The Alberta NDP has pledged $200 million to establish a postsecondary institution in downtown Calgary
Arshad Khan
If it wins the upcoming election, the opposition NDP in Alberta has pledged up to $200 million to construct a postsecondary campus in downtown Calgary.
According to Leader Rachel Notley, the funds would be used to build a permanent downtown campus that would bring together researchers, students, and businesses for collaboration and support of economic diversification.
Student housing would also benefit from the funding.
According to Notley, no university has been chosen to run the campus.
The downtown office vacancy rate in Calgary is 32%, nearly twice the national average, according to a recent CBRE report.
Notley claims that Albertans have benefited from the downtown’s wealth and prosperity, but the area has suffered as a result of oil price fluctuations and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notley stated to reporters on Monday, “We’ve seen high vacancy rates and a lack of vibrancy in the area.”
“We haven’t seen the jobs return as our economy undergoes structural changes, even as the economy recovers from the pandemic.”
In preparation for a provincial election on May 29, the writ is scheduled to be dropped on May 1.
