Canadians will be better equipped for the well-paying middle-class jobs of today and tomorrow as a result of a $46.9 million investment.

The funding will modernize electrical infrastructure to keep up with advances in skilled trades training at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

The investment was announced today by Terry Beech, MP for Burnaby North-Seymour and Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, on behalf of Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Burnaby North MLA Richard T. Lee on behalf of Andrew Wilkinson, British Columbia's Advanced Education Minister.

The newly funded project involves replacing the electrical system that currently powers approximately 50% of the BCIT Burnaby Campus—including all of the Burnaby-based trades education programs at BCIT. The new power and communication infrastructure will be designed to meet all future power demands for the next 20 years.

The updated electrical system at BCIT will support further applied research in sustainable and reliable energy, tying into the existing programs and future energy research projects. A smart electrical system infrastructure at BCIT will also permit more efficient distribution and management of energy service on campus.

Of the $46.9-million investment:

• The Government of Canada is providing $11.4 million.
• The Province of British Columbia is providing $32.1 million.
• BCIT is providing $3.4 million.

The project will create approximately 53 direct and 95 indirect jobs during construction, which will get underway shortly with Phase 1 completion expected by spring 2018.

The funding from the Government of Canada is being allocated through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, which will enhance and modernize research facilities on Canadian campuses and improve the environmental sustainability of these facilities.

As a result of these investments, students, faculty and researchers will work in state-of-the-art facilities that advance the best education, training and applied research in the country. They will collaborate in specially designed spaces that support lifelong learning and skills training. They will work in close proximity with partners to turn discoveries into products or services. In the process, they will train for — and invent — the high-value jobs of the future. Their discoveries will plant the seeds for the next generation of innovators.

For more than 50 years, BCIT has delivered its applied education model, which blends academic and practical hands-on training. As one of the largest post-secondary institutes in British Columbia, BCIT educates over 48,000 students each year, offering credentials ranging from certificates and diplomas to bachelor’s and applied master’s degrees in areas such as applied and natural sciences, business and media, computing and IT, engineering, health sciences, and trades and apprenticeships.

The B.C. government is making record investments in modern, safe infrastructure projects throughout the province. In doing so, these construction projects are creating well-paying, family-supporting jobs. These investments are possible because of the strong fiscal plan of the B.C. government.

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Quotes:

Terry Beech, MP for Burnaby North-Seymour and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard –

“This significant investment by the Government of Canada is a historic down payment on the government’s vision to position Canada as a global centre for innovation. That means making Canada a world leader in turning ideas into solutions, science into technologies, skills into jobs and start-up companies into global successes. This investment will create conditions that are conducive to innovation and long-term growth, which will in turn keep the Canadian economy globally competitive.”

Richard T. Lee, MLA for Burnaby North on behalf of Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson –

“Our government’s multi-million investment will allow BCIT students to power up for jobs in the trades. The electrical service replacement will carry all future power demand requirements for the next 20 years. As trades and technology related programs continue to evolve, they will require new and updated learning infrastructure to support them.”

Kathy Kinloch, president, BCIT –

“This significant investment by our federal and provincial partners will upgrade our aging electrical infrastructure and provide an important and robust foundation for BCIT’s future. It will improve our energy conservation and efficiency, and support BCIT’s Smart Microgrid, fostering innovation and applied research in the development of sustainable energy technology. It also empowers us to move forward with campus planning and developments to enhance student learning and success.”

Matthew May, president, BCIT student association –

“This new funding will enable the Institute to continue long needed upgrades that will ultimately enhance the classroom experience here on campus, and provide the scaffolding required to maintain innovative learning environments for our students at BCIT.”

Quick Facts:

• The Government of Canada’s Innovation Agenda is designed to ensure Canada is globally competitive in promoting research, translating ideas into new products and services, accelerating business growth and propelling entrepreneurs from the start-up phase to international success.
• The targeted, short-term investments under the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund will promote economic activity across Canada and help Canada’s universities and colleges develop highly skilled workers, act as engines of discovery, and collaborate on innovations that help Canadian companies compete and grow internationally.
• The Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund supports the Government of Canada’s climate change objectives by encouraging sustainable and green infrastructure projects.
• The Province of British Columbia is directly investing more than $1 billion in planned capital expenses in the post-secondary sector over the next three years. The Province has invested and committed more than $3.3 billion in capital and infrastructure projects at public post-secondary institutions in B.C. since 2001, with more than 1,900 capital projects throughout the province.
• BCIT is the largest provider of apprenticeship training in the province of British Columbia.
  • BCIT has approximately 18,000 full-time students and approximately 28,000 part-time students enrolling annually in six schools: business, computing and academic studies, construction and the environment, energy, health sciences and transportation.
  • BCIT has more than 1,700 full-time and more than 500 part-time faculty and staff.

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Learn More:

Canada’s Innovation Agenda: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/062.nsf/eng/home

Innovation Agenda backgrounder: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1084739

Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/051.nsf/eng/home

Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund backgrounder: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1105379 

#BCTECH Strategy: https://bctechstrategy.gov.bc.ca/

B.C. Skills for Jobs Blueprint: https://www.workbc.ca/training-education/b-c-s-skills-for-jobs-blueprint.aspx 

Follow Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development on Twitter: @MinisterISED

Follow the Province of British Columbia on Twitter: @BCGovNews