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Niagara College partners with Canada’s emergency responders robotics association

September 4, 2026

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CERRA Co-Chair Andy Olesen and Niagara College President Sean Kennedy sign a Strategic Collaboration Agreement at the Welland Campus.

On September 4, 2026, Niagara College signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with the Canadian Emergency Responders Robotics Association (CERRA), a national organization that represents emergency responders and advances the use of robotics and emerging technologies across air, ground and water.

The partnership creates a Canada-wide platform that connects education, applied research, technology developers and the people who use these systems in the field, in sectors such as public safety, robotics and autonomous systems.

Real-world expertise meets the classroom

“CERRA’s network of emergency responders brings valuable real-world experience with drone technology, creating meaningful opportunities to connect operational expertise with education, applied research and workforce development,” said Niagara College President Sean Kennedy.

CERRA represents more than 700 members of Canada’s emergency response community. It works with government, industry, academia and researchers to identify capability gaps, test new technologies and develop the training and standards needed to use them safely.

“This partnership gives us an opportunity to bring emergency response end users together with researchers, educators and technology developers,” said CERRA Co-Chair Andy Olesen, “and help Canadian-developed technologies move from concept and research into meaningful operational capability.”

A new program for drone developers

The agreement comes as the College welcomes the first class of its new Defence Systems Engineering Technology programs this fall. More than 40 students are training to become drone developers.

The three-year Technology and two-year Technician programs offer hands-on learning in mechatronic and photonic (optics and laser) systems. Students build aerial, ground and marine drones, instrument payloads and autonomous systems, preparing for careers in public safety, aerospace and emerging technologies.