An infusion of $113 million from the Governments of Canada and Ontario and York University will modernize labs in the Faculties of Science and Health, create a new building for the Schulich School of Business, and boost energy-efficient cooling and power for 85 buildings on York’s Keele Campus. The investment will create exciting opportunities for the next generation of researchers and students who inspire progress at home and around the globe.

The federal government will provide $40.8 million to York through its Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, the Hon. Judy Sgro, MP Humber River-Black Creek, announced at York University Feb. 17. The provincial government, represented by the Hon. Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation and MPP Vaughan, will provide $6.6 million and York will invest more than $65 million, for a total of approximately $113 million.

“We are grateful to the federal and provincial governments for this investment in York’s research and learning infrastructure. This funding will ensure that our researchers, faculty and students have the resources they need to conduct cutting-edge research that will position Canada as a leader in science, health and business innovation. This important renewal will also help to make our operations more efficient and sustainable in the long-term,” said York University’s President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri.

The improvements will be made over the next two years.

“The Government of Canada’s support for leading-edge facilities at York University will introduce state-of-the-art technology, create new space to expand industry-focused research programs and centres of excellence, and support the modernization of existing laboratory space as well as two new laboratory spaces at York University’s Glendon Campus,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation.

The funding will be used to:

  • convert the 48-year-old Farquharson Life Sciences building into a modern academic and research building using sustainable practices, renovate labs in three other buildings on the Keele campus, and create biology labs at Glendon, York’s bilingual campus;
  • build an environmentally-sustainable 67,000-square-foot building linked to the existing Schulich School of Business, to support research, global programs and Centres of Excellence; and
  • upgrade equipment in the Central Utilities Building to provide more energy-efficient and reliable heat, cooling and power to York’s 85 buildings.

The investment in York is part of the federal government’s $2-billion fund to modernize research and commercialization facilities at Canadian universities, colleges and polytechnics, improve the environmental sustainability of those facilities and promote economic activity across Canada. These York University projects met the extensive funding criteria of the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund that include being shovel-ready for completion by April 30, 2018; promoting innovation and long-term economic growth through improved or expanded research, innovation or commercialization spaces; and/or improving the environmental sustainability of research and innovation-related infrastructure.

“Our government has made the support of science the cornerstone of policy development and roll-out and this announcement is part of that approach. This strategy, coupled with the fact that York has long been on the forefront of research and cutting-edge development, means York’s role is one that must expand in ways that assures the University has the tools needed to do the job effectively. This funding is an important step on that path and I am pleased to be here to lend my support to York University and to the concept of policy rooted in science and data,” said Sgro.

Modernization of research and learning facilities will create exciting opportunities for students and researchers at York for many years to come.

“Our government is proud to support this important project, which will give York University students access to renewed and upgraded facilities that provide space for three projects; the Major Science Building Renewal project, the Central Utilities and CO-Generation Upgrade project and the Schulich School of Business Expansion. We know that providing access to high-quality education and training facilities is critical to building the highly-skilled workforce we need to support good jobs and economic growth for today and tomorrow, and this investment will help us to do exactly that,” said Del Duca.

Originally posted in YFile.