Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 64
64
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
George Brown employees take pride in meaningful work
A
s the vice-president
of facilities and sustainability at George
Brown College,
Michelle McCollum
says she is honoured to be part of
Toronto's growth.
“I am so proud to work at
George Brown,” says McCollum.
“I’m honestly so happy. And
because of the opportunities I’m
given, I can pass those down to
my team, creating really great,
meaningful working spaces, both
mentally and physically.”
She’s also proud of how the
college has helped shape Toronto’s
waterfront while providing
leading-edge buildings for its
employees and students.
The college transformed the
East Bayfront community in 2012
with the opening of the Daphne
Cockwell Centre for Health
Sciences at Waterfront Campus,
housing the nursing, dental and
other health sciences programs. In
2018, the School of Design moved
into the Daniels Waterfront - City
of the Arts complex, a hybrid of
design principles, technology and
game design. Restaurants, shops,
medical care and transit have
followed the Waterfront Campus
growth.
“When George Brown College
goes somewhere, there’s a lot of
economic impact,” McCollum
says. “While we benefit from the
development that happens around
us, we also stimulate much of it
because of all our students and
employees who are suddenly
populating the area.”
The college, with 30,198
full-time students, will soon
open Limberlost Place, the first
mass-timber building of its kind in
Ontario. It’s a 10-storey structure
built with timber instead of steel
and concrete. The exception is
the central elevator core which
is sealed concrete. The interior is
wood except for some drywall due
to fire codes.
“This building has really pushed
the boundaries,” says McCollum.
“It’s caused the government to rewrite the building code in Ontario
because, for our type of institutional building, you normally
couldn’t go above five storeys.”
McCollum adds that Limberlost
Place has a passive ventilation
system, meaning the windows
can open for employees who will
work there. Sensors indicate when
the air quality is good. To cool or
heat mechanically, the building
Employees at George Brown College attend a networking and planning event at the Waterfront Campus.
is connected to the district energy
system around Toronto’s city
centre.
“Limberlost Place is not even
open but it’s putting George Brown
on the international stage and it’s
putting Toronto on the international stage in terms of breakthrough
innovation and sustainable
buildings,” McCollum says.
“Because of the
opportunities I’m given,
I can pass those down to
my team, creating really
great, meaningful working
spaces, both mentally and
physically.”
— Michelle McCollum
Vice-President of Facilities and
Sustainability
As George Brown sets new
standards for sustainability, the
college continues to enhance
diversity, equity, inclusion and
Indigenization activities. Black
student support specialist
Abisola Asha engages students
through the college's Black
Student Success Network (BSSN).
She, too, is proud of the work she
does.
“I support all Black students
within the college. Primarily, I
create programming, supports and
resources to help some students
throughout the time they’re
here,” says Asha. “I create a lot of
mental health initiatives, do a lot
of community development and
build initiatives with the students,
as well as a lot of mentorship.”
Asha says mental health is
a major problem, with some
