UWinnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lloyd Axworthy (right) and Minister of State (Science & Technology) Gary Goodyear take questions from the media at today’s announcement of more than $18-million of infrastructure funding for the Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex. Photo by Kelly Morton/uwinnipeg.ca
WINNIPEG, MB – An historic $18,042,000 million infrastructure grant by the Government of Canada to The University of Winnipeg today means world-class researchers will be attracted to Winnipeg and thousands of science and environmental students will receive the highest calibre of education in a state-of-the-art complex for many years to come. In addition, the potential for Manitoba businesses to directly benefit from a commercialization unit within the Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex broadens the positive impact by supporting knowledge-based jobs now and into the future.
Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) and Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, were joined by the Government of Manitoba’s Diane McGifford, Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy, Ron Lemieux, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation and Lloyd Axworthy, University of Winnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor in announcing the federal government’s contribution to knowledge infrastructure for the complex which will secure the most up-to-date research and teaching laboratories and equipment.
“By supporting knowledge infrastructure at the University of Winnipeg, the Government of Canada is helping to provide researchers with the tools they need to be global leaders in their fields and pursue world-class excellence,” said Minister of State Goodyear. “It is one way that our government is working to strengthen Canada’s capacity to innovate and translate research into meaningful benefits for all Canadians.”
“Through this investment, our Government is helping to ensure that Winnipeg becomes a leader in environmental research. As an alumni of the University of Winnipeg, I am especially proud that our Government will be contributing to this worthy project, a project that will also contribute to the revitalization of downtown Winnipeg,” said Minister Toews.
Cutting-edge Science Complex for Winnipeg
The Science Complex will be a cutting-edge centre, engaging students and faculty in innovative research and development in natural and social sciences with a focus including the North, urban ecology, water stewardship, “green chemistry”, and indigenous science. As well, it will house some of the University’s science-based community learning programs for inner-city and Aboriginal children and young adults.
“With this generous grant, the Government of Canada is demonstrating a critically important commitment to the citizens of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada in advancing solutions to the many global challenges facing us today,” said President Axworthy. “The University of Winnipeg is poised to become a leader in environmental sustainability research, knowledge translation and product commercialization. We are perfectly positioned, with a cluster of leading institutions within a few blocks – namely, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, Manitoba Hydro, the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, to be known internationally as a community for scientific and environmental excellence. The University thanks the Government of Canada for its leadership and foresight.”
The Science Complex will be a model for green building technology, constructed to a minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Standard with a goal of achieving maximum energy efficiency.
The first phase of exterior and interior construction will begin in 2009, with completion by March 2011. The project will create approximately 750 jobs over the next two years, with an additional 30-50 faculty and staff positions added to the University in the next five years.
The Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex project was initiated on Sept. 12, 2006, with the generous donation of $3.5 million from the Richardson Firm, Family and Foundation.
The Province of Manitoba has helped make the Complex a reality with its own historic donation of $25 million to the University’s A World of Opportunity Capital Campaign, announced by Premier Gary Doer on Nov. 16, 2006.
Total construction cost for the Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex facility is estimated at $59 million. The developers are LTD Ventures, Inc. and the project team consists of Man-Shield Construction, Inc., Chartier Property Management Inc., Number TEN Architectural Group, Integrated Designs and the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation. The University of Winnipeg Foundation is fundraising for the project – for more information, visit www.uwinnipegfoundation.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135 E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
