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he long-awaited and much-needed Georgian Centre for Health and Wellness became a reality today at aspecial event held in the Library Commons at the Barrie Campus.

In a joint announcement by the Hon. Gary Goodyear, Federal Minister of State (Science and Technology), andthe Hon. John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, along with Barrie MP PatrickBrown and MPP Aileen Carroll, Georgian received the exciting news that Phase one of the Centre has beenapproved, with construction commencing this summer.

The federal and provincial governments have agreed to contribute $40 million toward the $65.5-million projectWith the $10 million already raised by Georgian, the College can now move forward with construction ofthe165,000-square foot building with a select part of the interior deferred to Phase two. Phase one will bematerially completed by the end of March 2011 and, initially, will provide urgently needed space for an additiona1,800 full-time students. When fully completed, the Centre will accommodate a total of 3,000 full-time students

The initial $50-million investment will allow Georgian to satisfy most of its primary objectives in providingspace for more diploma and degree Health Science studies, as well as accommodating public health clinicsgreatly needed by our students and the general public. The new and renovated space will also ultimately allowus to continue to grow enrolment in our nationally unique University Partnership Centre, bringing more degreeprograms to this region.

For over four decades, Georgian has focused on the combined needs of students, employers and the communitiesin which it operates. It is an approach that has recently resulted in Georgian being one of the fastest growingpost-secondary institutions in Ontario. In making todays announcement, clearly the federal and provincialgovernments believe in Georgian, our vision for the future, and our ability to make a lasting impact on theregion and its health care needs.

With this government funding, so generously supported by donors to the Georgian Power of Educationfundraising campaign, I believe the Centre for Health and Wellness will be one of the best facilities in the Ontariopost-secondary system for health care education. This is the largest expansion in Georgians history, and it wiltake health care education to new levels to ensure that Barrie, Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka, inparticular, will have the best health care workforce possible.

The Centre will offer considerable benefits to our students and the community at large, notably:

Teaching health care clinics where students and the public can access health care, and Health andWellness students can gain valuable experience working with actual patients

Georgian is the largest post-secondary institution of its size in Ontario without a medical services centre for

students. In fact, 60 per cent of Georgian students do not have access to a family doctor, joining some 30,000residents in the City of Barrie with the same challenge. Wait times for most health care services are a challengecompounded by the growing number of students who use the RVH emergency room for primary health care

New classrooms and labs allowing Georgian to expand its degree-level programs, relieving some of thefuture enrolment pressures on universities in the GTA

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Office of the President Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: btamblyn@georgianc.on.ca

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Brian G. Tamblyn

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New Health Science-related diploma and degree programs, helping to meet a severe and growing labourshortage of health care practitioners

Technology-enhanced classrooms that provide an optimal learning environment for students

These new labs and facilities will support inter-professional education methods so that students from avariety of health programs can work together on client care this is the future model of health care

A wave of retirements in the health care sector, coupled with an aging population, is contributing to a growingskills shortage of trained health care workers. For example, Royal Victoria Hospital will require 1,200 newemployees in the next five years, 50 per cent of which will be nursing positions.

Enrolment in Georgians Health Sciences programs has tripled over the past 10 years with substantial waitinglists in a number of these programs. With this new building, Georgian will be able to double the number ofstudents it can currently accommodate and create a larger pool of qualified candidates for health care employers

Todays milestone announcement is the result of the dedicated and collective efforts of numerous Georgianstaff, volunteers, and donors who have worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. The strength of thecommunity commitment to this Centre was certainly a persuasive factor when the time came to propose theproject to the provincial and federal governments. Specifically, I want to extend my sincere appreciation to:

Arch and Helen BrownBMO Bank of Montreal

City of Barrie

Corporation of Simcoe County

Georgian College Alumni Association

Lions Club of Barrie

More than 100 Georgian employees/board members

RBC Royal Bank Foundation

Students Administrative Council

TD Bank

Also, I want to thank Minister Goodyear and Minister Milloy for not only approving this project, but for honouringus with their presence at todays announcement. I would also like to acknowledge the federal and provincialelected representatives throughout the large catchment area that Georgian serves, who were all supportive ofour proposal.

In particular, I want to acknowledge and thank Barrie MPP Aileen Carroll who has been a strong advocate forour Centre for Health and Wellness at Queens Park. Patrick Brown, Barrie MP, has also been exceptional in hissupport and advocacy for the project, both in the riding and in Ottawa.

We believe building the Georgian Centre for Health and Wellness is the economic equivalent to a mid-sizedcorporate organization relocating to Barrie. When fully completed, the Health and Wellness Centre will create

nearly 400 full and part-time jobs with an estimated increase to annual payroll of $16 million solidifyingGeorgians position as one of the largest and most stable employers in the region. The construction alone willhave an estimated economic impact of $98 million on the regional economy.

I will keep staff posted on plans for a ground-breaking ceremony this summer. As stated previously, the buildingwill be materially completed for March 2011, with the official opening following in September 2011

Office of the President Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: btamblyn@georgianc.on.ca