Tuscani01
Senior Member
City backs Waterloo university campus bid
By: Joseph Chin
March 6, 2008 10:08 AM - University of Waterloo is coming to Mississauga — maybe.
Mayor Hazel McCallion and City of Mississauga officials met on Monday with university officials to discuss plans for such a venture.
“They are most anxious to establish a satellite campus in Mississauga, and they want to do it quickly,†McCallion told City Council yesterday.
“It’s not a case of they’re thinking of doing it — they want to do it. It’s quite exciting that they chose Mississauga.â€
McCallion said she knew of the university’s plan for some time, but kept it under wraps until now.
“They came to see me three months ago saying they were looking (to put) a satellite in the GTA, and they wanted to know whether Mississauga would be interested. Needless to say, my answer was positive,†she said.
McCallion said City staff will soon start looking for a suitable site, with City Centre the choice of City officials.
As for what programs would be offered in Mississauga, McCallion is lobbying for something in the engineering field. University of Waterloo is known internationally for, among other programs, its engineering department.
“They haven’t indicated yet, but I emphasized engineering because the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) doesn’t have engineering,†said McCallion.
UW officials weren’t available for comment as of press time.
Whether the City will offer the university some kind of financial incentive is up in the air, although McCallion noted the institution received $30 million from the City of Kitchener and corporations to locate its new pharmaceutical school in that city.
“There’s no way we can find $30 million in our budget,†McCallion said.
McCallion asked City Manager Janice Baker to explore the feasibility of creating a so-called “development corporation†to raise funds for ventures such as this. It would be a partnership between the City and the private sector.
“(It) can buy property, put it back on the market, and make a profit,†she said.
Mississauga is quickly becoming a city of choice for satellite campuses after 40 years with UTM as the lone institution of higher learning. Last year, Sheridan College announced plans to locate a campus on Britannia Farm lands at the corner of Hurontario St. and Bristol Rd.
Founded in 1957, University of Waterloo has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty and staff. The school is notable for being the first accredited university in North America to create a Faculty of Mathematics, for having more company spin-offs than any other Canadian university and for having the largest co-op program in the world.
Great news for MCC. Lets hope this happens!
By: Joseph Chin
March 6, 2008 10:08 AM - University of Waterloo is coming to Mississauga — maybe.
Mayor Hazel McCallion and City of Mississauga officials met on Monday with university officials to discuss plans for such a venture.
“They are most anxious to establish a satellite campus in Mississauga, and they want to do it quickly,†McCallion told City Council yesterday.
“It’s not a case of they’re thinking of doing it — they want to do it. It’s quite exciting that they chose Mississauga.â€
McCallion said she knew of the university’s plan for some time, but kept it under wraps until now.
“They came to see me three months ago saying they were looking (to put) a satellite in the GTA, and they wanted to know whether Mississauga would be interested. Needless to say, my answer was positive,†she said.
McCallion said City staff will soon start looking for a suitable site, with City Centre the choice of City officials.
As for what programs would be offered in Mississauga, McCallion is lobbying for something in the engineering field. University of Waterloo is known internationally for, among other programs, its engineering department.
“They haven’t indicated yet, but I emphasized engineering because the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) doesn’t have engineering,†said McCallion.
UW officials weren’t available for comment as of press time.
Whether the City will offer the university some kind of financial incentive is up in the air, although McCallion noted the institution received $30 million from the City of Kitchener and corporations to locate its new pharmaceutical school in that city.
“There’s no way we can find $30 million in our budget,†McCallion said.
McCallion asked City Manager Janice Baker to explore the feasibility of creating a so-called “development corporation†to raise funds for ventures such as this. It would be a partnership between the City and the private sector.
“(It) can buy property, put it back on the market, and make a profit,†she said.
Mississauga is quickly becoming a city of choice for satellite campuses after 40 years with UTM as the lone institution of higher learning. Last year, Sheridan College announced plans to locate a campus on Britannia Farm lands at the corner of Hurontario St. and Bristol Rd.
Founded in 1957, University of Waterloo has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty and staff. The school is notable for being the first accredited university in North America to create a Faculty of Mathematics, for having more company spin-offs than any other Canadian university and for having the largest co-op program in the world.
Great news for MCC. Lets hope this happens!
