Overview
Several capital projects have been completed over the past 3 years, providing necessary infrastructure and improvements that enhance student learning.
Lethbridge College
Trades and Technology Renewal and Innovation Project
Project details
Lethbridge College’s Trades and Technology facility is the largest trades training facility south of Calgary. It was also the largest construction project in the history of the college.
The 15,354 square-metre building supports more than 900 new students, a 65% increase in capacity, in 8 trade areas and 4 technology programs.
The renewal of existing trades training spaces provided a safe and up-to-date learning environment with shared used of lab, shop and classroom spaces for these programs:
- Welding
- Electrician
- Heavy Equipment
- Automotive
Fostering interdisciplinary innovation among students, instructors and industry partners was a key theme of the college’s academic vision for this facility. Using simulated technologies, and by engaging in applied research, students and faculty will become a driving force in Alberta’s knowledge economy.
The facility supports new and emerging trends in trades and technologies programs and practices with:
- skills simulation
- new equipment for both training and applied research
- facilitating linkages with industry and community
- training spaces needed to meet Alberta's workforce skills shortages
GoA investment
$55.6 million
Completion date
Completed in 2017
MacEwan University
Allard Hall on City Centre Campus
Project details
Allard Hall houses the university’s visual and performing arts programming, 2 theatres, and more than 900 students, faculty and staff. This expansion allowed the university to consolidate its operations in the downtown core and increase enrolment by more than 4,000 students to more than 17,000 full-time students.
The consolidation of programs and classes previously spread out at MacEwan University’s West End and Mill Woods campuses has given students access to the full scope of programming at the downtown campus, along with increased access to:
- fitness facilities
- varsity athletics
- student clubs
- libraries
- food services
- other amenities
The university expects to save approximately $1.8 million a year with this consolidation.
The 5-storey building has:
- a central atrium
- a state-of-the-art proscenium Triffo Theatre
- a smaller "black box" flexible space theatre lab that seats 140
- a 215-seat Betty Andrews Recital Hall
- dance and rehearsal studios
- a set shop
- an art gallery
- a pedway connecting it to the rest of campus
Triffo Theatre is the largest event space in Allard Hall, with:
- state-of-the-art lighting
- audio and visual equipment
- a fly tower
- rigging systems
- a green room
- 5 dressing rooms
Triffo Theatre is the largest event space in Allard Hall, with:
GoA investment
$30 million
Completion date
Opened in September 2017
Mount Royal University
Riddell Library and Learning Centre
Project details
This 4-storey hub for the main campus brought together core student learning and faculty teaching support areas, including:
- Student Learning Services
- the Academic Development Centre
- the Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (START)
- purpose-built classrooms
- offices for the Department of Education
This project allowed for a significant expansion of library holdings and integrated collections from the Lois Hole Digital Library. The building is named for the Riddell family of Calgary, in honour of a philanthropic donation to the University.
The new building:
- is 16,000 square metres
- supports a student population up to 12,000, an increase of approximately 3,500 students from 2012/2013 enrolment projections
- accommodates 1,700 seats
- increases study stations from 570 to 1,496
- increases group rooms from 3 to 34
- integrates collections from the Lois Hole Digital Library and increases library holdings from 203,824 volumes to 396,824 volumes
GoA investment
$85.8 million
Completion date
Opened in September 2017
NorQuest College
Singhmar Centre for Learning
Project details
The Singhmar Centre for Learning consolidated NorQuest College’s Edmonton facilities into a single downtown campus.
This project was NorQuest’s first capital project since 1971 and enabled the college to accommodate growing student demand, while continuing to deliver workforce relevant programs in student-centered settings with:
- expansion to serve more than 11,000 students by the next decade
- centralization of students, staff and programs previously spread across six smaller buildings
- a 22,500 square-metre, 4-storey building
- 22 classrooms
- 23 laboratories, including 20 new health program laboratories
- enhanced practical nursing simulation laboratories
- enhanced student study and amenity spaces
- enhanced tutorial and learning support facilities
- enhanced student association and student activity spaces
- a new library and computer commons
- a child care facility for 56 children
- an Indigenous student centre with a ceremonial room
- new food outlets and student activity spaces
- underground parking
- a LEED silver-certified design
The 4-storey Singhmar Centre is connected to the 8-storey Heritage Tower, which is being renovated and will be called the South Learning Centre when it opens (expected in Fall 2018). This renovation will:
- add new science and computer laboratories
- expand student service and study areas
- help update existing building systems
- add green space to the campus
GoA investment
$170 million
Completion date
Opened in 2017
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Centre for Applied Technology
Project details
The Centre for Applied Technology (CAT) is the largest building on NAIT’s Main Campus, at 51,600 square metres of leading-edge labs and classrooms.
Approximately 5,000 full-time students can now be accommodated, an increase of 1,700 students. CAT increased enrolment capacity by 50% in these programs:
- Health
- Business
- Engineering Technologies
- Sustainable Building and Environmental Management
More space is now available on the main campus for other programs in high demand, including trades.
The 5-storey CAT is the largest capital project ever undertaken by NAIT and the first building on campus to achieve gold certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) rating system.
This building houses
- 45 labs and advanced simulation environments like the School of Health and Life Sciences simulation centre
- 35 32-seat classrooms and 22 64-seat classrooms
- a 135-seat lecture theatre
- more than 1,065-square-metres of student seating and tutorial/meeting rooms;
- 11 student lounges
- computer commons with desktop computers and space for personal devices
- a high-capacity wireless network to access course materials, educational resources and services
- a new printing app designed for mobile printing across campus
- a Student Service Centre – the one-stop shop for information and advising services
- universal washrooms and a reflection room to serve the diverse needs of the NAIT community
- an outdoor quad with a stage for events
GoA investment
$200 million
Completion date
Opened in August 2016
Red Deer Polytechnic
Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre
The Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will support teaching and learning for Red Deer Polytechnic students, and the health and well-being of central Albertans. It will satisfy programming and activity needs for:
- academic programs
- high performance and non-competitive sport
- student life
- college and community events
- recreation opportunities for the broader central Alberta community
An array of resources and programs will be provided to residents of the region, with community access that is inclusive and multi-generational, promoting healthy lifestyle development for all ages. The Centre will also be a major training and performance venue for multiple events during the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
Facility highlights include:
- teaching and learning spaces - supporting RDC's academic programming in:
- health sciences
- kinesiology
- sport studies
- performance gymnasium - upgraded facilities will provide:
- a new home to RDC athletics teams
- additional event space and dry land training during the 2019 Canada Winter Games
- fitness and training space - new opportunities to support and expand academic programming at the College through:
- athletic therapy
- high-performance training lab
- fitness/testing centres
- Olympic-sized ice surface - required for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, the ice surface will offer new partnership opportunities for the College and various partners, including Hockey Alberta and Red Deer Minor Hockey, to meet increasing demand for local ice times in the city and region
- sports administration centre - including a walking/running track and other fitness components, the space will offer high performance coaching and sport management opportunities through strategic partners, and provincial and national sport organizations
- outdoor athletics zone – including a walking/running track and other fitness components, the space will offer high performance coaching and sport management opportunities through strategic partners, and provincial and national sport organizations
- outdoor ice surfaces
- baseball diamond
- soccer pitches
- the great hall - this gathering area will offer socializing and meeting spaces for:
- students
- staff
- professors
- community members
GoA investment
$20 million
Completion date
Opened in 2018
University of Calgary
Canadian Natural Resources Limited Engineering Complex
Project details
This expansion increased the university’s engineering capacity in both undergraduate and graduate studies. The complex was designed to help meet Alberta’s need for engineers in the coming decades in emerging fields, such as clean energy technology.
The facility now has more hands-on learning spaces and allows more collaboration with research labs across the country.
The building:
- added 18,300 square metres to the engineering complex
- renovated an additional 11,000 square metres of existing space within the Schulich School of Engineering
- increased undergraduate engineering enrolment by approximately 1,350 students
- provided capacity for up to 400 additional undergraduate and graduate engineering students
- added a new five-storey addition with new study and support spaces, two floors of research labs, and an expanded student lounge
- has two new 240-seat theatres – one is a reconfigurable, highly flexible space for special events
- has new undergraduate teaching labs
- allows for new workshops for student teams and clubs
- has interactive design labs to foster hands-on learning and practical skills to help students develop new inventions, conceive startup companies or create inspiring technologies
The building uses the latest energy saving technologies and preserves aspects of the university’s 50-year history, with features like the original 1960s staircase and the use of some former exterior walls as interior walls within the complex.
GoA investment
$142.5 million
Completion date
Completed in 2017