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Timmins continues to look for ways to diversify its economy and the idea of higher education was once again brought up at city hall last Monday.
The Timmins Economic Development Corporation presented their first quarterly update to council, led by Chairman Fred Gibbons.
Councillor Mike Doody asked Gibbons where the TEDC stands on bringing a university campus to Timmins.
“I think the reality that we have to face is that the provincial government, in spring of 2012 made an announcement that it was prepared to grant three new satellite campuses to existing universities. It was an RFP (request-for-proposals) that the provincial government led for that. There were many expressions of interest, I think more than twenty. Timmins submitted a letter of interest,” said Gibbons.
He said that the odds were not in their favour.
“When we did so, we knew that the criteria that the government had established to be considered for a short list, we didn’t meet the most basic of requirements. I think they were looking for a minimum enrolment of 5,000 students. Between the two colleges and high schools in this community, we don’t have 10,000 students. So it was a non-starter as far as qualifying for the RFP,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons did say that the municipality has gone on record as having interest in a university campus.
He says it is fundamental in assisting economic growth as well as retaining and attracting more youth to the city.
Gibbons explained to council that the RFP he had discussed had been narrowed down to five prospective communities, all in the Greater Toronto Area.
He expects an announcement to be made shortly after the provincial budget has been set.
Doody expressed his disappointment in the provincial government for not recognizing Timmins as a regional hub for education.
“How often do you hear people say that their sons and daughters, you can’t retain them here, well how are you going to retain them without a university campus? At least give them that choice to be able to stay within the region instead of going far off,” said Doody.
Mayor Steve Black told council that the RFP plan was clearly a GTA targeted initiative as other Northern Ontario universities do not even meet the enrolment criteria, but did express some of the ways Timmins could potentially attract a campus.
“You look at us being the only regional hub in the Northern Growth Plan without one of the five large Northern cities, if you look at our proximity to a lot of First Nations communities and their access to post-secondary education. That’s one of the angles we need to continue to pursue with their assistance. There was some positive feedback from the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, as far as being willing to work with and lobby on our behalf,” he said.
Black said that a resolution will be brought to council in the near future for them to discuss and to forward to other regional communities for their support.
Currently, Timmins has a campus of the Université de Hearst, which is affiliated with Laurentian University in Sudbury.
However, its programs are exclusively francophone.
