Assiniboine College getting $120M to expand ag school, help fill jobs in 'backbone' of Manitoba economy: Kinew

Assiniboine College in Brandon, Man., is getting a $120-million boost from the province to expand its agricultural school and get its long-planned Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture built — a project Premier Wab Kinew says is critical to filling labour gaps in one of Manitoba's key economic sectors.

Kinew announced the funding Thursday during his state of the province address to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce.

"We know that there are so many jobs that we're going to have to fill going forward into the coming years to be able to keep growing that backbone of our provincial economy," Kinew said. "Assiniboine College's Prairie Innovation Centre is the way to get it done."

The new centre, which has been years in the making, and is expected to offer 16 new or expanded educational programs under its roof.

It will more than double the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment from about 300 students to 800 students, said Assiniboine vice-president of advancement Derrick Turner.

He says the college researched gaps in agriculture industry training, and the new state-of-the-art facility will help students prepare to work in areas like automation, chemical technology and resource management— all key for supporting Manitoba's evolving agriculture sector.