Laurier, Conestoga to partner in Milton
With $90 million of funding from the province, a new campus will be open for 2021-22 school year
MILTON — Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College are partnering in a new post-secondary campus in Milton.
The Ontario government announced Wednesday that it is spending $90 million to launch the campus in a neighbourhood next to the Niagara Escarpment.
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development Mitzie Hunter and Halton MPP and Minister of Education Indira Naidoo-Harris made the long awaited announcement during a news conference at the Milton Education Village Innovation Centre.
Laurier has been working with the Town of Milton to bring post-secondary education to the community since 2008.
The campus will be located on 150 acres of land set aside by the town. A 50-acre parcel will be located in the proposed Milton Education Village site, next to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre.
The other 100 acres is located on nearby protected land, which will support handson learning for the campus’ future environmental science program.
Laurier said it plans to enrol its first students in leased space in 2019. It expects a new building will open for the 2021-22 school year and ultimately serve 2,000 students.
The campus will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) programming.
“Both Laurier and Conestoga are strong, visionary leaders when it comes to higher education,” said Hunter.
“They have a proven track record in preparing students for their futures and together they can combine classroom learning and hands-on experience in this fabulous location, training students in jobs that are in demand today and in the future.”
Hunter noted that with its investment the province will help provide up to 2,000 new undergraduate spaces at the site within five to 10 years.
She said Milton is in a unique position to host the campus.
“Milton is an up and coming powerhouse in Ontario. It is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada with a population expected to more than double in the next decade,” said Hunter.
“It’s clear Milton is poised to make the most of its location, nested in the Greenbelt and in the Niagara Escarpment and to grow Ontario’s already strong tech economy, but to do that you need to develop talent close to home. We know that.”
Hunter said a range of programs will be offered at the new site, including a variety of experiential learning opportunities, co-op placements and unique access to a “living laboratory” on the Greenbelt and Niagara Escarpment.
She noted that Laurier will also develop partnerships with the Milton Chamber of Commerce and its more than 700 members to offer students meaningful experiences within the local community.
“Absolutely this will create jobs, it will create opportunities and it will create a strong future for local families,” said Naidoo Harris. “This step that we are taking will stand in our community as a landmark for what happens when partnerships work.”
She said residents could expect to see shovels in the ground some time between the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019.
Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz called the announcement a “game changer” not only for the Town of Milton and the Region of Halton, but the surrounding area as well.
“In a world of lifelong learning, the Milton Education Village is a game-changer for our community and we couldn’t have better partners than Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College.”
Laurier president Deborah MacLatchy said the university’s growth into Milton marks an exciting new chapter in the institution’s history and its multicampus vision.
She also pointed out that Laurier is committed to attracting under-represented groups to STEAM programming, particularly women and Indigenous peoples.
“Increasing access to postsecondary education in this area will fill an existing gap, not just in Ontario, but globally,” she said.
“With a further emphasis on liberal arts our students will be equipped with a critical thinking and communications skills to help them succeed in a rapidly changing world.”
MacLatchy said the site will become a hub for educational events that will enrich the fabric of Milton and Halton Region, and will house innovative research.
Conestoga College president John Tibbits said the Milton campus represents an exciting partnership. The schools already have a partnership at Laurier’s campus in Brantford.
Many of the details surrounding the campus still have yet to be finalized. Neither Laurier nor Conestoga representatives could say how much they plan to invest in the Milton campus or the overall cost of the campus.