Saint Paul University receives nearly $7M for facility renovations
Ottawa’s Saint Paul University received a major injection of cash from the federal and provincial governments last week.
The governments announced a combined investment of more than $6.8 million that would be put toward modernizing the 160-year-old institution’s facilities.
Specifically, renovation work on the university’s Guigues Academic Building will: create collaborative zones, state-of-the-art teaching spaces and a "social campus" with multiple informal social spaces; consolidate academic offices and student services; improve learning spaces, work spaces and the overall quality of the building; and reduce the university's energy footprint.
"More than ever, our government is committed to preserving the vitality of the French language and Francophone communities in Canada,” said Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas. “Today marks an important step that will give Franco-Ontarians and Francophiles access to top-quality education, right here in Ottawa. When we give students the tools they need to flourish in French, our whole society benefits."
Both levels of government will invest more than $3.4 million over three years to the project, while the university itself will contribute the same amount over two.
"We are committed to promoting activities in French on our campus. We are focusing our efforts on enriching Francophone communities in Ontario through education and the professional development of our student population,” said Saint Paul University Rector Chantal Beauvais. “This funding will make it possible to maintain high-quality service for those who choose to pursue their studies in French, while promoting the growth of bilingualism in our country."
In 2017, the university undertook major renovations to Guigues Hall, including the renovation of the ground and first floors with the construction of the Student Life Centre; the renovation and development of collaborative spaces, the computer lab, and the library and archive office spaces; and the renovation of the second-floor auditorium.