Williams, Chief Information Officer, Saint Mary’s University.     

While there are obvious gains for students, the entire university community benefits from cloud-hosted systems and tools, as IT staff can leave the safe storage of data and the upkeep of servers to others and concentrate on higher-value services for faculty, staff, students and administrators alike.   

Leading the Way to Greener Energy: Retrofit Project Creates North America’s Tallest Solar-Integrated Building

A rendering of the Loyola Residence retrofitted with building-integrated photovoltaics.

The tallest solar integrated building in North America will be at Saint Mary’s University on the completion of a new project at the Loyola residence building. 

“Universities are at the forefront of producing green energy and related research. We are essential partners in the fight against climate change,” says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “With this new initiative, we are building on our history of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce green energy. Saint Mary's will be a leader in North America in producing solar energy through building-integrated photovoltaics.” 

Saint Mary’s is working with Mitrex, a Toronto-based manufacturer of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). BIPV are solar power generating products or systems that are seamlessly integrated into a building’s envelope and part of building components such as façades, roofs or windows. This project will transform an exterior wall of the Loyola residence with an integrated solar façade solution, the tallest and largest BIPV micro-grid application in North America. The implementation of the project will be done by DSRA Architects, Dillon Consulting, and BMR Structural Engineering, with construction overseen by the EllisDon Corporation and Grey Cardinal Management Inc.. 

“As this project began, we knew that a portion of the external envelope on the university’s Loyola residence needed to be replaced,” says Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management at Saint Mary’s. “We decided to go bolder than a traditional envelope refurbishment. We saw the opportunity to create a green energy retrofit project in Atlantic Canada, an exemplar to other organizations of what is possible when we think outside the box, as we all work to reduce our carbon footprint.” 

Instead of simply replacing and repairing the pre-cast panel façade, this project will install aluminum panels with integrated solar photovoltaics from top to bottom on the south side of the Loyola residence facing Gorsebrook Avenue. This installation will create clean energy for the campus, approximately 100,000 kWh annually, further reducing the university’s greenhouse gas emissions and moving Saint Mary’s further along the path to net-zero.  

This project represents an $8.5 million dollar investment by Saint Mary’s University in green energy.  

Saint Mary’s University Celebrates Outstanding Business Success, Commitment to Nova Scotia and Community of Four Alumni with Honorary Degrees

Four outstanding Santamarians will be honoured with honorary degrees at May convocation ceremonies, with recipients reflecting leadership in North American business and significant contributions to Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw communities.    

"In each of these honorary degree recipients, our students can see the dedication, passion and commitment to excellence that leads to success," says President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "All of our recipients came to Saint Mary's University for their studies, and we are thankful for their continued dedication to our university. With great pleasure, we bestow our highest honour on these four accomplished alumni."  

Saint Mary's University is proud to recognize the achievements of: 

Karen Oldfield BA’82, Q.C., ICD.D 
 
After serving for more than 18 years as President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority, Karen was recently named the Interim President and CEO of Nova Scotia Health (NSH). While seconded to Nova Scotia Health, she has also been appointed Deputy Minister of Priorities and Planning for the Government of Nova Scotia, a role fundamental to the strategic priorities of the province. Karen also previously served as Chair of the Saint Mary’s University Board of Governors.  
 

Roger J. Lewis BA’01 
 
Roger, a member of the Sɨkɨpne'katik First Nation, is currently the Curator of Mi'kmaq Culture and Heritage with the Nova Scotia Museum. For the past two decades, he has been working closely with Mi'kmaw communities to record important ethnographic information and stories. He is regularly invited to advise educators and to speak within the provincial school system about Treaty Rights and Mi'kmaw history.   

James “JC” Curleigh BComm’89 

JC is Gibson Guitar's President and Chief Executive Officer, where he leads the Gibson senior team of proven executives with broad experience in global brand building, finance and product development. Prior to joining Gibson, JC served as the President of the Levi’s brand at Levi Strauss & Co., and earlier with Keen footwear and Saloman brands. JC is a guitar enthusiast and has been a proud owner of both Gibson and Epiphone guitars over the years, including his latest addition – a Gibson 1960’s J-45 acoustic guitar. 
 

William (Bill) Linton BComm’75 
 
Bill is a corporate director, philanthropist, and investor with over 30 years of business experience. He comes from a family with a strong tradition of business excellence and giving back to their community through a commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy. Bill is a member of the Board of Directors of Empire Company Limited and serves as a director of Deveron UAS Corp. and TMX Group Limited, as well as a number of private companies. Over his career, Bill has held various senior executive-level positions, including Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer at Rogers Communications Inc. 

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 About Saint Mary’s University 

 Saint Mary’s University is one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities known for its international collaborations, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities. Our programs in Arts, Science, Graduate Studies and the Sobey School of Business are among Canada’s best and feature professors who are committed to the success of their students. Saint Mary’s provides our more than 6,600 students with a place that fosters possibility, excellent research opportunities, and distinguished graduate and professional programs combined with a caring community. Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast, Saint Mary’s University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The Saint Mary’s University community is committed to a prosperous future for the world—a World without limits. 

Honorary Degree Recipient: Karen Oldfield

Karen Oldfield

Karen Oldfield BA’82, Q.C., ICD.D, was named President and CEO of Nova Scotia Health (NSH) on September 1, 2021. This appointment was made by Premier Tim Houston with a mandate to take immediate action to improve health care in Nova Scotia. While seconded to Nova Scotia Health, Karen has also been appointed Deputy Minister of Priorities and Planning for the Government of Nova Scotia, a role fundamental to the long-term strategic priorities of the province.

Previously, Karen served 18 successful years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Halifax Port Authority. During her tenure at the Port Authority, revenues more than tripled, enabling the organization to make significant financial investments in strategic port and transportation infrastructure to improve port competitiveness and the livability of Halifax. Karen has global experience, particularly in trade development and the establishment of new markets, combined with deep expertise in supply chain management and logistics. Karen operates and achieves results in complex, multidisciplinary/stakeholder environments, particularly at the nexus of government and the private sector.

Karen continues to advise companies committed to growth, especially in Atlantic Canada. Companies such as Warehouse Transport Group, a growing transportation and logistics firm with offices in Cambridge, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Vigilant Atlantic, a team of experts providing cost estimates, rapid cost monitoring and overall project delivery throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond, and Scotiaport, a 1600+ acre transportation and logistics park in planning for Truro, Nova Scotia.

Karen is the Past Chair of the Board of Governors of Saint Mary's University. She has served as President of the Canadian Chapter of the International Women's Forum, a global organization of female leaders with a stated mission to develop female executive and board talent further. Karen serves as Lead Director of Acadian Timber (ADN.TO), is Chair of the Nomination, Governance and Executive Compensation Committee and member of the Audit Committee.

Karen lives in Halifax with her husband Darren and their COVID-puppy Charli!

Honorary Degree Recipient: Roger J. Lewis

Roger J. Lewis

Roger J. Lewis BA'01, Sɨkɨpne'katik First Nation, is currently the Curator of Mi'kmaq Culture and Heritage with the Nova Scotia Museum. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and his Master of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), specializing in pre-contact Mi'kmaw cultural landscape and resource use. For the past two decades, he has been working closely with Mi'kmaw communities to record important ethnographic information and stories. He is regularly invited to advise educators and to speak within the provincial school system about Treaty Rights and Mi'kmaw history.   

Roger currently serves as the Vice President of the Board of the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre, where he advises on a number of issues dealing with urban residing Indigenous peoples, cultural property rights, research protocols, and the mentoring of youth. He is a Keptin (Captain) of the Grand Council of Mi'kmaq. He is a part-time instructor at Saint Mary's University, co-teaching a course titled "Indigenous Peoples of Canada" with Dr. Trudy Sable from 2014 to 2022.  

An expert on Mi'kmaq culture and heritage, Roger has contributed to numerous publications, including Mi'kmakik Teloltipnik L'nuk - How the People Lived in Mi'kmakik, published in Native Peoples: The Canadian Experience, and Being and Becoming Indigenous Archaeologist, edited by George Nicholas. He is a mentor and valuable resource expert on the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek: Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project. Since its inception, he has offered his knowledge of the landscape of Mi'kma'ki to help contextualize and precisely locate each place name. In 2021, Roger was invited to serve as one of twelve curators as selected from across Canada to provide Interpretation of Contemporary Indigenous art at the new senate building in Ottawa.    

Honorary Degree Recipient: James “JC” Curleigh

James “JC” Curleigh

James “JC” Curleigh BComm’89 is Gibson's President and Chief Executive Officer, where he leads the Gibson senior team of proven executives with broad experience in global brand building, finance and product development. JC is a guitar enthusiast and has been a proud owner of both Gibson and Epiphone guitars over the years, including his latest addition – a Gibson 1960’s J-45 acoustic guitar.

Prior to joining Gibson, JC served as the President of the Levi’s brand at Levi Strauss & Co., where he guided strategic shifts, leadership team evolution and market execution for all brands within the Levi Strauss & Co. portfolio, including Levi’s, Dockers, Signature by Levi’s Strauss and DENIZEN by Levi’s. At Levi’s he returned the brand to its iconic status and grew the business profitably every year under his leadership. He has a proven track record from Levi’s of finding ways to leverage heritage and create modern solutions. JC (along with his team) is credited with being the driving force behind the Levi’s resurgence.

Over the years, JC has built a reputation as a brand building expert and has crafted uniquely tailored solutions for a variety of other well-known consumer goods companies, including as president and CEO of KEEN Footwear and of Salomon Sports NA. At KEEN, he steered a young company to years of strong growth and developed a unique brand identity for its future. Additionally, under his leadership at Salomon, he expanded the ski company into a leading innovative action sports brand.

JC holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and has furthered his executive education at both Stanford and Harvard. He also has delivered several keynote speeches around the world on progressive brand building, business solutions, and team dynamics. He is a triple citizen of the U.S.A., Canada and the U.K. and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Waterkeeper Alliance. He loves to play music, surf, ski and travel extensively with his wife and three kids.

Honorary Degree Recipient: William (Bill) Linton

William (Bill) Linton

William (Bill) Linton BComm’75 is a corporate director, philanthropist, and investor with over 30 years of business experience. Currently residing in Toronto, he was born and raised in Halifax. Bill comes from a family with a strong tradition of business excellence and giving back to their community through a commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy.

Over the span of his career, Bill has held various senior executive-level positions, including a leading role with one of Canada’s largest publicly traded companies. From 2005 to 2012, he served as Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer at Rogers Communications Inc. Bill has an outstanding record of achievement in the telecommunications and technology sector in North America. During his tenure as an executive vice president with Rogers, he assembled a best-in-class finance team and significantly strengthened the company’s balance sheet while delivering substantial shareholder value and implementing best practices in financial reporting and controls.

Before his time with Rogers, Bill held other senior executive positions, including President & Chief Executive Officer of Call-Net Enterprises Inc., Chair & Chief Executive Officer of Prior Data Sciences Inc. and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SHL Systemhouse Inc.

Bill serves as a director of Deveron UAS Corp. and TMX Group Limited, as well as a number of private companies. An active investor and advisor, he has provided guidance to many highly successful start-ups in Canada. Along with his wife Marilynne, Bill has been a long-time supporter of St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto and the Toronto Reference Library.

Bill holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

What’s in a name? For the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Project, a Lot

Student researchers Matt Meuse-Dallien, Kachina Sack, and Peter Christmas holding Mi’kmaw place names project poster.

For many people, names give a sense of belonging and community. Beginning fourteen years ago, the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project has expanded into a unique resource with over 800 place names and has featured 30 research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers over that time.  The project marks another way of bringing to life the profound relationship Mi’kmaq have with the ancient landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“The naming of places in Mi'kma'ki was always very logical and descriptive, so our people would know where they were at all times,” recounts the late Elder Gregory Johnson in the short film ‘The Nature of Place Names’ which is featured on the homepage of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website.

The project now has a new look and feel, making it easier for users to engage with this unique history and ancient landscape. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map includes new enhanced sound bites and video clips of Elders sharing their lived experiences on the land. Users can explore numerous Mi’kmaw place names, learn place-name etymology and engage with the rich language of the Mi’kmaq. The new logo design and colour scheme reflect the importance of history and the land, and artworks by Mi’kmaw artists Alan Sylliboy and Gerald Gloade, are featured throughout the site and Elder's videos.

“Our instructions were to build a high-end website that would deliver the data through audio, video and a mapping infrastructure, which was completed in 2015,” states the committees Mi’kmaw Co-chair and Project Director, Tim Bernard of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. With this new refresh, the project has expanded and covers more areas than ever before.  

Project Lead, Dr. Trudy Sable of Saint Mary’s University, began to supervise the project when she was approached by Mr. Bernard and Rob Ferguson of Parks Canada. Through community-based focus groups, interviews, surveys, and discussions with numerous experts, the project has been driven by the vision of the Mi’kmaw communities, and the expressed needs of numerous institutional representatives for an inclusive and scholarly resource. 

Student researchers join archaeologist and project mentor Roger Lewis, archaeologist Rob Ferguson, and Project Lead, Trudy Sable on canoe trip to explore the Sɨkɨpne'katik (Shubenacadie) River, a pre-contact, Mi’kmaw traditional travel route.

“I have been deeply privileged to work with the many Elders, Mi’kmaw scholars, leaders, and community members who have contributed their time and knowledge to making the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas happen,” says Dr. Sable. “Hearing the voices of Mi’kmaq who lived throughout Mi’kma’ki wakes me up to the deeply rooted and powerful reality of their relationship to this landscape.”

“I am grateful for their generosity in sharing their personal histories and knowledge, much of which has been invisible in the rendering of history,” recounts Dr. Sable. “The student researchers inspired me as they learned to research the place names and hear the Elders' stories and then carry this knowledge forward in the new roles they take on in their lives. I feel confident that the website will continue to expand and educate many people in new perspectives and ways of knowing the landscapes we all inhabit.”

A core component of the project has been to ensure the capacity building of Mi'kmaw youth. Since 2010, the project has offered numerous research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers to learn from Elders, and Mi’kmaw scholars and leaders. In these positions, the students have been trained in map interviewing and protocol, video editing, database set-up and entry, language training, and conducting archival research.  

“During my Atlantic Canadian Studies MA degree at Saint Mary’s University, I was hired to work as a research assistant for the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names Project. It was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed,” says Raymond Sewell, previously a student researcher for the project, now an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s.  

“Dr. Trudy Sable, Dr. Bernie Francis, and Roger Lewis taught me valuable research skills. I worked with other students on this project that I now count as friends, each of us working in different fields. We all shared a fulfilling work experience. We were able to meet and interview L’nu Elders, travel to various sites, have canoe excursions, and work with various organizations like the Nova Scotia Museum,” recounts Mr. Sewell. “I had a great time learning place-name etymology. I was responsible for entering different orthographies into the database, and that engagement with my language was an excellent experience. I am now an English professor, and I use the website in my class to teach students the importance of land and language.” 

Both the website and digital atlas have become integral to developing educational programming, enhancing Mi'kmaw tourism, and promoting cultural awareness about the Mi'kmaq.

“The Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek digital atlas and website is an essential resource for our work in archaeological and cultural landscape studies,” says Dr. Jonathon Fowler, archaeologist and professor in the Anthropology department at Saint Mary’s. “I use it regularly in my research and teaching, and, truth be told, it is so interesting I often explore it just for fun. It contains incredible insights and not a few surprises.” 

Since 2015, the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre has taken on the responsibility of stewarding and caring for the data, which is safely stored at the Membertou Datacentre, and overseeing the transfer of the project from SMU to the Nation. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map has undergone a functionality refresh making it easier for users to explore the significant history of the Mi’kmaq and the unique landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“Our engagement within our Mi’kmaw communities in 2007-08 was extensive and at that time we were told, very clearly, to go deep and dig down and collect this vast but quickly disappearing knowledge from this generation of Elders that still carry the language and still hold the knowledge,” says Mr. Bernard. “We’re very fortunate to have built this relationship with SMU and Dr. Sable. They understood that the information and data needed to be protected and retained by the Nation, for the Nation.”  

Initiated in 2008 by the Mi'kmaq - Nova Scotia - Canada Tripartite Forum, Culture and Heritage Committee, the project grew to include numerous other partners and funders. There has been close to $1M invested to protect and share this data through the creation of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas.  

To learn more about this ongoing project and explore the new look and feel of the map and site, visit Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas.