NSCC Waterfront Campus Expansion Announced

The expansion of the Dartmouth waterfront campus of the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) will increase learning opportunities for students in several professions, including skilled trades.

This second phase features an additional building, set to open in September 2009, at a cost of $29 million. NSCC will consult with business, industry, the skills and learning branch of the Department of Education and other government departments to evaluate growth sectors and program demand before proceeding with design and planning for the second building.

This new stage complements the first phase, which is currently mid-way through construction and will be open for students in January 2007, costing $50 million.

The NSCC's Dartmouth waterfront campus will eventually accommodate about 3,000 students.

Premier John Hamm joined Education Minister Jamie Muir, NSCC president Joan McArthur-Blair, business leaders and college staff and students today, Nov. 4, to announce that construction plans have been approved for the second building on the new campus.

"NSCC plays a pivotal role in building Nova Scotia's skilled work force, to ensure we're ready for the jobs of the future," said Premier Hamm. "By expanding the facilities, NSCC can house a more comprehensive range of trades programming, as well as programs from other academic schools."

"The Nova Scotia government, through its investment and faith in NSCC's mandate, has made a profound difference for college students in Nova Scotia," said Dr. McArthur-Blair. "The development underway here and across the province underscores the need for more learning spaces and more capacity for college education. Our economy is demanding this growth."

By 2007, one third of jobs in Canada will require a skilled trade or college diploma. That equals 20,000 jobs. This number will grow to 50,000 by 2010. In Nova Scotia, college graduates are working in 40 of the 50 fastest growing occupations.

"I am proud to know I will be among the first students to graduate from the new campus," said Michelle Hunter, an NSCC student in her first year of the business administration program. "The new campus represents an investment in my future. I feel like it is being constructed just for me."

In 2003, the Nova Scotia government announced a $123-million capital investment to help NSCC make major renovations and upgrades to 13 other campuses across the province. The investment is part of government's Skills Nova Scotia initiative, which is dedicated to building Nova Scotia's skilled workforce by providing education and training opportunities.