Ontario Supporting Advanced Research Opportunities at Lakehead University
The Ontario government is providing $559,910 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to Lakehead University to support the expansion of its soil-structure-interaction testing facility at the Thunder Bay campus. This investment will allow the university to provide advanced soil testing services to attract new research opportunities, students and industrial clients.
“The NOHFC investment in Lakehead University will support the construction and enhancement of the Dynamic Soil-Structure-Interaction Testing Facility which will provide critical research into soil-structure interactions,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay – Atikokan. “It's exciting to see advanced research happening in Northwestern Ontario that will create new opportunities for collaboration and development with a variety of industries across Canada.”
“Our government is proud to support Lakehead University as it enhances its ability to carry out learning and research in an advanced soil testing environment, while promoting partnerships and innovation in the Northwest,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development. “The research conducted in this facility will help meet the growing demand among the mining, natural resource, and infrastructure sectors, and supports our government's commitment to building a connected, stronger Northern Ontario.”
The university will use NOHFC funding to finalize the engineering designs to enhance and upgrade the facility, modify the existing soil pit, upgrade the mechanical and electrical systems and improve instrumentation. This project will create a full-scale upgraded testing environment to serve the needs of mining companies, engineering firms and infrastructure developers across the Northwest.
“Ontario's universities and colleges are home to world-class researchers that allow our province to thrive in the global economy,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “This project at Lakehead University will build important capacity in the engineering department to serve the needs of crucial sectors such as mining, transportation and infrastructure development. It's yet another investment our government is making to build up the economy of Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario.”
“We are very pleased with the support NOHFC is providing for the construction and enhancement of the Dynamic Soil-Structure-Interaction Testing Facility at Lakehead University,” said Andrew P. Dean, Vice -President, Research and Innovation, Lakehead University. “This upgrade will create the first testing facility to utilize a large shear box for full scale soil-rock-structure interactions and structure dynamics in Canada. It will provide exciting opportunities to conduct collaborative research and development projects between Lakehead and the engineering and mining industries in Canada. Thank you again to NOHFC and our other partners for helping to make this unique facility a reality.”
The NOHFC fosters economic growth, job creation, and workforce development throughout the North, benefiting communities of all sizes, both rural and urban, including Indigenous communities. Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $841 million in 6,894 projects in Northern Ontario, leveraging more than $2.5 billion in investment and creating or sustaining over 10,560 jobs
Gillian Siddall, President Lakehead University
“ It ‘s wonderful to get this kind of support from the province for our researchers who are doing this incredibly important work that has such a direct impact on our communities in the region. The safety of rail travel and of the environment is important ,so we are just delighted.”
On another topic I asked Gillian about the recent Federal Government changes to international students and the impact on Lakehead University.
“ It has had an impact on us, not as significant as at the college. Lakehead is down about 15% in terms of our international student enrollment. We are very grateful to the province which provided us with an allotment which would have allowed us to maintain our enrollment. However the hit to the reputation of Canada as a destination for excellent post secondary education has taken a serious hit and that is going to have an impact on international enrollment even at universities.
One of the differences with the colleges and universities is that university students, both undergraduate and graduate level, will still have access to the postgraduate work permit but college students will not and that is going to make it difficult. Lakehead has 22% international enrollment where the college might be up to 50%.”
