Brampton business community blasts province’s decision to axe Ryerson campus funding
NEWS Oct 24, 2018 by
Graeme Frisque Brampton Guardian
The Brampton Board of Trade (BBOT), which represents local businesses of all sizes, is none too pleased with the "business-friendly" Doug Ford PC government's decision to pull funding for a planned Ryerson University campus.
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday (Oct. 23), the
province said it would be pulling funding for three satellite university campuses, including Brampton’s planned downtown Ryerson campus.
Provincial funding for the downtown Brampton project was approved in April by the previous Liberal administration.
Promised funding for a York University/Seneca College expansion in Markham, as well as a Wilfrid Laurier University/Conestoga College expansion in Milton also got the axe.
"The government is committed to taking action to restore trust and accountability in the province's public finances. This measure will help make government more effective and efficient, and will ensure all spending is delivering the best value for the people of Ontario," wrote Merrilee Fullerton, minister of training, colleges and universities in a release sent Oct. 23.
The government’s announcement came as a surprise to many including the BBOT, which had recently had discussions with treasury board president Peter Bethlenfalvy.
“There was no hint of this project being in jeopardy,” said BBOT president Todd Letts in a release sent Wednesday (Oct. 24). “Cancelling the Ryerson-Brampton project seems to have come out of the blue and does not inspire confidence in the government’s decision-making.”
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