Education
May 25, 2009

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and the Honourable Darin King, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Education, along with Senator Fabian Manning and the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Transportation and Works, today announced investments in four projects at post-secondary institutions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As part of Canada�s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada introduced the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a two-year $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at Canadian post-secondary institutions, including universities and community colleges. Today�s announcement celebrates the projects that qualify under the program in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Our government�s investment provides significant short-term economic stimulus in local communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, while at the same time strengthening Canada�s long-term capacity for research and innovation," said Minister MacKay. "The renewal of college and university facilities will encourage world-class researchers to work in Canada and give them the tools they need to make more discoveries that will benefit Canadians and people around the world."

The federal-provincial investment today totals more than $55 million over two years, including $24 million in federal funding and $31 million in provincial funding. Overall, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $800 million in infrastructure this year as part of a $4-billion, multi-year infrastructure strategy, which is anticipated to create or sustain approximately 5400 person-years of employment this year.

"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes and supports the important role our public post-secondary institutions play in furthering the economic growth and innovation of the province," said Minister King. "Today�s funding announcement for these post-secondary infrastructure projects builds on the Williams Government�s aggressive infrastructure plan to stimulate the economy and create jobs, while continuing to support the advancement of public post-secondary education."

The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians. It is also helping to generate the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canada�s research and educational facilities at the forefront of scientific advancement.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will increase infrastructure spending to approximately $800 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year and in excess of $4 billion over the next several years.

The $800 million the Provincial Government will spend on infrastructure in the 2009-10 fiscal year represents a jump of $285 million � well over 50 per cent � from the 2008-09 fiscal year.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s 2009-10, $800 million infrastructure strategy will include investments in the following sectors:

• Transportation infrastructure (including repairs and maintenance) � $309,230,000
  

• Educational facilities (including repairs and maintenance) � $155,745,000
  
  

• Healthcare facilities and equipment (including repairs and maintenance) � $163,000,000
  

• Municipal infrastructure � $103,219,000
  

• Newfoundland and Labrador Housing infrastructure � $25,285,000
  

• Justice infrastructure � $18,643,000

It is anticipated the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s infrastructure investment plan will create or sustain approximately 5,400 person years of employment this year.

The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a two-year, $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at post-secondary institutions across Canada.

The program provides funding to support deferred maintenance, repair and expansion projects at universities and colleges, and responds directly to the need indicated by post-secondary institutions to improve existing campus infrastructure across the country. A major portion of this infrastructure is near the end of its projected life cycle and, in many cases, does not adequately meet the needs of today�s research and teaching activities.

The program has two components. The university component gives preference to projects that can improve the quality of research and development at the institution. The college component supports projects at other post-secondary institutions, such as colleges, publicly-funded polytechnic schools and institutes of technology, which will strengthen their ability to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training.

Projects are assessed according to their ability to quickly and effectively generate economic activity and support job creation.　Project readiness and economic impact are, therefore, key criteria used in project selection. Projects are also assessed on their ability to enhance research capacity, support the attraction of new students and provide a better educational experience for the highly skilled workers of tomorrow.