North and Davis Buildings to get $52.5 million renovation
Think of it as U of T Mississauga 2.0. The buildings that launched U of T Mississauga are about to get a massive upgrade as a result of a $52.5 million investment by the Ontario government.
The Honourable Harinder Takhar, minister of government services and MPP for Mississauga-Erindale, announced Monday that the North Building's academic spaces will be completely overhauled, and will include new space for the Departments of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, and Psychology. At the same time, the William G. Davis Building (formerly the South Building) will undergo significant renovations to create leading-edge laboratory space for more biology and chemical and physical sciences students.
With the investment announced today, the province of Ontario is joining with the university to make a significant difference in the everyday experience of students on this campus, said Professor Deep Saini, vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga. Our university's success depends not simply on excellent faculty, staff and students-but, critically, on the quality of the built environment and the facilities that stimulate and inspire our students.
Saini noted that U of T Mississauga's enrolment has doubled in the last 10 years, creating current demand for more and better spaces. Combined with a burgeoning high school population in the GTA and a growing international student body, the demand for more spaces will increase. We need space that will accommodate student growth and enhance the student experience. And we need space that is home to a first rate learning and working environment.
The North Building reconstruction and Davis Building renovation project will cost a total of $75 million -- $52.5 million from government with the remaining $22.5 million to come from U of T. It marks the first phase of a multi-year reconstruction of the rapidly expanding U of T Mississauga campus, which is set to open two brand new buildings later this year: the $35-million Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex and the $70- million Instructional Centre.
Ontario is putting students first by creating more opportunities at our colleges and universities so we can build the skilled and knowledgeable workforce needed for the global economy, said John Milloy, minister of training, colleges and universities, in a news release. Our government's investment in the University of Toronto Mississauga campus will provide more places for students to learn sciences that will play an important role in developing our economy.
U of T Mississauga is the second-largest division of the University of Toronto.
This investment by the Ontario government is very welcome news and another encouraging sign of the government's commitment to post-secondary education in our province, said University of Toronto president David Naylor. As the University of Toronto Mississauga continues its exciting expansion, the government has partnered with us again to ensure that students will have the leading-edge facilities they need for an exceptional educational experience. We are grateful that our students will now have even better opportunities to make a brighter tomorrow for themselves and our province.
The renovation projects at U of T Mississauga are anticipated to create 525 construction-related jobs. Our government's investment in the Mississauga campus adds to the province's future prosperity, said Takhar. Every community, every region must have the opportunity to contribute to the growth and well-being of Ontario.