Missed the party? Here’s what happened.
What did I miss? No, I’m not talking about betrayal and shifting loyalties after a rap beef. I’m talking student life.
Last week, on Wednesday, March 25, IGNITE hosted its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM is where Humber Polytechnic and University of Guelph-Humber students can stay informed and have a direct vote in what’s happening with their student union.
The online session, led by the IGNITE Board of Directors and full-time staff, touched on key updates about your student union, unveiled the next fiscal budget and celebrated the impact made throughout the academic year.
In case you missed it, here’s a quick recap of the most important moments from the meeting.
Ratification of 2026-2027 IGNITE Board of Directors members
One of the AGM’s most important roles is giving students the opportunity to ratify the incoming Board of Directors members. However, this year came with a historic twist.
For the first time, students ratified 10 new board members who didn’t go through a traditional election period.
As previously communicated, after extending the nomination deadline, IGNITE received 10 completed nomination packages. Following a review and verification by the Registrar’s Offices, all nominees were deemed eligible.
According to articles 5.1 and 5.3 of the IGNITE bylaws, when the number of nominees doesn’t exceed the number of available board seats, no election is required. As a result, all candidates were acclaimed.
The ratified 2026-2027 IGNITE Board of Directors members are:
- Abdul-Moiz Saeed – Humber North.
- Brandy Laurent – Humber Lakeshore.
- Gracy Narewal – University of Guelph-Humber.
- Maryam Zahid – Humber North.
- Nick Walton – Humber North.
- Purab Sharma – Humber Lakeshore.
- Rish Diwan – Humber Lakeshore.
- Sehaj Bajwa – Humber Lakeshore.
- Shivan Ahluwalia – Humber Lakeshore.
- Surjeet Singh – Humber North.
Congratulations to the new leaders who will represent students next year!
Celebrating 25 years of IGNITE
They say time flies. Weren’t they right?
Last year, IGNITE celebrated its 25th anniversary. The small Humber Students’ Federation grew into the independent student-led organization it is today.
Board member Divyam Grover highlighted the wide range of services IGNITE provides to Humber and UofGH students, including the IGNITE Soupbar, the Health and Dental Insurance Plan, free menstrual products across all four campuses, the IGNITE Bursary and Equity Scholarships.
Fellow board member Mark Tyshkevych emphasized that IGNITE’s impact goes beyond campus services.
He spoke about advocacy, IGNITE’s attendance at the Advocacy Summit at Queen’s Park in November 2025, our fight against Bill 33 through the Time is Money campaign and how we joined forces with other student unions to protest against the recent changes to OSAP.
Divyam and Mark also touched on IGNITE building community through on-campus events. Speed Friending helped students make new connections and the Drag Show was unapologetically queer and filled with iconic performances to celebrate creativity and community.
Twenty-five years of advocacy, support and community, but what’s ahead excites us even more.
Keep an eye on IGNITE’s Instagram page as the 25th anniversary giveaways will continue throughout the summer.
Lucky winners have already snagged prizes like Air Canada gift cards, a dinner at the CN Tower restaurant and even a MacBook Air.
IGNITE budget and 2026-2027 financial auditors
Students in attendance also had a say in approving IGNITE’s 2026-2027 budget and financial oversight.
For the upcoming fiscal year, IGNITE will collect student fees across three main categories:
- Core Operations & Capital.
- Student Support & Community.
- Advocacy & Governance.
Based on the projected enrollment at Humber and UofGH, IGNITE projects a total revenue of just over $6 million.
The detailed breakdown of the budget was shared with attendees in the AGM package sent via email prior to the meeting.
Students also approved BDO Canada LLP as IGNITE’s financial auditors for 2026-2027. The firm conducts an independent audit of IGNITE’s financial statements to ensure transparency and compliance with standard auditing processes.
The current board recommended BDO Canada LLP based on their previous experience working with IGNITE.
Having a say in the budget approval is an important process. Students can understand where their fees are going and how those support their post-secondary experience.
That’s a wrap!
Thanks to everyone who attended the IGNITE AGM! Getting involved and having a say in how IGNITE operates is key to ensuring your priorities are represented.
If you missed the party, no need to stress. There will be other opportunities to make your voice heard. Keep an eye on our socials @shareignite!
Feature image courtesy of IGNITE.
Looking to learn more about IGNITE? Check out how our Time is Money campaign reached Queen’s Park!
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