CALGARY, Alberta, July 21, 2009 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, was at the University of Calgary today to celebrate the progress that has been made on two projects that received Government of Canada investments totalling $56.8 million through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program.
“The Government of Canada is investing in innovation and infrastructure to promote employment, help our economy recover quickly and improve the quality of life of Canadians,” said Minister Clement. “These investments are creating jobs for people now, while providing the infrastructure that the University of Calgary needs for years to come.”
Some of the work being undertaken will see enhancements to the Taylor Family Digital Library. The project received a $27-million. federal investment that will provide state-of-the-art learning and research technologies. The other project will use a $29.8-million federal investment to install a gas-fired cogeneration unit to replace obsolete boilers and to launch the next phase of a campus-wide initiative to retrofit existing buildings for increased energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Federal funding for these two projects was matched by funding from the Province of Alberta, providing further economic stimulus.
As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan announced this year, the Government of Canada introduced the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a two-year, $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program is providing key economic stimulus, creating jobs and generating the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canada's research and educational facilities at the forefront of scientific advancement.
Canada's Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve our long-term competitiveness through $12 billion in new infrastructure investment, which includes the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program. This new support is the next substantive investment in the Government of Canada's multi-year science and technology strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada's Advantage.
For more information, please visit the Knowledge Infrastructure Program website or the Canada's Economic Action Plan website.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Laryssa Waler
A/ Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a two-year $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at post-secondary institutions across Canada.
The Program provides funding to support deferred maintenance, repair and expansion projects at universities and colleges, and responds directly to the need indicated by post-secondary institutions to improve existing campus infrastructure across the country. A major portion of this infrastructure is near the end of its projected lifecycle and, in many cases, does not adequately meet the needs of today's research and teaching activities.
The Program has two components. The university component gives preference to projects that can improve the quality of research and development at the institution. The college component supports projects at other post-secondary institutions, such as colleges, publicly funded polytechnic schools and institutes of technology, which will strengthen their ability to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training.
Projects are assessed according to their ability to quickly and effectively generate economic activity and support job creation. Project readiness and economic impact are, therefore, key criteria used in project selection. Projects are also assessed on their ability to enhance research capacity, support the attraction of new students and provide a better educational experience for the highly skilled workers of tomorrow.
The Program will not only generate economic benefits and support job creation, but will also have an important positive net impact on the environment by reducing energy use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving waste management at universities and colleges across Canada.
