Canada and Northwest Territories Invest in Post-Secondary Infrastructure
YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, July 30, 2009 — Senator Daniel Lang, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), along with the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Northwest Territories Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, today announced investments in three projects at Aurora College campuses in the Northwest Territories.
As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, 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, including universities and community colleges. Today’s announcement celebrates the projects that qualify under the program in the Northwest Territories.
“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 Senator Lang. “This investment is creating jobs for people now, while providing the infrastructure Aurora College needs for years to come.”
The program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians. It is also helping to generate the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canada’s research and educational facilities at the forefront of scientific advancement.
The investment announced today totals nearly $4.4 million and includes $2.18 million from the federal government and $2.18 million from the territorial government.
“We are very pleased to partner with Canada today to advance employment, education and skills development in our territory,” said Minister Lafferty. “Our shared investment in these community learning centres reflects the commitment we have made to maximizing education and training opportunities for all residents of the Northwest Territories.”
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 information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit Canada’s Economic Action Plan website.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Gary Toft
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
613-943-7599
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Kevin Allerston
Public Affairs Officer
Government of Northwest Territories
Department of Education, Culture and Employment
867-920-6222
July 30, 2009
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 Post-Secondary Institutions in the Northwest Territories
Through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the federal government is investing $2.18 million to fund three projects at post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories. The Government of the Northwest Territories is providing an additional $2.18 million in funding for these projects.
For information about a specific project, please contact the relevant institution.
Institution |
Project Description |
Federal Contribution |
Territorial Contribution |
Aurora College |
New Community Learning Centre |
654 000 |
654 000 |
Aurora College |
New Community Learning Centre |
511 500 |
511 500 |
Aurora College |
New Community Learning Centre |
1 016 500 |
1 016 500 |
Total |
2 182 000 |
2 182 000 |
|
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