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Canada and British Columbia Invest $40.65-Million in Renewed Infrastructure at UBC Okanagan
Thursday, December 8, 2016Company Profile | Follow Company
Investing in a more prosperous tomorrow. A joint Canada-BC investment in UBC Okanagan (facebook.com) will help create jobs, support research and foster innovation.
Vancouver, BC, December 4, 2016--(T-Net)--A joint Canada-BC investment of $40.65-million investment by the federal-provincial government has been made in a new Teaching and Learning Centre and a number of sustainability and infrastructure upgrades at the UBC Okanagan campus.
This joint federal-provincial investment was announced by Stephen Fuhr, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and by Norm Letnick, Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, on behalf of Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Advanced Education for the Province of British Columbia.
This $40.65 million will support two separate projects.
A product of the expansion and renewal of the campus library, the Teaching and Learning Centre will enhance the student learning and research experience as well as enable innovative research and partnerships with industry. The updated facility will include a digital technology centre and a visualization lab to facilitate high resolution data modelling in research fields such as advanced manufacturing, materials science and sustainability.
The cost of the Teaching and Learning Centre expansion and renewal is $35 million with $14.56 million from the Government of Canada, $10.62 million from the Province of British Columbia and $9.82 million from the university, thanks to an investment by the UBC Okanagan student body.
Funding will also support Environmental Sustainability Projects for Research Infrastructure, which will focus on sustainability upgrades to 11 Okanagan campus buildings. Included in this project is the provision of services and utilities at the UBC Innovation Precinct, which will facilitate university/industry co-location at the Okanagan campus and new economic activity in the region.
The total cost of the upgrades is $5.65 million with $1.41 million from the Government of Canada, $719,000 from the Province of British Columbia and $3.52 million from the university.
The funding from the Government of Canada is being allocated through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, which will enhance and modernize research facilities on Canadian campuses and improve the environmental sustainability of these facilities.
As a result of these investments, students, professors and researchers will work in state-of-the-art facilities that advance the country's best research. They will collaborate in specially designed spaces that support lifelong learning and skills training. They will work in close proximity with partners to turn discoveries into products or services.
Both projects are projected to be complete in April 2018 and will create an estimated 137 direct and 103 indirect jobs.
UBC Okanagan opened in Kelowna in 2005 and currently enrols more than 8,600 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs in eight faculties and schools.
“These investments will create well-paying jobs that can help the middle class grow and prosper today, while also delivering sustained economic growth for years to come. By investing in a world-class institution like UBC Okanagan through the Strategic Investment Fund, we are strengthening the foundation for building Canada into a global centre for innovation.” said Stephen Fuhr, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
"With investments like the new Teaching and Learning Centre, and a number of upgrades at UBC Okanagan, we're providing students with the best-possible start as they prepare for in-demand careers in Canada's leading economy.” stated Premier Christy Clark, MLA for Westside-Kelowna.
“This investment in the development of UBC's Okanagan campus is testament to the power of partnerships between governments, post-secondary and students. I look forward to seeing the many great things that will come from the work undertaken by UBC students and researchers in these new and enhanced facilities.” stated Santa Ono, UBC president and vice-chancellor.
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