Ontario Investing $10.6 Million for Improvements to Sault College’s E-Wing Hub

May 16, 2016

Province Strengthening Postsecondary Education in the North

Ontario is investing $10.6 million to support the revitalization of a central hub at Sault College.

The upgraded facilities at the college’s E-Wing will provide students with a more modern and accessible learning environment and improve spaces for student services. The modernized hub will include:

Counselling and mental health support services
Computer labs and food services
The Academic Upgrading Centre, which will help Sault College better support Indigenous and non-Indigenous adult learners
Upgraded classrooms that will house parts of the college’s Aerospace and Engineering Technology programs.

The province is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history — about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals, including the renovations to Sault College. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.

Investing in postsecondary infrastructure is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.

QUICK FACTS

This capital project is being funded as part of Ontario’s 2016 Budget.
Sault College provides postsecondary education to more than 4,500 part-time and full-time students each year. Sault College has graduated over 26,000 students in 45 years.
One in five Sault College students is of Indigenous ancestry, giving the college one of the largest postsecondary Indigenous populations in the province.
Built in 1970, the E-Wing is host to student services, learning support, counselling and mental health, academic upgrading, faculty and administrative offices, general purpose classrooms, computer labs, IT support services, food services and the campus book store.
Since 2003, the province has invested $3.6 billion in capital funding for Ontario colleges and universities and over the next 10 years, has a plan to provide an additional $3 billion in capital grants.
Research shows that every $100 million of public infrastructure investment in Ontario boosts GDP by $114 million.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

QUOTES

“The Ontario government is proud to support this important project, which will give students at Sault College access to state-of-the art facilities they need to prepare for successful careers in aerospace technology and engineering, as well as to modernized spaces for student services like mental health supports and academic upgrading opportunities. Our government understands that providing access to high-quality education and training facilities is critical to building the skilled workforce we need to support good jobs and economic growth, and this investment will support that important priority in Sault Ste. Marie.”
— Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
“Our government has delivered considerable support for numerous initiatives, equipment and infrastructure at both of our local postsecondary institutions to expand programs and create more opportunities for students in a globally competitive environment. I am very pleased to be able to announce this important investment which will provide needed modernized education and training space at Sault College, as well help to strengthen our local economy.”
— David Orazietti, Member of Provincial Parliament, Sault Ste. Marie
“Students have rated Sault College #1 for the quality of facilities for the past three years. It is because of investments like these that will help us remain the top College in Ontario. E Wing was built in the early seventies and it is a footprint in need of urgent renewal. This is an exciting opportunity to provide modern facilities that will reduce our carbon footprint through energy efficiencies and it will allow us to redevelop a space that our staff and students are proud of. This funding will not only enable Sault College to retrofit the E Wing building but will also launch Phase 1 of the iE3 project (Institute for Environment, Education and Entrepreneurship). The iE3 project will provide new and renovated spaces that will create a state-of-the-art learning, training and working environment for stu dents, staff and clients. It will include an innovative new design and equipment that will attract students to Sault College as well as provide the capacity for expansion of programs.”
— Dr. Ron Common, Sault College President