The University of Windsor is getting a boost to help maintain its facilities for current students and faculty.
The Ontario government announced Wednesday morning that a capital investment of $3.12 million will be provided to the university. The money will be used for critical repairs and upgrades, and provide a safe, up-to-date learning environment for the university community.
The investment is part of the government's Facilities Renewal Program (FRP), which provides a total of $466 million in funding for these projects over a three-year period.
The funding was announced by Minister of Colleges and Universities Russ Romano who said that the university's physical health is critical to both the local economy, as well as its reputation as a place of higher learning.
"The world-class education students receive at our post-secondary institutions is critical to the future of Ontario, our economy, and the prosperity of our people," said Romano. "That is why our government is proud to commit increased annual funding to the University of Windsor to renew and modernize their facilities."
The need for the school to keep up with general maintenance has not stopped, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the funding, U of W can handle backlogged maintenance, modernize current classrooms, and upgrade technology. The university can also use the funding to renew campus infrastructure projects, which can provide jobs for local workers and stimulate the local economy.
U of W President and Vice-Chancellor Robert Gordon welcomed the funding increase and pointed out that the university's situation is similar to post-secondary institutions across Canada.
"It is critical that we continue to place an emphasis on upgrades to our existing facilities," said Gordon. "Providing a world-class education depends on both the best possible instruction and ensuring the physical environment for that learning encourages collaboration and innovation."
Provincewide, the allotment for the FRP in the fiscal year 2020-2021 is $144 million.
