Ontario invests $150M in engineering facility at York University

On April 8, Ontario celebrated the grand opening of the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence at York University, an innovative new facility that will help students develop the specialized skills and knowledge they need to compete for high-demand engineering jobs.

The province invested $50 million to support the construction of the 170,000-sq.-ft. advanced learning and research facility with cutting-edge classrooms and laboratories. The Bergeron Centre is the new home of York University’s School of Engineering and will provide innovative learning space for more than 2,000 students annually.

Mario Sergio, MPP for York West

“I am delighted that York University continues to be a trailblazer in academic innovation. This significant investment in our community by our provincial government in the cutting-edge Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence will help foster many of Ontario’s brightest‎ minds right here in York West. Our government’s commitment to postsecondary education and infrastructure ensures that we continue to compete globally by preparing students for the high-skilled jobs demanded by a technology-driven economy,” said Mario Sergio, MPP for York West.

The Bergeron Centre will house seven undergraduate engineering programs including civil, computer, electrical, geomatic, mechanical, software and space engineering. Students will also be able to benefit from innovative cross-disciplinary collaborative programming between business and design programs, offered jointly by the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Schulich School of Business, combining traditional engineering education with skills associated with entrepreneurship, collaboration, and creativity.

Improving postsecondary infrastructure is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.