Announcement of New George Brown College Campus Latest Waterfront Toronto Revitalization Milestone

Toronto, July 8, 2008 – George Brown College will help revitalize Toronto’s waterfront with a new state-of-the art campus, announced Waterfront Toronto, the agency responsible for transforming the city’s lakefront.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Ontario Minister of Energy and Infrastructure George Smitherman, and Toronto Mayor David Miller, joined Waterfront Toronto and George Brown College officials in making the announcement.

"George Brown College will join Waterfront Toronto’s revitalization efforts and its new campus will be a cornerstone of the East Bayfront community," said Mark Wilson, Waterfront Toronto Chairman.

The new campus, slated to open in 2011, will house the college’s Centre for Health Sciences, its first student residences and a recreational complex. The waterfront campus will be located on a 0.83 hectare (two-acre) parcel of land located on the south side of Queens Quay Boulevard between Lower Jarvis and Lower Sherbourne Streets.

"George Brown officials had been looking for the right location to expand its Centre for Health Sciences and residence for several years, and situating the new campus along the waterfront and in the process helping Waterfront Toronto regenerate the area was an easy decision," said George Brown College President Anne Sado. "This new campus is fundamental to helping us better support the career aspirations of students across the GTA and meet employers’ growing demand for workplace-ready graduates. To be able to achieve those goals in a green community built with high design standards that provides fantastic parks and surrounding infrastructure will help us create the kind of campus neighbourhood we want our students to experience," added Sado.

"George Brown students will help create a vibrant lakeshore community. East Bayfront will come alive with the student population living, working and socializing during the day, and in the evenings all year round," said Wilson. "A post secondary institution is a cornerstone of Waterfront Toronto’s East Bayfront master plan and we are pleased to welcome a progressive institution like George Brown College," added Wilson.

"Visible progress on the waterfront is becoming a reality. Today’s announcement about George Brown College is just one of many exciting developments taking root as we revitalize the lakeshore," said Wilson.

Construction is well underway on Toronto Economic Development Corporation’s First Waterfront Place, the future home of Corus Entertainment Inc. which is also located in East Bayfront. Next month, Waterfront Toronto cuts the ribbon on the new Spadina Head of Slip, and this fall infrastructure construction begins in East Bayfront. In 2009, construction begins on two showcase new parks, Sherbourne Park and Sugar Beach as well as on the new water’s edge promenade.

Waterfront Toronto The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

Media Contact:

Waterfront Toronto – Marisa Piattelli 416-214-1476