As it prepares to relocate its satellite campus to Burlington, Brock University is reaching out to connect with the community and share its vision for the future.

At an event held Friday, Sept. 9, Brock University Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lynn Wells joined Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward to discuss what the University’s relocation to the city will mean for area businesses and the local community. The event was hosted by the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and Burlington Economic Development.

“This new campus will allow Brock University to serve our students and the wider Halton community in a meaningful and lasting way,” Wells said. “With the new location comes exciting opportunities to grow existing and establish new programming that aligns with local needs.”

A prime example of this, she said, is Brock’s Engineering program, which is currently in development.

The program will focus heavily on educating market-ready graduates who can work in a range of engineering fields and have the technical and essential skills to succeed in the workforce. It will also provide experiential education opportunities for students to work with companies, including those in Halton region, as part of their studies.

In addition to bringing new students — and in turn, new talent — to the area, the relocation will provide new Professional and Continuing Studies opportunities to support the changing needs of businesses and the labour force, as well as research and development support for local industries.

“We see ourselves as a future partner in the social and economic vitality of Burlington, alongside other key stakeholders,” Wells said, while thanking Burlington city council and Burlington Economic Development for the support that has made the relocation possible.

Meed Ward said Brock’s relocation will be a “future-oriented win-win for the entire community.”

“I have always been passionate about increasing post-secondary opportunities in Burlington and am pleased to see this goal in the City’s Strategic Plan coming to fruition,” she said. “Having another post-secondary institution in the city will provide local businesses access to trained graduates. With more students staying in Burlington to complete their post-secondary studies, it allows a wide variety of local businesses and service providers access to a younger target market.”

Welcoming Brock to the city represents a significant milestone for Burlington Economic Development, says the organization’s Executive Director Anita Cassidy.

In 2015, the City of Burlington Strategic Plan set a goal to attract a new post-secondary institution to the community by 2030, and made it a priority to launch the Burlington Lands Partnership (BLP) to advance business development opportunities and ensure future economic prosperity for the city.

“Not only did we attract a post-secondary institution significantly ahead of our target, but we are especially proud to welcome a university known internationally for its excellent academic programming, student culture and strategic partnerships,” Cassidy said. “We are proud that because of the BLP, the city was able to execute on the partnership efficiently and deliver on this important achievement that will benefit residents and businesses for many years to come.”

Guests at the event had the opportunity to visit a variety of information booths and learn more about the University’s Brock LINC, Goodman Group, Professional and Continuing Studies, the Office of Research Services, and Co-op, Career and Experiential Education.