The University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus is hoping to use money set aside by Chatham-Kent, to build student housing, classroom space and crop research fields.
At tonight’s council meeting, the school will be asking Chatham-Kent for $500,000 from municipal reserves for the research, planning and design of an upcoming new facility and student housing project.
In 2016, the municipality set aside $1.5 million in its reserves to help pay for a proposed Ontario Sustainable Crop Research & Innovation Centre. However, that project is no longer going forward. The college is now looking at establishing the Agriculture and Food Technology & Trades Centre, which would include student housing and classroom space.
It’s being recommended that the $1 million balance remain in the municipal Strategic Development Reserve for the potential future use by the University of Guelph, subject to annual review during Chatham-Kent’s budget process.
Housing is scarce across Chatham-Kent—including Ridgetown, and officials say the challenge is further compounded by the renewed focus of the college to increase student enrollment.
