Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development
November 9, 2009
Federal and Provincial Governments
Announce
Funding for Grand Falls-Windsor
College Campus
With a focus on stimulating economic activity and
diversification in Central Newfoundland, the Governments
of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador today announced
a combined investment of $4.1 million towards the
development of a $5.5 industrial and construction trades
facility at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus of the
College of the North Atlantic.
The announcement was made today by the Honourable
Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency); and the Honourable Shawn Skinner,
Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development at
the College of the North Atlantic�s Grand Falls-Windsor
Campus. Minister Ashfield announced $2.75 million under
the Federal Community Adjustment Fund, and Minister
Skinner announced $1.375 million under the provincial
Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund. The College of
the North Atlantic is also providing $1.375 million to
the project.
"We are pleased to provide funding through the
Community Adjustment Fund as part of our Economic Action
Plan," said Minister Ashfield. "Our government, through
CAF, is providing timely, targeted, stimulus to
communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, to help reduce
the impacts of the global economic downturn.
Establishing this industrial trades facility will enable
the College to significantly enhance its program
capacity, while responding to a substantial need for
skilled trades-people in Newfoundland and Labrador."
"Higher education and skills-development are major
drivers in positioning the Central Region as a strong,
diverse economy," said Minister Skinner. "The
Provincial Government�s investment in the College of the
North Atlantic will better enable the province to meet
labour market demands, attract and train a talented
workforce, and support our objective of providing new
employment and business opportunities in the region.
This initiative has the potential to make the Central
Region a focal point for skill development and training
in the province."
With this investment, the college will construct and
equip a new 12,600 square foot facility featuring two
different multi-function shops, with one focused on
industrial trades, and the other on the construction
trades. The multi-purpose shop design will enable the
college to adapt to changing industry demands.
Initially, the facility will be utilized to offer
residential electrical and sheet metal programming.
Each of the trades programs will accept 16 students.
Engineering work will start in the coming weeks, with
construction anticipated to start in early spring of
2010.
In addition to the industrial trades and construction
trades shops, the building will also house a
multi-function classroom and multimedia center, which
can be used to provide training for construction
managers, contractors and supervisors.
"This investment by the Federal and Provincial
Governments will provide the college, and more
specifically the Grand Falls-Windsor campus, with a
significant amount of training resources for industry
sectors that are in need of support," said Jean Madill,
President of College of the North Atlantic. "This will
be a versatile facility that will offer residents of the
Central Region, as well as those throughout the province
and country, with a primary location to gain quality
industrial and construction trades
training that will ultimately contribute to the
socioeconomic development of this province."
Today�s announcement builds on recent investments in
the Central Newfoundland region by the federal and
provincial governments to assist in developing the
cranberry industry, the tourism sector, and the life and
health science sectors.
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