MacEwan welcomed more than 600 local, national and international researchers, community partners and members of the community in mid-May who registered for the community-based research conference C2UExpo. 

From May 12 to 15, attendees participated in sessions, workshops, networking events, film screenings and a festival at Fort Edmonton Park. Participants also went on site visits around the city, including in Edmonton’s river valley, Chinatown, the City of Edmonton Archives and a number of downtown locations to explore social support initiatives and transformational public art.  

“We were so honoured to be the first Alberta host institution for C2U Expo, a conference that has such a significant impact on communities,” says Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor. “As a university that is very intentional about our place in O’day-min, welcoming expert researchers, government, partners and community members onto our campus was intentional and will have a lasting impact going forward. I am very grateful to our MacEwan team and the over forty partners and sponsors who came together to make this conference so engaging and impactful.”

The C2UExpo brought groups and individuals together to showcase how community-campus partnerships are addressing global and local societal problems. Community-Based Research Canada (CBRC) works with a host institution, community partners and sponsors – which included the City of Edmonton and Homeward Trust for this year’s expo – to bring the conference to life. 

"This is a really exciting time to be at MacEwan,” says Dr. Emily Milne, conference chair and associate professor of sociology at MacEwan. “The C2UExpo was just the beginning – a launchpad for continued connection, learning and community-driven change.”

With a theme of “Partners in Place,” sessions focused on community wellness, including housing and houselessness, social innovation and sustainability, including entrepreneurship and food sustainability, and mental health and addiction challenges. 

"The C2U Expo showcased the impactful community-engaged scholarship being done across Canada and globally,” says Dr. Craig Kuziemsky, associate vice-president, Research. “The talks and topics presented at the expo were often around a specific need or opportunity, but we should remember that while our contexts might be unique, our problems are the same. We can learn much from each other and collectively we can do things more substantial and meaningful than we can do as individuals."

"Events like C2U Expo do not happen without the dedication, support and hard work of many people,” says Dr. Kuziemsky. “Thank you again to MacEwan senior leadership for all their support on our pursuit and delivery of the C2U Expo. I would also like to thank our organizing team, sponsors and everyone else who contributed to the success of the event. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we work together "