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Ontario campuses get $200-million facelift
ELIZABETH CHURCH
Globe and Mail Update
January 29, 2008 at 1:44 PM EST
The Ontario government today handed out $200-million to the province's colleges and universities to help repair aging buildings, increase energy efficiency and improve security on campus.
John Milloy, Minster of Training Colleges and Universities, in announcing the money, hinted that there could be more funding to come, characterizing it as the latest chapter in an ongoing story. "We are going to continue to work with the sector," he said.
University and college leaders welcomed the money, which comes with few strings attatched, and said they will use it to fund pressing maintenace concerns.
"This will help us address some essential things that just don't figure high on the radar screen and are critical to improving campus life," said David Naylor, president of the University of Toronto, which will get the largest share of the money, $25.6-million.
University of Toronto president David Naylor. (file photo). (Philip Cheung)
Dr. Naylor said U of T has a list of priorities for the money, such as servicing the lot where a new student centre is planned and upgrading Varsity Arena.
A report from Auditor-General Jim McCarter last month put the bill for repairing university buildings at $1.6-billion.
Ontario's 18 publicly funded universities hold a huge portfolio of real estate that includes 918 buildings, not counting residences. The average age of these buildings is more than 30 years. Those numbers do not take into account the facilities owned by the province's 24 community colleges.
The Ontario Liberals made a large investment in postsecondary education in their last mandate. Their re-election has led senior administrators in the college and university system to say they are optimistic that further money will be directed to higher education to help accommodate the increasing numbers of students.
Both universities and colleges in the province are reporting a rise in the numbers of high-school students who are applying for spots at their campuses next September.
With a report from The Canadian Press.
A Breakdown of What the School's Receive (.pdf)
ELIZABETH CHURCH
Globe and Mail Update
January 29, 2008 at 1:44 PM EST
The Ontario government today handed out $200-million to the province's colleges and universities to help repair aging buildings, increase energy efficiency and improve security on campus.
John Milloy, Minster of Training Colleges and Universities, in announcing the money, hinted that there could be more funding to come, characterizing it as the latest chapter in an ongoing story. "We are going to continue to work with the sector," he said.
University and college leaders welcomed the money, which comes with few strings attatched, and said they will use it to fund pressing maintenace concerns.
"This will help us address some essential things that just don't figure high on the radar screen and are critical to improving campus life," said David Naylor, president of the University of Toronto, which will get the largest share of the money, $25.6-million.
University of Toronto president David Naylor. (file photo). (Philip Cheung)
Dr. Naylor said U of T has a list of priorities for the money, such as servicing the lot where a new student centre is planned and upgrading Varsity Arena.
A report from Auditor-General Jim McCarter last month put the bill for repairing university buildings at $1.6-billion.
Ontario's 18 publicly funded universities hold a huge portfolio of real estate that includes 918 buildings, not counting residences. The average age of these buildings is more than 30 years. Those numbers do not take into account the facilities owned by the province's 24 community colleges.
The Ontario Liberals made a large investment in postsecondary education in their last mandate. Their re-election has led senior administrators in the college and university system to say they are optimistic that further money will be directed to higher education to help accommodate the increasing numbers of students.
Both universities and colleges in the province are reporting a rise in the numbers of high-school students who are applying for spots at their campuses next September.
With a report from The Canadian Press.
A Breakdown of What the School's Receive (.pdf)