Two universities court the City of Barrie

CTV Barrie: City wants university campus Rob Cooper looks at two proposals - one from Laurentian and one from Lakehead – for a university campus in Barrie.

The City of Barrie has said it wants a university campus and there are two proposals that could make that happen: one from Laurentian and one from Lakehead and Georgian College.

Laurentian University has approved $25 million for a standalone campus to be built in Barrie. The city has already committed $14 million for a university in Barrie.

The university has identified land along Essa Road as a potential location.

“Our students want their own campus but most importantly Barrie deserves and needs a university campus,” says Laurentian University president Dominic Giroux. “That's why we’re excited to invest.”

Giroux says this part of the province needs to keep students here.

He says, “88 per cent of university (students) in Simcoe County leave the county to pursue their university studies because there isn't a standalone university campus.”

The total cost of the project would be about $100 million. And Giroux says it could all be built in three years. A proposal must be presented to the province by September. A decision is expected by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in 2015.

But that's not all. Lakehead University, which already has a campus in Orillia, is interested in expanding in Barrie. Lakehead and Georgian are working together to offer more undergraduate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The partnership would not require any new buildings right away.

“Lakehead has capacity for 800 students,” says Georgian College president MaryLynn West-Moynes. “Georgian has capacity for 1,200 students. Together we have spaces to have 2,000 additional undergraduate degree students into Simcoe County and we're ready as soon as the government gives us approval to go for it.”

Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman says this could be a win, win situation for everyone and Barrie is supporting both proposals.