St. Clair College and Chatham will be home to the National Powerline Training Centre, thanks to a joint federal-provincial funding initiative.
At a packed press conference, filled with a sea of orange-clad powerline students, Peter Fragiskatos, MP for London North Centre, announced funding for two projects from the $2 billion Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) on behalf of Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
In addition to the powerline training centre to be built at the Thames Campus, the Windsor campus of St. Clair College will get a facilities and equipment upgrade to enhance research and innovation. Of the government’s total investment of $5.4 million, $3.8 million is from the federal government, and $1.6 million from the Ontario government. The college will invest $2 million, and $250,000 is coming from the municipality of Chatham-Kent. Total investment from all partners is $7.8 million.
In his remarks at the press conference, Fragiskatos said he knows the Chatham-Kent region has been experiencing a difficult and challenging time economically, but he sees this announcement as “turning a corner because with economic growth comes prosperity”.
“The infrastructure investment is exciting news for St. Clair College and the Southwestern Ontario region. St. Clair College has made a commitment in its mission statement to provide students with an accessible, dynamic and supportive learning environment which adapts to their changing requirements,” Fragiskatos said. “Investments made through the SIF will create good-paying jobs that can help the middle class grow and prosper today, while also delivering sustained growth for years to come.”
Fragistakos also mentioned when the college model was first considered as a career-focused alternative to universities, the advancements in innovations and industry partnerships were only imagined.
As a result of these investments, students, professors and researchers will work in state-of-the-art facilities that advance the country’s best research. They will collaborate in specially designed spaces that support lifelong learning and skills training. They will work in close proximity with partners to turn discoveries into products or services, according to a release on the funding announcement.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope, who was part of the funding announcement, said the powerline jobs are important to the economic development of the community for industry to make products, and that energy production is big part of Chatham-Kent’s economy.
“Currently we’re producing enough energy for 340,000 homes which is more than what we use here, but we’re also, out of Canada, about 11 to 12 per cent of Canada’s renewable energy is being produced here,” Hope said. “And in Ontario, about 24 per cent of renewables is being produced here.”
Being a centre for innovation in skilled trades such as powerlines is an agenda the municipality has been behind in order make sure industry in the area has the skilled trades people available to help them prosper in a global market.
“As we see an aging population in the trades profession, we need to entice more people into trades. Powerlines is important because it’s an aging infrastructure and new infrastructure is going to be required, but it also leverages the opportunity for those countries looking to make sure they have qualified trades, that they can send their students here for the highest level of training – everything that is available to both the student here and student abroad for them to benefit from the community of Chatham-Kent,” Hope added.
The proposal to help fund the new powerline centre was brought to city hall by the college for council’s consideration, and Hope said it was something all of council could support.
“It was a proposal that was brought to council and we passed it, so over the next two years we will be phasing our payment of the $250,000 for the build,” Hope explained. “If they need the money earlier, we’ll get it out earlier but it is a two-year commitment.”
