We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Impressive initiatives highlight Minister of Colleges and Universities’ tour of Ontario Tech

The Honourable Jill Dunlop explores university’s key facilities and opportunities for future growth

July 13, 2021

From left: Larry Brual, Senior Project Manager with Ontario Tech's Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability, with the university's President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Steven Murphy and the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities, at the construction site of Ontario Tech's newest building, Shawenjigewining Hall

Exciting opportunities and growth lie ahead for Ontario Tech University. Strategically located in the heart of one of Canada’s fastest-growing regions, the university plays a key role in advancing the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. Ontario Tech’s unique approach to flexible and dynamic learning, and its focus on the ethical application of technology, positive social change and partnerships with industry, community, government and academic organizations, prepares students to become future leaders and change-makers.

On July 12, the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, visited Ontario Tech as one of her initial stops on her first tour of Ontario post-secondary educational institutions since her appointment to the ministerial portfolio in June. Joined by Lorne Coe, MPP (Whitby) and Lindsey Park, MPP (Durham), Minister Dunlop explored some of the university’s key facilities, and learned about current and future opportunities for Ontario Tech to contribute to the province’s economic prosperity.

Tour stops included:

Shawenjigewining Hall: The name of Ontario Tech’s newest building means ’The Kind Place’ in the Anishinaabe language. The four-storey, 7,432-square-metre building is scheduled to open in Fall 2021 and it will be home to Ontario Tech's Faculty of Health Sciences, Office of Student Life, Continuous Learning, and the Ontario Tech Student Union. Encompassing the latest in learning technologies and environmental sustainability features, Shawenjigewining Hall will play a central role in the development and maturation of the whole student, and the support of student mental health. It will also reinforce the university’s commitment to a ‘sticky campus’ (a place to learn, work and make lasting connections), and support an accessible, equitable, diverse and inclusive university experience.
ACE: A world-class research and development facility that can deliver solutions to product development or testing problems. ACE’s Climatic Wind Tunnel can recreate any weather condition a test object will experience—from the blistering heat in Death Valley to the frigid conditions in the Arctic as well as crosswinds and wind speeds up to 280 km/h. ACE is currently installing a Moving Ground Plane: a giant belt that acts as a road moving under a vehicle, simulating the aerodynamic forces against moving vehicles, and measuring physical characteristics in real-world conditions.
Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC): A 9,290-square-metre facility that houses Ontario Tech’s unique-in-Canada education programs and research in geothermal, hydraulic, hydrogen, natural gas, nuclear solar and wind energy technologies.
Windfields Farm lands: Home of the university’s sustainability initiatives, including the Pollinator Project, campus Community Garden plots, tree nursery, greenhouse and solar panels.

Ontario Tech is grateful to have received funding from the Ontario government for the following projects:

$4.8 million from the Post-secondary Education Support Fund to address the financial impact of COVID-19.
Mental health support: Between Fall 2020 and Winter 2021, the provincial government announced $26.25 million in mental-health-related funding for post-secondary institutions, including $7 million in shared funding to help increase access to mental-health and addiction services for post-secondary students during COVID-19.

Quote:

“Ontario Tech University was pleased to welcome Minister Jill Dunlop to campus during her inaugural tour of Ontario post-secondary institutions. We’re deeply grateful to the Government of Ontario for their past investments in our university, including mental-health services and COVID-19 supports that have helped our students remain healthy, pursue their degrees and acquire the skills they need to succeed in the evolving workplace. We are excited to partner with the Minister and the provincial government on the many opportunities for growth, innovation and student success that lie ahead for Ontario Tech.”
-Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University

Gallery

From left: John Komar, Executive Director, ACE, with the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, and Lorne Coe, MPP (Whitby), touring ACE.

From left: Susan McGovern, Ontario Tech’s Vice-President, External Relations and Advancement; Lindsey Park, MPP (Durham); Lorne Coe, MPP (Whitby); Dr. Steven Murphy, Ontario Tech’s President and Vice-Chancellor; the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities; and John Komar, Executive Director, ACE.

From left: The Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, with Lindsey Park, MPP (Durham) and John Komar, Executive Director of ACE at Ontario Tech University.

From left: The Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, with John Komar, Executive Director, ACE, and Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University.

From left: Lorne Coe, MPP (Whitby); Dr. Steven Murphy, Ontario Tech University's President and Vice-Chancellor; the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities; and John Komar, Executive Director, ACE.

The Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, on a tour of Shawenjigewining Hall, Ontario Tech's newest building, currently under construction and scheduled to open in Fall 2021.

From left: Alana Waloszek, Health Sciences (Public Health) student at Ontario Tech, speaks with the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, during a tour of Ontario Tech’s newest building, Shawenjigewining Hall.

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