Government funding to allow Cold Lake campus expansion

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017 2:56pm
Native Arts and Culture is offered at the soon-to-be expanded Cold Lake campus of Portage College. (Photo: portagecollege.ca)

An investment of $1.1 million from the provincial government will see an expansion of the Cold Lake campus of Portage College.

As part of the province’s 2017 Capital Plan, Advanced Education will work with Portage College to explore the expansion of its Cold Lake campus.

The planning funds will be used to identify opportunities to provide space for students to study and gather, as well as increase new program offerings in high demand areas such as: pharmacy technologist, trades and continuing education.

The Cold Lake campus offers Native Arts and Culture, which includes an Aboriginal Art Certificate and an Artisan Entrepreneurship Diploma, as well as an Artist in Residence program.

Portage College anticipates doubling the size of the Cold Lake campus to 5,400 square metres, creating nearly 200 full-time construction jobs to complete the expansion.

Along with Cold Lake, Portage College also has campuses in Frog Lake, Saddle Lake, Goodfish Lake, Boyle, St. Paul, and Lac La Biche.

The Portage College expansion is one of 13 capital and planning projects for Alberta’s post-secondary system over the next four years.