Toronto, ON – July 6, 2011 – Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is the recipient of $64.1 million from the Ontario government for a $91.5 million development project at its North Campus that will be the new gateway to the rest of the campus.
The Learning Resource Commons and Student Services Centre will help Humber handle growth of more than 2,200 additional students. The new four-storey, 160,000 square foot welcoming point to the college will feature group and independent study spaces along with enhanced library and customer services. It will also be the on-campus transportation hub and connection to the University of Guelph-Humber.
Humber is the fastest growing Ontario college with the highest applicant demand in the province. This reflects the quality and economic responsiveness of our programs and services. It also reflects the growing importance of the pathways between our many credentials which provide options and choices to our students at any point along their educational path,” said John Davies, president, Humber. “We are extremely pleased by the Ontario government’s significant investment that will help us to continue to provide our students with a high quality educational experience that prepares them their future careers.”
Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, MPP, Etobicoke North announced the investment, which is part of the province’s Putting Students First program. Humber’s allocation culminates investments made by the Ontario government in colleges and universities this spring and summer.
“The demand for postsecondary education is growing at rapid pace in Ontario, especially in the GTA. Humber College, by virtue of its location and diverse program offering, is in a strong position to help meet the needs of future students,” said John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “This infrastructure investment in Humber’s North campus is the start of a new period of growth and opportunity for students to learn in a modern facility, engage in all aspects of campus life, and develop the skills needed to begin their careers.”
The project is anticipated to break ground in early 2012 with completion expected in September 2014, in time for the start of the school year. More than 900 jobs will be created over the course of the three-year project. Humber is contributing the balance of $27.4 million to the new facility.
“Our government’s investment in Humber College adds to both the local and provincial economic success,” said Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, MPP for Etobicoke North. “Humber’s job-ready graduates go on to work in the community and throughout the province, helping to meet the current and future needs of Ontario’s knowledge economy and diversified workforce.”
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About Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Established in 1967, Humber is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions. Committed to student success through excellence in teaching and learning, Humber serves more than 25,000 full-time students and 56,000 continuing education registrants. With an internationally recognized reputation for quality learning, Humber offers a wide-range of career-focused opportunities for students to personalize their educational path. Our 150 full-time programs include four-year bachelor’s degrees, two and three-year diplomas, one and two-year certificates, and apprenticeship training. As a founding member of Polytechnics Canada, Humber offers students the opportunity to participate in applied research projects that find solutions for issues confronting small and medium-sized enterprises. Humber is one of 12 Vanguard Learning Colleges as identified by the League for Innovation, and the League’s only Canadian board member. Humber finished first in its class in the highly regarded Community College Survey of Student Engagement in 2009 in each of four categories, including Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Academic Challenge and Student-Faculty Interaction.
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For more information:
Andrew Leopold / Kevin Gonsalves
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Marketing and Communications
416.675.6622 ext. 4296/5778
Andrew cell: 416.518.8989
andrew.leopold@humber.ca / kevin.gonsalves@humber.ca
