UCC’s commitment to environmental stewardship runs deep — from the founding of the Norval Outdoor School in 1939 to the launch of the Green School for the 21st Century initiative in 2002. Building on this legacy, the College took a significant step in September 2023 by joining the Climate Action Accelerator Program (CAAP), a national movement uniting schools and organizations across Canada to take bold, regenerative action in response to the global climate emergency.

Setting a bold new course

In September of 2024, a CAAP working group was formed, bringing together diverse representation from students, our parent organizations, faculty and staff, and school leadership. This group developed a new goal, objectives, and action plan to guide the next phase of climate action at the College.

Our new goal is to:

Inspire, empower and unite all members of the College community
to take bold action toward a more healthy, ecologically just and abundant future.

To advance this goal, we will focus on four key objectives:

1. Enhance student learning experiences by embedding transformational climate, environmental, and outdoor education focused on evidence, hope, solutions, and responsible action across the IB Continuum.

2. Build on the successes of our past “Green School for the 21st Century” initiative by setting and working toward carbon neutrality and then carbon positivity goals.

3. Honour and advance our WE CALL commitments as we endeavour to become more effective stewards of this land through regenerative approaches to the management of the Deer Park and Norval campuses.

4. Create shared commitment to our goal, objectives, and action plan among all members of the UCC community and maintain momentum through organizational learning, resource allocation, clear and ongoing communication, and the development of a strong collaborative network.  

This renewed focus affirms UCC’s mission to inspire each boy to make a lasting and positive impact on his world and reflects our core values of learning, pluralism, service, community, and wellbeing.

The CAAP Pledge: A major milestone

Through the Climate Action Accelerator Program, we are strengthening our collective capacity to meet the climate challenge with courage, creativity, and hope. We are proud to announce that this month, UCC officially signed their Climate & Nature Leadership Pledge, marking an important milestone in our sustainability journey. 

Registration for UCC Summer Day Camps is now open! A fun and engaging way to spend summer, UCC offers 24 diverse summer programs, including technology, sports, arts, and leadership camps for children aged 4 to 16. 

To learn more, see the brochure. For further details and to register, click here. 

Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity!

Financial assistance applications for the 2026–27 academic year will once again be processed by Financial Aid for Canadian Students (FACS). This third-party service provides an independent assessment of the application and makes confidential recommendations directly to the College’s financial assistance review committee. Awards are made to eligible families on the basis of assessed need and may vary from year to year. You can complete the application online. The application fee is $137.50.

Current families must apply or reapply by the Nov. 14 deadline so the College can ensure that all returning student applications are assessed and decisions made prior to a re-registration decision is required early in 2026.

The College’s finance office has included current data in an at-a-glance table to help day families determine whether or not they may qualify for financial assistance. This table, along with the “Frequently Asked Questions” section around the application process, are available on the Financial Assistance page of the UCC website. There’s some very helpful guidance material on the FACS site as well.

Sincerely,
Colleen Papulkas
Manager, Finance Office

Upper Canada College will be hosting the Toronto Public Health (TPH) Year 7 vaccination clinic on Monday, Nov. 17 at the Prep School, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Weston Hall. It will also offer catch-up opportunities to students in Year 8 who are behind on these important vaccines. 

Please note, TPH has confirmed they will not be providing vaccines on-site for Year 9 to 12 students. Please read on for options on how to obtain these vaccines for your child. 

Vaccinations that will be made available at the clinic for Year 7 and 8s:

● Meningococcal* — to prevent meningitis 

● Human papillomavirus — to prevent cancers 

● Hepatitis B — to prevent liver cancer 

Important reminder for parents that immunization against meningococcal disease is required by law for all children attending school in Ontario, unless exempted. Students who do not receive the Meningococcal vaccine can be suspended from school for up to 20 days. For more information about the updated immunization requirements for school attendance, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health.

Parents and/or legal guardians with questions related to immunization, please call 416-338-7600 and select option 2 for immunization or visit toronto.ca/SchoolVaccines. You may also contact the UCC Health Centre. Please address your son’s name and year in the title of the email. 

For students in Year 9 to 12

If your son is in year 9 to 12, this is a reminder that your child may be eligible for one or all of the vaccines listed above. These vaccines are free of charge at a community TPH Vaccination Clinic.  See additional information below regarding TPH community clinics:

Eligible students: 

● All students in Year 7 and higher who have not received any or all of these vaccines. 

● Students who have started but not completed their series may also book an appointment. 

Vaccines available: 

● Meningococcal* — to prevent meningitis 

● Human papillomavirus — to prevent cancers 

● Hepatitis B — to prevent liver cancer 

For more information, you can access the School Immunization Program Fact Sheets.

Next steps for community appointments: 

● Review the parent package and consent form. 

● Book an appointment prior to attending the clinic. Appointments can be booked at the Toronto Public Health Appointment Booking System.

For more information about these vaccines, please talk to your doctor or call Public Health at 416-338-7600.

Thank you for your ongoing support to keep our students and UCC community healthy.

UCC Health Centre

Helpful links: 

Year 7 and up TPH School Vaccination Program

Ontario’s Routine Immunization Schedule