KELOWNA – An investment of $2.86 million from the federal and provincial governments will enable the University of British Columbia – Okanagan to heat and cool buildings on the Kelowna campus using a geothermal system, creating 18 jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Ron Cannan, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country, and Al Horning, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, announced the investment today.

“This Government of Canada investment in UBCO will provide a significant short-term economic stimulus to Kelowna-Lake Country and will create jobs in this region,” said MP Cannan.   “Our government is excited to partner with the Province and UBCO who is leading the way with this green sustainable building campus model.    In addition, we are investing in innovation to create jobs, to help our economy recover quickly and to improve the quality of life for Canadians.”

This investment is part of the federal government’s two-year, $2-billion plan to repair and expand research and educational facilities at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians. In B.C. the federal government is providing up to 50 per cent of the cost of selected projects on a cost-share basis with the Province.

The $2.86 million refit will provide a means of “green” temperature control for the university’s buildings. A geothermal system transfers heat from below the ground to the building above in cold weather and in hot weather it takes heat out of a building and transfers it to the ground below. This is among the most energy efficient ways to heat and cool.

“By providing half of all the funding for these projects, we’re able to keep British Columbians working while investing in facilities for our post-secondary institutions,’’ said Murray Coell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development. “We’re directing our resources to where they can produce the biggest and most immediate benefits – creating jobs, stability and confidence for families, and building and renewing campus infrastructure. Province-wide these projects will create almost 3,000 jobs”
 
“I am proud to announce this is a great project for UBCO,” said Horning. “Not only are we creating jobs for our community, we are working towards our government’s greenhouse gas reduction goals through energy efficient construction.”

This is one of 29 projects at post-secondary institutions across the province that will break ground quickly thanks to a joint federal-provincial investment of $433 million. This project is also part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province to create jobs and vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.

"Our goal is to build the most sustainable university campus in North America, and being virtually emissions-free is a huge step toward achieving that goal," said Doug Owram. Deputy Vice Chancellor at UBC Okanagan. "We are very grateful to both the federal and provincial governments for their partnership and vision in helping us achieve such an important objective -- significantly reducing the carbon footprint of our campus."  

Work on the Kelowna campus is scheduled to begin by April 15, and is expected to generate up to 18 jobs.   

Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve our long-term competitiveness through $12 billion in new infrastructure investment, which includes the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program.

For more information on the provincial government’s three-year job creation plan, visit www.gov.bc.ca/infrastructure. For more information about the Knowledge Infrastructure Program visit www.ic.gc.ca/knowledge-infrastructure.