The Polytechnic University Facilities Master Plan (FMP) was released today by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).
The FMP is a comprehensive document that provides Northwest Territories (NWT) residents with a picture of what the future polytechnic university will look like. It includes proposals for infrastructure enhancements and expansions at all three campuses – Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife – and across a network of community learning centres.
Facility Master Plans are common tools used by universities across Canada and will become a key planning tool of the Aurora College Board of Governors, who are responsible for financial and capital planning decisions for the institution.
To make sure that the FMP meets the needs and interests of the people who will be using the facilities, targeted engagements took place to support its development. Indigenous governments, partners, key stakeholders, the College community, students and community members have been engaged with and provided valuable information that contributed to the plan.
Some of the highlights identified in the FMP include:
- A new Yellowknife North Slave campus to be built in Yellowknife as the existing site no longer meets the needs of Aurora College students and will prevent the growth of polytechnic university programming.
- In Inuvik, enhancements to Aurora College warehouse infrastructure will take place at the Western Arctic Research Centre (WARC). Funding for this enhancement has already been received and the project should be complete by Spring 2024. The WARC enhancements support the polytechnic university vision for enhanced research capabilities.
- The Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith is the largest and longest-standing purpose-built campus of Aurora College. One of the enhancements proposed at this campus includes the disposal of Breynat Hall, a former residential school hostel that contains 52 beds for single students. New single student housing should be built to replace this and has been identified as a priority.
- An approach to working with communities on the enhancement of community learning centers (CLCs) has also been identified. As the growth of campus facilities brings increased student support, research opportunities and a fuller campus experience, the CLCs should also be enhanced to extend those benefits to communities and allow residents to learn closer to home.
The polytechnic university is an institution for all NWT residents. It will provide improved education supports to residents, closer to home and economic benefits will be felt across the territory.
The transformation process, including the FMP development, continues to be a partnership between the GNWT and Aurora College. The completion and release of this document is a critical milestone in the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university. The FMP has a 20-year outlook and is intended to be renewed every 10 years.
Quote(s)
“Engagement has been the cornerstone of the transformation process since it began and I am confident that the Polytechnic University Facilities Master Plan captures the key themes heard during the engagement process and will support the needs of NWT students and residents. The FMP is a comprehensive and technical document, and I hope it gives NWT residents an idea of the exciting changes to come in their community and across the territory and starts to get our students excited for the possibility of attending post-secondary close to home.”
- R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment
“The completion of the Facilities Master Plan is a critical step for the transformation of Aurora College to a polytechnic university. It allows NWT residents to visualize the proposed infrastructure enhancements that will ensure our institution is aligned physically with those in other jurisdictions, while also ensuring the institution is better equipped to offer the programs and services that NWT students want and need, and at a calibre in which they deserve.
- Glenda Vardy Dell, Aurora College President
Quick facts
- The transformation of Aurora College began in 2018, with the polytechnic university anticipated to launch in 2025.
- A Facilities Master Plan is a strategic document to guide an organization in their long-term development and maintenance of their facilities.
- A Facilities Master Plan is data-driven and provides a high-level view of what facilities are required to meet an organization’s future needs.
- The Facilities Master Plan was developed by external contractors, for the Government of the Northwest Territories and Aurora College, and will be used by the future polytechnic university.
Related links
- Facilities Master Plan (Released September 23, 2022)
- Facilities Master Plan What We Heard Report (Released August 30, 2022)
- Aurora College Transformation Website
For information, please contact:
Krystal Pidborochynski
Manager, Strategic Communications
Aurora College Transformation
Government of the Northwest Territories
(867) 767-9065 ext. 71078
Krystal_pidborochynski@gov.nt.ca
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