Olds College is receiving just over $21 million from the Alberta government for capital upgrades to animal health and ag-tech education facilities.
The funding announced Friday will allow for expansion and revitalization of the Lachlin McKinnon Building into a new Animal Health Education Centre. This project is receiving $15.16 million from the province.
The other building that will benefit is the James Murray Building, which will be the home of a new ag-tech learning hub created with the goal of having Olds College be a world leader in integrated agricultural, technological and data sciences learning experiences. The James Murray Building project will receive $6.21 million.
The funding is part of the UCP’s $10 billion allocated for infrastructure spending.
“Olds College is thrilled that the Government of Alberta is contributing nearly $21.4 million in funding toward two critical projects that will ensure Alberta’s economy has the labour and talent needed to thrive,” says Stuart Cullum, president of Olds College.
“The first project will support our Animal Health Education Centre, which will result in a 67 per cent increase in capacity for animal health programming at the college,” he explains. “The second project will make our Ag-Tech Learning Hub a reality, which will house the Werklund School of Agriculture Technology and new programming that is coming online this fall. Designed as a high-tech learning environment, the Ag-Tech Learning Hub will connect to in-field technologies at the Olds College Smart Farm, as well as to Alberta farmers and partners throughout the globe.
The college says work on both facilities will begin immediately, with the Ag-Tech Learning Hub opening in fall 2022 and the Animal Health Education Centre opening in fall 2023.
