Trent seeking regional assistance

By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express

As its student population grows, Trent University is seeking the region’s help to begin an expansion of its Durham campus.

The university’s vice-president of external relations and advancement Julie Davis was in front of the region’s finance and administration committee recently asking for assistance in building a new addition to its Oshawa-based campus.

Davis said the university is working with Barry Bryan and Associates to design a 22,000 sq. ft. building which will consist of six floors, 200 residences, one 100-seat and two 64-seat academic classrooms, offices and research space.

The new building will be built on 1.8 acres of land donated to the university by the City of Oshawa.

According to Davis, the total project cost will be approximately $35.6 million.

The city has already donated $1.4 million to the project, while the university has contributed $5 million.

The university has also already raised $786,000 of a total of $9.8 million in fundraising.

The post-secondary institution previously asked the region to contribute $474,000 per year over a five-year term, or $1.4 million over a three-year period, which matches Oshawa’s contribution.

According to Davis, former regional chair and CEO Roger Anderson previously stated in December 2016 that the project would be eligible to receive regional assistance equal to 7.5 per cent of the project’s construction costs.

This would be similar to funding provide to past postsecondary construction projects in Durham.

Davis said the economic impact for Durham from the proposed expansion would be $80 million.

Trent officials hope the project will be shovel ready by April 1, and occupying the new building by September 2020.

Davis observed this is the first time the university has asked the region for financial assistance.

Ultimately, the matter was referred to budget.