Ryerson University has applied to the province for permission to establish a satellite campus in Brampton, Mayor Linda Jeffrey has confirmed to CP24.
In October, the province announced that it would contribute $180 million in funding to the establishment of new post-secondary campuses in Brampton and Milton. A request for expressions of interest was then issued in January.
On Wednesday, Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey announced that Ryerson University was the only educational institution to formally express interest. The school is seeking to partner with Sheridan College in opening up the campus, Jeffrey said.
The Toronto Star is also reporting that the province has received an expression of interest from Wilfrid Laurier University with regards to the opening of a campus in Milton.
“We are actually the ninth largest city in Canada and we have no university. I ran (for mayor) back in 2014 saying I would bring a university as part of my platform. It is something the community wanted,” Jeffrey said. “In fact Brampton applied previously and failed and now we are really excited to get past this border of approvals and now it is in the province’s hands.”
Matthews said that Ryerson’s proposal for a Brampton campus would have a particular focus on science, technology, engineering, math and the arts.
She said that the school also has a plan to help boost the enrollment of international students, aboriginals and veterans.
“We are going to try to find a way to fill those gaps in Brampton,” she said.
According to the province, there are an estimated 200,000 people between the ages of 18 and 24 currently residing in Halton and Peel regions. That number is expected to increase by 20 per cent by 2035.
