Premier Christy Clark announced that the B.C. government will invest in a new visual, media and design facility for Emily Carr University of Art + Design at the Great Northern Way Campus.

"Emily Carr University had outgrown its old home," said Premier Clark. "Too much success is a nice problem to have, and just as their graduates move onto bigger and better career options, we're pleased to help the university move into a bigger and better home."

The new facility will further B.C.'s reputation as a destination for world-class post-secondary education, by allowing the university to enhance the education and skills training in media, design and art programs in ways that have not been possible due to size constraints of the current Granville Island campus.

"Emily Carr has a well-deserved national and international reputation and this new campus will provide state-of-the-art facilities for staff and students," said John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology. "As part of B.C.'s Jobs Plan, it will encourage the kind of collaborations across the Great Northern Way Campus that will consolidate B.C.'s position as a leader in creative arts, media and design."

The project will have a total cost of approximately $134 million. The Province will invest up to $113 million, with Emily Carr and other donors contributing additional funds towards the ultimate cost. The university will provide details on its additional funding, including a capital campaign, in the future. Emily Carr will be seeking a team to design, build, finance and maintain the new campus. The competitive selection process is expected to begin in February with the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

Construction on the project is due to start in May 2014 and is expected to be complete by July 2016, creating an estimated 1,500 jobs during construction.

"Emily Carr's Great Northern Way Campus will be at the centre of a new social, cultural, educational, entertainment and economic engine for British Columbia. This is a historic moment for our institution and for championing creativity and innovation in our province," said Dr. Ron Burnett, president and vice-chancellor, Emily Carr University of Art + Design. "The government of B.C.'s investment in a purpose-built campus will provide students, faculty and the community a world class state-of-the-art facility for 21st-century learning. It will be a home to match our global reputation as a leader in art, design, media and applied research."

"The creative sector is a significant contributor to the province's gross domestic product," said Bill Bennett, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. "The new media and design facility at Emily Carr will enable the university's graduates to continue making a major contribution to this important sector of British Columbia's economy."

Emily Carr is a twenty-five per cent shareholder in the GNWC along with the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the University of British Columbia, and Simon Fraser University. The move to the GNWC will significantly contribute to the campus goals to bring art and technology together, build on the recently opened Centre for Digital Media, attract innovative businesses and academic programs, and encourage collaborations between the four partner institutions.

Quick Facts:

• In 2012 Emily Carr University of Art + Design was awarded the Red Dot Design ranking, which recognized the university as one of the most innovative art and design universities worldwide.

• The new facilities will consist of four main functional areas:

• Studio and Academic Programs

• Learning Support

• Administration

• Student and Campus Services

• The new buildings will occupy approximately 26,600 gross square metres and accommodate over 1,800 students.

• The Great Northern Way Campus is located at Great Northern Way and East 1st Avenue, Vancouver.

Learn More:

B.C. Jobs Plan and Skills Training Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/skills-and-training-plan/

Emily Carr University of Art + Design: http://www.ecuad.ca/

Great Northern Way Campus: http://www.gnwtrust.ca/

Media Contacts:

Mike Morton
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
250 588-8380

Barry Patterson
Executive Director, Communications
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
604 844-3078
604 839-3078 (cell)