The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) and Member of Parliament for Cambridge-North Dumfries, along with the Honourable John Milloy, MPP for Kitchener Centre, Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services and House Leader, and Regional Chair Ken Seiling, were at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Cambridge today to officially open the institution’s newest campus.
The project received a Government of Canada investment of $38.1 million through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP) and a contribution of $34.2 million from the provincial government. In addition, the Region of Waterloo provided $1.7 million for roadwork infrastructure to support the new campus as well as $700,000 for the construction of an EMS station on Conestoga's Doon campus.
In Ontario, the Knowledge Infrastructure Program represents a total investment of $2.3 billion to improve infrastructure at postsecondary institutions. The federal government is investing $799 million in 56 KIP projects, while the Province of Ontario is providing $981 million toward 49 of those projects. Other partners are contributing an additional $569 million. Also, the province is providing $75 million for another eight projects.
“Our Government has invested in innovation and knowledge infrastructure to set the foundation for economic prosperity,” said Minister Goodyear. “This project has not only created jobs for people in our community, but it also provides infrastructure that will benefit this college for years to come.”
“The investments our government has made through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program are generating economic benefits and supporting job creation in the province, while strengthening the ability of institutions to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training. Conestoga College’s new campus will benefit Waterloo Region for years to come by providing more training opportunities for skilled jobs that are in high demand,” said John Milloy, MPP Kitchener Centre and Minister of Community and Social Services.
“The partnerships that have resulted in the completion of this remarkable new facility will yield long-term benefits for Conestoga, for our students and for Ontario,” said Dr. John Tibbits, president of Conestoga. “The new facility will provide a true innovation and research hub that will allow us to expand our education and training capacity and serve the region’s rapidly growing technology industry and infrastructure.”
The new campus is the primary component of the KIP project, which also includes facilities at Conestoga’s Guelph and Waterloo campuses. The 260,000 square-foot building is the main site for Conestoga’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, as well as the Institute for Food Processing Technology established by the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors. The facility incorporates some of the most advanced technologies, processes, and health and safety standards from top processing plants around the world and will allow Conestoga to welcome more than 3,000 students studying to be technicians, technologists and apprentices. The campus is strategically located on Highway 401 at Fountain Street directly across from the college’s Doon campus. For more information about Conestoga’s expansion projects, visit www.conestogac.on.ca/about
As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada introduced the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a $2-billion economic stimulus measure to maintain and improve research and training facilities at Canadian universities, colleges and CEGEPs. The program is providing economic stimulus, creating jobs, and generating the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canadian institutions at the forefront of scientific advancement and ensure economic growth in the future.
The Government of Ontario is investing more than $1 billion in infrastructure at colleges and universities to modernize facilities and boost long-term research and skills training capacity. This investment is part of the government’s plan to help to build the most highly skilled and educated workforce in the world, giving Ontario the competitive edge in securing a strong economy for the future.
For more information on the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, visit the Knowledge Infrastructure Program website. For information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit the Canada’s Economic Action Plan website.
For information about how the Government of Ontario is helping to build and revitalize infrastructure across the province, please visit: www.infrastructureapp.mei.gov.on.ca/en.
Learn more about Putting Students First: Ontario’s Plan for Postsecondary Education to ensure all qualified Ontario students have access to the high-quality, affordable training and education they need to succeed in the modern world.