The Manitoba government announced that it will invest up to $10 million to support the development of the Prairie Innovation Centre at Assiniboine Community College (ACC) in Brandon, Manitoba.
“As our economy emerges into a new era of growth, our government is working collaboratively with industry, the business sector and our post-secondary institutions to ensure we attract our youth to the jobs of the future, and provide the training and skills necessary to be successful,” said Premier Heather Stefanson. “I want to commend ACC and their leadership for spearheading this expansion project, along with their donors and community members who are keen to see this centre come to life which will provide innovative programming and support the growth of the local community and economy.”
As part of ongoing collaborative efforts to align education and training to meet evolving labour market needs and foster competitiveness and growth, ACC aims to significantly expand its programming to address labour shortages and high-demand jobs, specifically in the agriculture sector, the premier noted.
“This investment represents a significant step forward for Assiniboine Community College to help support new programs for labour market development, applied research and industry engagement in the agriculture, environment and processing sectors,” said Mark Frison, president, ACC. “We have seen great enthusiasm from the community, industry and donors for the project. It’s great to see Premier Stefanson and the Manitoba government respond in such a significant way by providing up to $10 million to assist the college in moving this project forward to the next stage of development.”
ACC has proposed 16 new or expanded educational programs and supporting infrastructure on its North Hill Campus. The college projects the new centre would increase enrolment by approximately 600 students, to nearly 900 from the current 300, in such high-demand fields as agriculture, agriculture extension, environment and technology programs, the premier noted.
The $10-million commitment will support the initial planning phases, including exploration of facilities and land development needed to support the design and development of the new centre. Assessment of the proposed educational programs and associated supporting infrastructure is slated to begin early this year, the premier said.
