Clare Barnett
Director of Economic Development & Culture, City of Brampton
As one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing cities, the City of Brampton is uniquely positioning itself to become a leader in education and business through ongoing relationships with post-secondary institutions like Algoma University. Recently, Brampton City Council approved funding of $7.3 million over three years to support the university’s proposal to expand its presence and student enrollment in downtown Brampton to 1,000 students or more.
“This investment is consistent with Brampton’s key priorities and 2040 vision to leverage post-secondary partnerships to establish an innovation ecosystem in the downtown and help create jobs,” explains Clare Barnett, Director of Economic Development and Culture at the City of Brampton. “The development of post-secondary programming is directly tied to Brampton’s economic vision to support research, innovation, and commercialization. Over the past two years, Algoma’s programming has evolved to help meet current and future needs of businesses, demonstrating the school’s willingness and capability to keep up with industry demands as our economy continues to grow. The city can act as a bridge to link businesses with postsecondary institutions when businesses are looking to upskill or reskill their workforce. We all have an important role to play in the success of our community.”
A bright future
Through its partnerships in education, the city is committed to fostering innovation, enhancing social vitality, and driving economic growth in Brampton. “Brampton is undergoing a deliberate, thoughtful and significant transformation to move our city into a vibrant future and increased post-secondary options are one piece of this transformation,” says Barnett. “This transformation will make us a leader in talent, jobs, innovation, and investment. We have thousands of youth exploring career options and looking for new training and learning opportunities. We’re home to great businesses looking to fill jobs today and anticipating needs for the jobs of tomorrow.”
With its young and diverse population, as well as its location in the middle of the Innovation Corridor, Barnett says that Brampton is ideally suited to foster a uniquely creative and productive educational incubator for Canada’s future leaders. “Brampton is at the forefront of Canada’s evolution, with a fast-growing population that brings new energy and opportunity to the region,” she says.
