Meeting the Moment

It was just over 34 years ago that I first walked through the doors of Convocation Hall, as an undergraduate, here for my first university lecture. I’d come to U of T because I wanted to be a scientist. My interest had been sparked by my mother’s love of the natural world, and the many happy times our family spent together on Georgian Bay.

I didn’t really understand what being a scientist was about. My impressions came from movies and science fairs – eccentric personalities mixing colourful solutions. But that day in 1991 I had my first glimpse into the amazing world of science.

The great Spencer Barrett was our professor. He explained that tropical ecosystems contain a store of unexploited chemical compounds, and that researchers were testing some as possible treatments for cancer. The part that really struck me was that those researchers were from U of T – my university.

That’s when I began to understand the power of a research-intensive institution like ours. It’s an experience that unfolds across our three campuses every day, as U of T professors transform how our students understand and engage with the world.

The University of Toronto is a place where great minds have the freedom to go where curiosity leads. It’s a place where we can think, freely, together – about what it means to be human, to live in society, and about the wonders nature has to reveal. It’s also a place where we can talk, openly and respectfully, about how to build a better world.

That conversation is especially urgent because, at this time in history, we need to build a better world. We are witnessing a dangerous erosion of the rules-based international order, growing inequality and polarization, and daily reminders of the fragility of democracy.

Universities are no longer fully trusted as authoritative sources of knowledge. Scholars face new threats to academic freedom, including censorship and intimidation. Scholarly expertise – and even the idea that public debate must rest on facts and reason – is viewed with increasing suspicion.

While Canada is not immune from these trends, our commitment to liberal democracy remains strong. This springs from our tradition of dialogue over discord, inclusion over isolation, and evidence over ideology.

People everywhere are looking to our country to be a beacon of light in this time of gathering darkness – because Canada has something essential to offer the world. And so, as Canada’s flagship university, we must rise to meet this moment.

In just over a year, we will celebrate U of T’s bicentennial. As we reflect on our first two centuries and look ahead to our third, we can help chart a brighter future. We started small in 1827. But by the beginning of our second century, we had made our debut on the world stage – alongside our partners at Toronto General Hospital – with the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of insulin.

In successive eras of epic loss and change – two world wars, a depression and a nuclear arms race – the U of T community rallied to protect society, defend democracy and keep the peace. We welcomed generations of newcomers, helping to shape Canada’s modern, multicultural identity. We expanded east and west, and U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga flourished as distinctive and innovative communities.

Our students and faculty became prominent in every field. Our alumni emerged as leaders in virtually every country. As a result, U of T’s impact is all around us – from electron microscopy to the evidence for black holes, from the discovery of stem cells to labs-on-a-chip, from late-night sketch comedy to great works of modern literature.

Then we made a breakthrough of singular importance as we, along with the rest of Canadian society, began to reckon with our treatment of the Indigenous peoples of this land. The University of Toronto has made a solemn commitment to address that terrible legacy. We are taking action across our teaching, research and community activities. We have a great deal more to do as we continue answering the call of truth and reconciliation, but change for the better is happening – a powerful source of hope in our capacity to learn, change and grow together.

These are just a few milestones from U of T’s first 200 years. Reflecting on them, a key question comes to mind: at the turning points in our history, how did we rise to meet the moment? The answer came to me during the chapter we wrote together just a few years ago.

In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented. But in one crucial way it followed a familiar pattern. In the face of a complex, urgent problem, the U of T community stepped up with our breadth of talent and depth of expertise. Driven by resilience, creativity and dedication to the greater good, we played an outsized role in addressing one of the most formidable challenges of our time.

Here’s another daunting challenge that we’re addressing with everything we’ve got. Under Meric Gertler’s leadership, we transformed our three campuses into a “living lab” in response to the climate emergency. He inspired us to create a plan and commit to going beyond net-zero, to become climate positive by 2050 – or even earlier. The result: we’re showing the world that a sustainable future is possible – and that U of T truly defies gravity.

Another example: In 1998, under Rob Prichard’s leadership, we enshrined a landmark policy that no domestic student offered admission to U of T should be unable to enter or complete their program for financial reasons. This defining act still distinguishes us from our global peers and remains a cornerstone of our commitment to inclusive excellence.

How will U of T help Canada to meet this moment – a time of profound social, economic and geopolitical disruption?”

In every generation since our founding, the U of T community has rallied to meet the moment. But what will that mean for this generation? How will the University of Toronto help Canada to meet this moment – a time of profound social, economic and geopolitical disruption?

In the face of many challenges, Canadians are responding with a renewed sense of national purpose and determination to defend our sovereignty.

As a partner in that effort, U of T will be an indispensable source of resilience and strength. Our faculty and students are part of a vast ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship. Our graduates form a critical mass of top talent in every sector. And the U of T community is an enduring source of creativity that can help propel the world toward greater long-term prosperity.

U of T can also play a key role in tackling global health challenges. We bring a rare combination of multidisciplinary expertise and a culture of collaboration across the health sciences, public health, engineering, economics and beyond.

Our faculty and students are doing promising work at the intersection of genetics, regenerative medicine and artificial intelligence. They’re leading the way toward a cure for diabetes, rapid-response vaccine platforms, and treatments for degenerative diseases. Together, the U of T community can help save and improve countless lives at home and abroad.

Another area in which U of T can lead is in restoring the culture of civil discourse. With humility, courage and goodwill, we can help heal society’s divisions and help Canada project its voice in defence of pluralism and democracy. Fostering open, reasoned and respectful dialogue isn’t just something we can do – it goes to the heart of our mission and our responsibility as an academic institution.

Our world faces big problems, but U of T can make a big difference. Together, we’ll envision how we can write the next chapters in U of T’s history – how we can define what it means to be this great, good place in the generations to come.

Let us draw inspiration from our past – our record of achievement, and, even more, our history of learning and growth. As we look to our future, let our ambitions match our talents and our hopes to rise to our highest ideals. Let us resolve that our ultimate priority will be this: to meet the moment, whatever it requires, for the communities around us, for Canadians and for all humanity.

Condensed from the president’s installation speech, Oct. 17, 2025.