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BC Liberal Government Provides $23M to Expand Okanagan Campus

November 16, 2007

Kelowna – The Province is providing $23 million for a new Centre for Learning Building, increasing access to post-secondary education at the Okanagan College Kelowna campus, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today.

“The creation of Okanagan College has been a huge success story for the Okanagan and it is playing a key role in building British Columbia’s skilled work force,” said Campbell. “The college serves almost 6,000 students and this expansion will provide more opportunities for students to gain the skills they need to be successful in the region’s growing economy.”

The Centre for Learning will add an additional 6,360 square metres of space for 22 classrooms with 685 instructional seats, study areas, technology work stations, office space for approximately 110 staff and faculty, a larger library with an additional 350 library study spaces, student and food services, and a professional development centre for instructors and staff. The centre will also have a media shop with graphics lab, video editing and media production services as well as 36 technology workstations and wireless technology from anywhere on the campus. The Province is providing $23 million and the college is contributing $5 million for a total project cost of $28 million.

“We’re expanding campuses across the province to accommodate the 25,000 new seats we will have added by 2010,” said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. “Okanagan College is growing rapidly -- since 2004 government has added 620 new spaces for the college and we plan to add another 380 by 2010.”

“This is great news for our students since it means moving from portable classrooms and cramped spaces into a modern, environmentally-friendly place to learn," said Okanagan College president Jim Hamilton. “It’s also great news for our community since it means we can open our Kelowna campus to more people, increasing the number of trained, skilled graduates that are ready to meet the future needs of the workforce.”

The new building will be certified to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold standard and will take advantage of a unique heating and cooling system tied into the neighbouring waste-water treatment plan. The system will heat most buildings on campus, saving about $300,000 and reducing the carbon footprint by 217 tonnes annually. The building will also have energy-efficient boilers, motion-sensor lighting, and energy-efficient window glass.

Since 2001, the Province has provided more than $1 billion in new funding for 904 capital projects on campuses throughout B.C. and has allocated almost $700 million in capital funding over the next three years to accommodate further growth. To date, the Province has also funded almost 16,000 new seats at B.C.’s universities, colleges, and university colleges.
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Authorized By Jim Pipe, Financial Agent BC Liberal Party.
Tel: 604.606.6000, 1.800.567.2257