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With eye on Calgary's core, Notley guarantees $200M for downtown college campus

With the security and vibrancy of Calgary’s downtown squarely within the crosshairs in current weeks, Alberta NDP Chief Rachel Notley reiterated her promise for a $200-million college campus in Calgary’s downtown to drive innovation and financial diversification.

“This campus would help the creation of an innovation district that brings post-secondaries, entrepreneurs, startups, enterprise incubators and accelerators collectively to facilitate collaboration and innovation,” she stated.

Notley stated this could assist tackle the 32 per cent emptiness in downtown workplaces whereas bringing financial stimulus to the core.

The College of Calgary already has a downtown campus and Bow Valley Faculty’s foremost campus can be within the core, whereas SAIT is simply to the north.

Challenge mild on particulars

The venture is mild on particulars. There are not any plans on the place the campus might be and no indication of what post-secondary establishments might be concerned. Notley didn’t shut the door on out-of-province faculties being related to the ability, however stated precedence could be given to Alberta-based faculties.

Scholar housing would additionally probably be included within the venture, which may embody the growth of present campuses and the repurposing of vacant workplace towers.

Notley referenced Concordia College of Edmonton’s $50-million growth and MacEwan College’s $190-million enterprise faculty venture for a way they developed a $200-million funds for the venture.

There isn’t any timeline for this to return to fruition if the NDP kinds authorities following the election in Might. Notley stated planning would start inside months, and potential repurposing of workplace house may start within the fall.

UCP minister says he hasn’t heard about want from faculties

The provincial authorities launched the CORE report final 12 months that prioritized bringing post-secondaries downtown.

Superior Schooling Minister Demetrios Nicolaides stated the province is already speaking with native universities and schools. He stated none has instructed them they need or want a campus like this. He stated he has been working with the U of C to increase its structure and planning program within the downtown, however added there’s already robust illustration there.

“I’m blissful to take course from our universities and schools about what tasks must be funded, the place {dollars} ought to go and how much tasks have to be supported, slightly than arising with my very own and attempting to compel the schools and schools to comply with that,” he instructed Postmedia.

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Twitter: @JoshAldrich03