The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, on behalf of the Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and the Hon. Jeff Leal, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced infrastructure funding at Trent University and Fleming College. Arthur was present in both announcements to provide you the details about funding for Peterborough’s post-secondary institutions.

Sir Sandford Fleming College

On November 7th the announcement was made at Fleming College. Both the Sutherland Campus in Peterborough and the Frost Campus in Lindsay will receive a total federal provincial investment of $9.9 million.

The project at the Sutherland Campus will update the Nursing, Biotechnology, Physiotherapy and Paramedic Training facilities. Funding includes $6.2M from the Government of Canada and $1.4M from the Province of Ontario. Fleming College will contribute an additional $4.9M, for a total investment of $12.5M from all parties.

At the Frost Campus, the college will receive an investment of $2.3M from the Government of Canada to modernize the existing earth resource sciences and environmental science facilities and to create a new Geocentre. This will provide a state-of-the-art learning space for programs such as Earth Resources, Environmental Technologies, Aquaculture, and Advanced Water Systems Operation and Management. Fleming College will provide an additional $2.3M for the project, for a total project value of $4.6M.

With these developments Fleming College will be able to improve its environmental sustainability. MP Maryam Monsef said at the address, “Fleming College is an important institution in the Peterborough area. This investment is exciting news for the college and for our region. It will enable the college to modernize these two campuses so that students are able to thrive, learn and grow in stateoftheart facilities. Through the Strategic Investment Fund, we are providing Canada’s students with the education and training they need to join a strong, healthy middle class.”

Trent University

The announcement occurred at Bata Library on October 12th. The investment at Trent University is of $8.7M, the Government of Canada will provide $7M and the Province of Ontario will provide $1.7M. Trent University and other partners will provide additional funding of nearly $6M.

The funding provided to Trent will benefit Bata Library. A new Bata Research and Innovation Cluster will be created and two floors of the Symons Campus library will be renovated. The facility will include research and innovation space designed to enhance and foster student entrepreneurship, new businesses, research on aging and the environment, and collaboration with Indigenous peoples and communities.

Dr. Leo Groarke: “This significant investment in the infrastructure of our Symons Campus will build on Trent’s renowned interactive learning and research model through state-of-the-art infrastructure and environmentally sound design. The funding received from the federal and provincial governments, combined with the generosity of our donors, will revolutionize the research and collaborations that take place at the Bata Library as it becomes a third millennium research, innovation and entrepreneurship hub.”

In total, universities and colleges throughout Ontario will be working with more than $1.9B from their own coffers, the Government of Canada, the provincial government, and private donors. Federal funding will be allocated by 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.

To learn more about infrastructure projects in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.