Government of Canada supports campus development at Nova Scotia’s Acadian university
October 27, 2016 – Church Point, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Colin Fraser, Member of Parliament for West Nova, today announced a $27,000 non-repayable investment to enable Université Sainte-Anne to engage a team of consultants to create an infrastructure development plan. The objective of the plan is to successfully merge new and existing offerings in the Louis R. Comeau building and the sports complex on Université Sainte-Anne's Church Point campus. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
This investment, through ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP), will assist Sainte-Anne in ensuring that the planned new additions will successfully improve the student experience at the university while maintaining the character and charm of the historic campus. In an effort to build on the educational and economic development potential of its Church Point campus, Sainte-Anne, in collaboration with the Municipality of the District of Clare, is hiring a team of consultants who will make new program and infrastructure upgrade recommendations. This project will result in increased recruitment and community engagement.
“The Government of Canada is committed to working with partners, such as post-secondary education institutions like the Université Sainte-Anne, to ensure that federal programs that support innovation, scientific research and entrepreneurship are having a lasting and meaningful impact in our region. Université Sainte-Anne’s choice to explore green options for the forthcoming update will play a part in reducing emissions and building a low-carbon economy.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
“Université Sainte-Anne is an academic, cultural and business leader, locally and more broadly for the Acadian community at large. The university draws on its strong historical roots and its capacity for innovation to maintain strong links with its students and the community.”
- Colin Fraser, Member of Parliament for West Nova
“We are constantly seeking new ways of providing our students with authentic learning experiences through research and community engagement while increasing our impact on our community’s sociocultural and economic development. This project allows us to better plan synergies between several of our initiatives in order to optimize the use of our infrastructure, maximize our effectiveness and minimize our environmental impact.”
- Kenneth Deveau, Vice-recteur à l'enseignement et à la recherche, Université Sainte-Anne
Contacts
Alex Smith
Director of Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Phone: 902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell)
E-mail:
Kenneth Deveau
Vice-recteur à l'enseignement et recherche
Université Sainte-Anne
Phone: 902-769-2114 ext.7307
Email:
Background
Founded in 1890, Université Sainte-Anne is the only francophone, post-secondary educational institution in Nova Scotia. With five campuses in Nova Scotia, it offers its services in all major Acadian and francophone communities throughout the province. Sainte-Anne offers several academic programs, including Bachelor degrees in: business administration, education, science, arts, and an internationally recognized French immersion program. Sainte-Anne has over 500 students and approximately 140 employees, and is governed by a 20-member board of governors.
Project Specifics
Sainte-Anne is seeking design consultant advice for structural upgrades associated with a new North/South Observatory (research laboratory focusing on relations between Acadians from the Maritimes and Louisiana), a relocation of the Centre Acadien (a multidisciplinary Acadian Studies research centre) aimed at improving community outreach, a Founding Families exhibit to showcase the first families to settle in the area and future library upgrade projects (education, outreach, 3D printing and research services) in the Louis R. Comeau building. Sainte-Anne refers to itself as Canada's greenest little university, and as such, renewable energy options will be explored through this project. Reconfiguration and modernization recommendations for the attached sports complex will also be pursued.