BRAMPTON Real Estate Board

Province greenlights new Ryerson University campus in downtown Brampton

Thursday, Apr 19 2018

BRAMPTON, ON – Political and business leaders from Brampton and around the GTHA gathered at a Brampton Board of Trade event today to celebrate the announcement of a significant education infrastructure project that will transform the city. The Honourable Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, along with Harinder Malhi, MPP Brampton-Springdale and Minister of the Status of Women, announced the establishment of a new Ryerson University campus, with Sheridan College as an academic partner, in downtown Brampton.

Slated to open for classes in the Fall of 2022, the new campus will focus on providing students data-driven science and business programming paired with experiential learning. Plans include the new campus, a partnership for a National Centre for Cybersecurity, and a centre for innovation – a joint-use facility which will include public and academic libraries and an innovation zone. The new campus will be built adjacent to the downtown GO Station. The centre of innovation will be located on the land surrounding the existing Nelson Square parking garage.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Brampton, and we couldn’t be more pleased to be partnering with two leading institutions – Ryerson University and Sheridan College – in bringing a new campus and centre for innovation to downtown Brampton,” said Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey. “Today’s exciting announcement marks the start of transformation for Brampton, and new opportunities for our residents. We are looking forward to continuing our excellent partnership with Ryerson and Sheridan to make Brampton a destination for learning and innovation.”

Bringing a new university to Brampton has been a key priority for the City. In September 2017, Brampton City Council made a historic commitment of up to $150 million for a new university and centre for innovation.

The City of Brampton has actively engaged with partners, community groups and businesses over the past year to help lay the foundation for future success. Also instrumental in this success was the work of the Blue Ribbon Panel, established by Council to provide recommendations to bring a university campus to Brampton. In 2017, the City commissioned an economic impact study that highlighted the diversity of economic and social benefits of a new university and centre for innovation. The City is also working with the partners to develop a vision for the centre for innovation, and currently has an active request for procurement for architectural services for this facility.

“We have built a strong partnership with Ryerson and Sheridan,” said Paul Aldunate, project manager of the university initiative for the City of Brampton. “We are eager to move forward together on this exciting project that will bring significant economic and cultural benefits to Brampton and its residents. This project will develop the skilled workforce of tomorrow right here in downtown Brampton.”

This is Ryerson’s first expansion of academic programming outside of its iconic downtown Toronto campus. Ryerson has a reputation as a city-building institution, and is globally recognized for its business-focused innovation zones. With a focus on career-oriented education, Ryerson receives the most applications, relative to spaces available, of any university in Ontario.

“In expanding to Brampton, Ryerson will provide much-needed university programs to students in one of the fastest-growing and most diverse communities in Canada,” said Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice-Chancellor of Ryerson University. “We are looking forward to working with Sheridan to provide students in the region with innovative academic programs that offer the critical thinking and problem solving skills needed to succeed and thrive in the modern economy.”

Sheridan has a long history in Brampton, and a strong track record of developing and delivering leading programming. Brampton is already home to the Davis campus and the Centre of Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technology. Sheridan has a well-earned reputation in applied research and experiential learning, and a strong history of building partnerships in and with the City of Brampton.

“Sheridan is exceptionally proud to partner with Ryerson University on this exciting venture,” said Dr. Mary Preece, President and Vice Chancellor of Sheridan. “For 50 years, we’ve been proud to call Brampton home. Today marks the beginning of a new era. We’re building on Sheridan’s strength in teaching creative problem solving, the established track record of both of our institutions for incubating innovation, and our shared belief in the value of experiential learning. Together, we’ll provide even more opportunities for students to gain an education that’s highly relevant for the times.”

Quick Facts

·    The project has an anticipated academic start date of September 2022.

·   Ryerson is planning for enrolment at the new Brampton campus of 2,000 students

·    The City of Brampton has committed up to $50 million, over 10 years, to a university facility and up to $100 million for a centre for innovation.

·   Between the City of Brampton and the Province of Ontario, almost a quarter of a billion dollars has been committed to a new university and centre for innovation.

·   The City commissioned an economic impact study in 2017 which demonstrated that the construction, and ongoing annual operation, of a new university and centre for innovation would bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.

·   The downtown Brampton location is easily accessible through transit, connects to the GTA and Innovation Super-Corridor through GO transit, and will help spark business and cultural activity, creating a signature Brampton destination.

·   A downtown Brampton university location amplifies Brampton’s position at the centre of the Toronto-Waterloo Innovation Corridor, an ecosystem to link talent, educators, investors, entrepreneurs and high-growth firms.

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​Brampton is thinking bigger. We are a future ready organization with a sharp focus. We know our community’s growth, youth and diversity set us apart. We sit at the centre of Canada’s innovation super corridor, encouraging investment and growing our global success. We are building vibrant urban centres that ignite opportunity and instill pride in the people who live and work here. We are moving Brampton forward to be a connected city that is innovative, inclusive and bold. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more at www.brampton.ca.

MEDIA CONTACT

Natalie Stogdill

Media Coordinator

City of Brampton

905.874.3654 | natalie.stogdill@brampton.ca

Contained within the platform were recommendations related to real estate and the housing market. These policies focused on affordable housing, creating housing options for low-income earners, expanding the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) and protecting renters.

In a 100-page plan, there is a lot of room for specific commitments. However, there were some recommendations in the NDP platform that are similar to the proposals put forward by OREA in our Platform for Home Ownership.

·         Encourage an array of options, including mid-rises, townhouses and stacked townhouses.

·         Require minimum density in developments along new transit lines, letting municipalities opt out of some minimum parking requirements and requiring coordinated planning of retail and housing in medium-density developments.

·         Dedicate cap-and-trade revenues to a new $50 million no-interest and on-bill home retrofit program to help people consumer less power at home. Target the program to communities and individuals facing the greatest financial barriers to lowering their energy use.

·         Create a Residents’ Rights Act so home owners can add legal apartments, laneway houses and “granny flats” to their properties.

·         Build 65,000 new affordable homes, including non-profit and co-op housing.

·         Allow seniors who own their home to defer property taxes until their house is sold.

·         Overhaul Inclusionary Zoning regulations to require a certain number of affordable homes in new housing developments. Increase the percentage and bring rental properties under the regulations.

·         Protect homebuyers from “shoddy construction and unfair financial risk” by reforming Tarion Warranty Corporation.

·         Crack down on housing speculators, including domestic speculators by applying the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) anywhere speculation is overheating a housing market. Match British Columbia’s schedule by increasing the NRST to $20 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2019.

·         Make rentals more affordable by introducing legislation that:

·         Limits the use of above-guideline increases to “renovict” people from their homes.

·         A rent registry, so tenants can know how much a landlord has charged in the past.

·         Protect condo buyers by ensuring that:

·         Disputes can be resolved quickly.

·         Owners can expect transparency and accountability from condo boards.

·         Advertising materials reflect realistic costs and fees.

·         Owners have protection from shoddy or incompetent construction.

Sincerely,

Sean Morrison,
2018 Government Relations Committee Chair