ORILLIA, Ontario, September 4, 2009 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced the Government of Canada’s commitment to invest $13 million in infrastructure funding toward the construction of a new multi-use academic building at the Lakehead University campus in Orillia.
The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a two-year, $2-billion program designed to repair and expand research and educational facilities at Canadian colleges and universities. The program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians.
“Our government 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 these post-secondary institutions need for years to come.”
The new building will allow Lakehead to offer more academic programs in the Arts and Sciences, Environmental Studies, Business Administration and Social Work. It will also provide students with a learning commons, a library, and lecture and classroom facilities, and will increase the amount of space available for research laboratories.
The facility will be Canada’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum university campus. It will be a demonstration site for green technology, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. The university will provide an additional $37 million in funding for the project.
“Lakehead University and the citizens of the City of Orillia and Simcoe County thank the federal government for this significant commitment to the permanent Orillia Campus,” said Dr. Fred Gilbert, President of Lakehead University. “This far-sighted contribution to the well-being of the people of Central Ontario will support Canada’s first LEED Platinum university campus, which will become a hallmark of sustainable and ecologically sensitive development and a centre of research and learning in the environmental sciences.”
Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve the country’s 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 about the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, including a list of the approved projects to date, please visit the Knowledge Infrastructure Program website.
Further information is also available on 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
Backgrounder
Knowledge Infrastructure Program
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.
Knowledge Infrastructure Program Investments in Lakehead University — Orillia Campus
Through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the federal government has set aside $13 million toward the construction of the proposed Orillia Campus of Lakehead University. The university itself would provide an additional $37 million.
For more information about the project, please contact Lakehead University.
| Institution |
Project Description |
Federal Contribution
($) |
Other Contribution
($) |
| Lakehead University, Orillia Campus |
Orillia Campus |
13 000 000 |
37 000 000 |
