Carleton, the University of Ottawa and La Cité collégiale will benefit from $158.5 million in federal and provincial funding to repair and build new infrastructure on campuses in Ottawa, officials announced yesterday.
The funding is a part of the provincial and federal government’s $1.6-billion investment in capital projects at colleges and universities across Ontario. That funding is part of $32.5 billion for Ontario infrastructure over the next two years.
“In supporting knowledge and innovation, we are creating jobs, stimulating our economy, and investing in our future,” said Transport and Infrastructure Minister John Baird, who was on hand to make the announcement at Carleton University.
Carleton will receive $52.5 million to support its Waterfront Project that will add facilities to house the Faculty of Public Affairs — the single largest capital investment in Carleton’s history.
“As a research-intensive, interdisciplinary university, these new buildings support our efforts to foster innovation and the development of solutions to real-world problems,” said Jacques Shore, chairman of Carleton’s board of governors.
The project expands Carleton’s capacity by 1,600 students and is expected to create more than 550 jobs.
The University of Ottawa will receive $80 million to add a tower to Vanier Hall, which will be the main building for research teaching for 8,000 students and create 1,100 construction and manufacturing jobs.
La Cité collégiale will get $26 million to build a new 9-1-1 institute, creating 260 jobs.
Among other criteria, projects, which are to be completed by 2011, were assessed according to their ability to quickly and effectively generate economic activity.
“This investment in Ottawa’s post-secondary institutions will provide a significant economic stimulus to Ottawa, create jobs in this region and provide new, more modern facilities for the leaders of tomorrow,” said Ottawa West Nepean MPP Jim Watson.
“It is also very timely for local construction workers,” said Ottawa-Orleans MP Royal Galipeau.
The investment will allow La Cité collégiale to serve a larger number of Francophones and to help meet the ever-growing need for qualified emergency services and health care workers, said president Andrée Lortie.
