Government should support new Laurier campus in Milton, says MPP Arnott – Speech

Ontario Hansard – 07-April 2016

Mr. Ted Arnott: On March 18, I met with representatives from Wilfrid Laurier University, including its
president, Dr. Max Blouw, to discuss Laurier’s proposal for a new campus in Milton.
For over 100 years, Laurier has been providing high-quality post-secondary education and showing the
way with partnerships with community colleges and other universities. Today, it is one of Canada’s
fastest-growing universities.

Laurier’s vision of a 400-acre Milton Education Village would be a purpose-built, fully integrated urban
community of education, research and commercialization, with complementary residential and
commercial development and amenities.

A new Laurier campus in Milton would go a long way towards improving access to post-secondary
education in our area. As a neighbouring community to the town of Halton Hills, Milton is also located
close to Guelph and Wellington county, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton.
Milton is the fastest-growing municipality in Canada. But not only is Milton growing; the entire region is
experiencing enormous growth. The population of Halton region is expected to exceed one million people by 2041, underscoring the need for new, local post-secondary education opportunities. What better place to locate a new university campus?

The region of Halton recently identified the Laurier Milton campus as one of its top priorities for
provincial government action, as I pointed out in this House on February 24. I understand that the town of Halton Hills council is very enthusiastic as well.

As a Laurier alumnus, I share their excitement and fully support their proposal, and I urge the government to get behind it as well.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier once said, “Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future. Let them
look to the land of their ancestors, and let them also look also to the future; let them look to the land of
their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children.”
Let us heed Laurier’s exhortation. Let us remember our children, let us look to the future and let us work
together to build this new campus.