WATERLOO, Ont. -- A "ground-breaking ceremony" was held today (April 30) to officially launch construction of a multi-million-dollar Centre for Environmental and Information Technology at the University of Waterloo.

The $36.5-million centre is one of four building projects at UW approved by the Ontario government's SuperBuild program with a total estimated cost of $61.44 million. Provincial funding is to be matched by contributions from the university, students and private donations.

"SuperBuild is a key component of the Ontario government's comprehensive plan to prepare and expand Ontario's post-secondary institutions so that we meet today's needs and build for tomorrow," said Dianne Cunningham, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

The 15,300-square-metre centre, to be built on the existing B1 parking lot, will serve the faculties of mathematics, engineering, science and environmental studies. It is scheduled to be ready by the summer of 2003.

The multi-facility expansion will also include a $10.5-million addition to the Engineering 3 building and a floor of classrooms above the J. R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall, which will cost $5.6 million. The lecture hall portion of the project is expected to be complete by the summer of 2002.

In all, the new space will contain 20 classrooms and 44 laboratories. As well, the expansion will create 2,600 new student spaces.

UW president David Johnston said the project "addresses a huge need here as Waterloo has the biggest source of information technology and environmental science graduates in Canada.

"It will reinforce some of Waterloo's strengths and concentrate more expertise in these areas of study than anywhere else in the country. It will build a bridge, figuratively speaking, over the mathematics, engineering, science and environmental studies faculties, and several other key departments across campus. This will allow an opportunity to put these disciplines together."

The fourth project will be the $8.7-million Co-operative Education and Career Services building of 4,000 square metres, to be located near South Campus Hall. It will allow UW's Co-operative Education and Career Services to move out of cramped quarters at Needles Hall.

The co-op, or work-term, program at UW is the largest in the world, with about 10,000 undergraduate students enrolled. Under the program, students alternate four-month terms in class with paid work terms in business, industry and government jobs related to their studies.

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Release no. 85 -- April 30, 2001