Toronto's Centennial College expands its flagship campus

Toronto, May 29, 2009 – Thanks to a $35-million infrastructure investment by the federal and Ontario governments announced today, Centennial College is moving ahead with a visionary plan to construct a new library and classrooms at its flagship Progress Campus, which will add much-needed academic space for a growing student population.

The 104,600-square-foot building will include a full-service library – replacing a smaller, older facility – as well as 22 additional classrooms, lab space and a large lecture theatre. The library project is supported by the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP), a federal-provincial initiative to renew Canada's college and university campuses.

“We’re delighted by the news that our bold library project has earned financial support from two levels of government,” says Ann Buller, Centennial College President and CEO. “It’s wonderful to see our colleges recognized by both Ottawa and Queen’s Park for helping to develop the advanced skills so essential to Canada’s growth.”

Under KIP, Ontario will invest $27.7 million towards the new building. The federal government will also provide $7.3 million in support. The college will contribute $5.8 million towards the project, which has an overall cost of $46 million and is expected to create about 460 construction jobs.

The new library will offer state-of the-art technology with both in-house and remote access to digital resources, as well as print and visual media collections. The learning-centred environment will be open, dynamic and physically adaptable to accommodate various needs. A ‘Learning Commons’ will function as a gathering place offering a gallery, small performance area and classrooms with instructional technology and presentation technology suites.

Construction is scheduled to begin in August, with occupancy slated for as early as the summer of 2011. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities allocated $5 million in 2008 to begin preliminary site planning and space requirement assessments, making the project “shovel-ready.”

The new library is part of a $143.5-million rejuvenation plan for Ontario’s oldest college. Other components include a Skills and Apprenticeship Development Centre and a student residence building. Already coping with a space crunch, Centennial is planning for additional enrolment growth when its campuses are linked by Toronto’s proposed light-rail transit lines.

Centennial College is recognized as Ontario's first public college, established in 1966. It currently supports enrolments of 12,500 full-time students and 25,000 part-time learners.