Where should Ontario's 4 new universities go?

[Kensingtonian]

So Dalton said they'd be creating 4 new universities in Ontario to accommodate the increasing numbers of applicants. If that actually happens, where would be the best places to locate them? (I know this should be in the Ontario section, but I don't think anybody checks that one)

Here are my thoughts:

1. Barrie is the most obvious choice. It's the largest non-suburb (arguably) city in Ontario without a university. And there are no unis north of Toronto until you get into Northern Ontario. They could use Georgian College as a jumping off point (sort of like what UOIT did with Durham College)

2. Brantford: new schools close to, but not within the GTA seem to do well (eg. Waterloo, Guelph). It's probably because GTA residents like to be in a university town that's only an hour or two drive from home. Brantford is a good size, doesn't have a post-secondary institution of its own, and could really use an infusion of new people and ideas. The downtown would likely benefit immensely.

3. Downtown Toronto: I know downtown already has 2 unis (3 if you count OCAD) but it's where young people want to be and it's the easier place to access via transit. GO transit seems to be the only agency in Ontario capable of expanding and all GO trains lead downtown. The issue is lack of space, but combining with George Brown could help with that. A new university with a waterfront campus in the East Harbourfront would draw a lot of students.

4. Brampton: I thought the western GTA needed a university since a ton of people live here already and this is where the most growth is happening. Mississauga already has UTM and Brampton is the next largest western burb. A campus built downtown would revitalize the area a bit and would be close to Brampton GO station.

It seems like I ignored Eastern and Northern Ontario, but there aren't really any cities large enough to support a university that don't already have one. I don't think Sault Ste. Marie, Belleville, or Cornwall would draw enough people. Possibly Belleville, but the are areas with way more people that would probably be better. I also thought of Stratford and Orillia because they're such pretty towns, but again I think they're too small to support a decent sized uni.

[Nouvellecosse]

If there's going to be new institutions, they should be in places devoid of any. Places with unis already should just get extra funding to expand existing ones.

[InTheBeach]

I'm not a fan of far flung schools just because there isn't one there already.

Makes more sense to focus on areas where there are already strong schools, and they compete (where if you stick a school in Cornwall, it being middle of the road or less is a certainty).

I really like the waterfront location.

Barrie would get one for political reason, and it probably should have one.

Brampton? No friggin way!

Brantford has a Laurier campus already.

So here is my vote (based on what I would do, not what I think that they would do):

Downtown Waterfront

Hamilton

Ottawa

Barrie

[vid]

Barrie is the obvious choice. Upgrading Georgian College to Georgian University should have happened 20 years ago.

The GTA has a lot of students and needs another university. I'll agree with InTheBeach that downtown or the waterfront would be a good place to put it.

Ottawa already has a few universities but Hamilton only has one, so give it a second one.

The Laurier campus in Brantford should be separated and chartered as a university, like Algoma College was from Laurentian University in 2008. I think Brantford is the largest metro in Ontario (possibly Canada) without a university or college that is actually based there. All of its post-secondary institutions are simply satellites of other city's institutions. The partnership with Laurier might be better though, it is a more prestigious university.

[monkeyronin]

I like Kensingtonian's picks, though I'd go with Ottawa over Brantford. Also, something like Oakville might be a better choice than Brampton - still accessible for those in Peel and more accessible for those coming from Hamilton and Toronto. Plus Oakville would make a nicer little college town than the sprawl of Brampton.

[allurban]

Originally Posted by Kensingtonian

So Dalton said they'd be creating 4 new universities in Ontario to accommodate the increasing numbers of applicants. If that actually happens, where would be the best places to locate them? (I know this should be in the Ontario section, but I don't think anybody checks that one)

Here are my thoughts:

1. Barrie is the most obvious choice. It's the largest non-suburb (arguably) city in Ontario without a university. And there are no unis north of Toronto until you get into Northern Ontario. They could use Georgian College as a jumping off point (sort of like what UOIT did with Durham College)

2. Brantford: new schools close to, but not within the GTA seem to do well (eg. Waterloo, Guelph). It's probably because GTA residents like to be in a university town that's only an hour or two drive from home. Brantford is a good size, doesn't have a post-secondary institution of its own, and could really use an infusion of new people and ideas. The downtown would likely benefit immensely.

3. Downtown Toronto: I know downtown already has 2 unis (3 if you count OCAD) but it's where young people want to be and it's the easier place to access via transit. GO transit seems to be the only agency in Ontario capable of expanding and all GO trains lead downtown. The issue is lack of space, but combining with George Brown could help with that. A new university with a waterfront campus in the East Harbourfront would draw a lot of students.

4. Brampton: I thought the western GTA needed a university since a ton of people live here already and this is where the most growth is happening. Mississauga already has UTM and Brampton is the next largest western burb. A campus built downtown would revitalize the area a bit and would be close to Brampton GO station.

It seems like I ignored Eastern and Northern Ontario, but there aren't really any cities large enough to support a university that don't already have one. I don't think Sault Ste. Marie, Belleville, or Cornwall would draw enough people. Possibly Belleville, but the are areas with way more people that would probably be better. I also thought of Stratford and Orillia because they're such pretty towns, but again I think they're too small to support a decent sized uni.

One question to ask is whether we are looking at completely new universities or upgrades of existing colleges as UOIT was done.

Hamilton has Mohawk College but could use a 2nd university.

Sheridan has 3 campuses in Brampton, Oakville and now Mississauga. Considering that expansion and the programmes offered, it is worth saying that Sheridan probably has the best change for expansion to a university.

George Brown and Humber already offer degrees so I don't see much of a stretch for them to become universities at some point. They could become Toronto's 5th & 6th Universities.

Hazel McCallion has always made it clear that the University of Toronto at Mississauga should one day become the University of Mississauga.

Cheers, m

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by allurban

.

Hazel McCallion has always made it clear that the University of Toronto at Mississauga should one day become the University of Mississauga.

If she is that passionate about it, rather than unimaginatively trying to just usurp an existing school, why not push for a separate University? People seeking out a U of T degree will not be wanting something else. Surely Missy is big enough for a second school.

[Kensingtonian]

Originally Posted by monkeyronin

I like Kensingtonian's picks, though I'd go with Ottawa over Brantford. Also, something like Oakville might be a better choice than Brampton - still accessible for those in Peel and more accessible for those coming from Hamilton and Toronto. Plus Oakville would make a nicer little college town than the sprawl of Brampton.

I was actually debating between Brampton and Oakville and picked Brampton because it's bigger and needs more of a makeover. I didn't think of the draw Oakville would have from Hamilton and Niagara Region, but that's a good point. And Oakville would definitely make a better college town. It also has all day GO service, which is essential considering a suburban school would inevitably become a commuter school.

I don't think Ottawa needs another uni. It already has 2 good sized universities plus a satellite campus of the Universite de Quebec in Gatineau. There are also a couple of random religious colleges that have a few hundred students, though I'm not sure those count.

[Kensingtonian]

Originally Posted by allurban

One question to ask is whether we are looking at completely new universities or upgrades of existing colleges as UOIT was done.

Hamilton has Mohawk College but could use a 2nd university.

Sheridan has 3 campuses in Brampton, Oakville and now Mississauga. Considering that expansion and the programmes offered, it is worth saying that Sheridan probably has the best change for expansion to a university.

George Brown and Humber already offer degrees so I don't see much of a stretch for them to become universities at some point. They could become Toronto's 5th & 6th Universities.

Hazel McCallion has always made it clear that the University of Toronto at Mississauga should one day become the University of Mississauga.

Cheers, m

Didn't McMaster start out as part of U of T and then separate?

UTM and UTSC are already de facto separate universities. Credits aren't directly transferable to the St. George campus (ie: organic chemistry at UTM is not the same as organic chemistry at the St. George campus).

If new schools are going to Brantford and Oakville, Hamilton doesn't need another school. I would only suggest one in Hamilton if no new schools were built nearby.

[sgups]

My thoughts:
a) Barrie
b) Windsor/Chatham or Sarnia(that area could use a boost)
c) Oakville
d) Newmarket/Aurora.

[icemachine]

I'm not sure we need 4 new university's - I think we would be better off expanding some and focusing on enlarging and making colleges more attractive as that is where many more should be educated, not everyone needs a bachelors degree, most pressing need is for technicians and technologists.

Saying that, with growing population I think Sheridan as a Polytechnic University is a good idea, the same with Georgian and perhaps Humber.

[doady]

New univiersity should go in MCC. Lots of vacant land and parking lots there to develop/redevelop. And when we talk about central locations (i.e. not somewhere on the urban fringe with low accessibility), there aren't many place besides MCC with enough space for a university.

[Kensingtonian]

According to Wikipedia, certain colleges are designated "Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning" meaning they can grant degrees in a limited number of programs - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_colleges

Humber, Sheridan, and Conestoga were the only ones I found that have this designation, so they would make likely candidates for an upgrade to a university or polytechnic institute.

[Kensingtonian]

Just reading through... seems like most of us agree that Barrie and the Downtown Toronto Waterfront should get new universities.

Other places mentioned more than once: Ottawa, Hamilton, Brantford, Oakville

[doady]

Yeah, Brantford just recently demolished their entire downtown... sounds like a great city for a university.

[vid]

It wasn't the entire downtown, it was just the largest collection of pre-Confederation architecture in the country along a mile of one of their downtown's most important streets and was done without considering what would be done with the land once it was cleared.

[monkeyronin]

Originally Posted by vid

it was just the largest collection of pre-Confederation architecture in the country

I find that a little hard to believe, especially considering that Brantford wasn't even incorporated as city until 1877.

Apparently it was everything on the right side of the street here that was destroyed...

[Gil]

Milton, facing massive growth has set aside a tract of land southwest of the current urban limits (which will undoubtedly eventually surround the campus). They've been trying to lure a university to the site. Last I heard Wilfred Laurier seemed interested.

[vid]

Originally Posted by monkeyronin

I find that a little hard to believe, especially considering that Brantford wasn't even incorporated as city until 1877.

I'm just repeating what I think I might have heard.

[Bisonblight]

Originally Posted by Kensingtonian

Didn't McMaster start out as part of U of T and then separate?

Mac moved to avoid having to join the UofT federation. It used to be located in the building now occupied by the Royal Conservatory.