diff --git a/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2 b/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
index b90ceedc..a759542e 100755
--- a/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
+++ b/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import re
 
 import toml
 from git import GitCommandError, Repo
-from pkg_resources import parse_version
+from packaging.version import parse as parse_version
 
 # Read Towncrier settings
 tc_settings = toml.load("pyproject.toml")["tool"]["towncrier"]
@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@ START_STRING = tc_settings.get(
 TITLE_FORMAT = tc_settings.get("title_format", "{name} {version} ({project_date})")
 
 
+# Build a regex to find the header of a changelog section.
+# It must have a single capture group to single out the version.
+# see help(re.split) for more info.
 NAME_REGEX = r".*"
-VERSION_REGEX = r"([0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9][0-9ab]*)"
+VERSION_REGEX = r"[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9][0-9ab]*"
+VERSION_CAPTURE_REGEX = rf"({VERSION_REGEX})"
 DATE_REGEX = r"[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}"
 TITLE_REGEX = (
     "("
@@ -32,6 +36,7 @@ TITLE_REGEX = (
         TITLE_FORMAT.format(name="NAME_REGEX", version="VERSION_REGEX", project_date="DATE_REGEX")
     )
     .replace("NAME_REGEX", NAME_REGEX)
+    .replace("VERSION_REGEX", VERSION_CAPTURE_REGEX, 1)
     .replace("VERSION_REGEX", VERSION_REGEX)
     .replace("DATE_REGEX", DATE_REGEX)
     + ")"
diff --git a/templates/github/.github/workflows/nightly.yml.j2 b/templates/github/.github/workflows/nightly.yml.j2
index 07711b3e..8a268f79 100644
--- a/templates/github/.github/workflows/nightly.yml.j2
+++ b/templates/github/.github/workflows/nightly.yml.j2
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ jobs:
 
       {{ setup_python(pyversion="3.11") | indent(6) }}
 
-      {{ install_python_deps(["gitpython", "toml"]) | indent(6) }}
+      {{ install_python_deps(["gitpython", "packaging", "toml"]) | indent(6) }}
 
       {{ configure_git() | indent(6) }}