Bill Davis joins push for bringing university to Brampton

Whether it's a “node” of University of Toronto campus, the former Ontario premier says it’s time for his booming hometown to have a university presence.

Thestar.com
Sept. 10, 2015
By San Grewal

Former Ontario premier Bill Davis is meeting with officials from the University of Toronto Friday as the two parties explore the possibility of establishing Brampton’s first university presence.

“It’s good news,” said Davis, 86, who is chairing a municipal panel to help get his hometown a university. He added that he and City of Brampton officials will likely be meeting with other universities, following the province’s indication earlier this year that a new university campus in Peel or Halton will likely get funding from the government.

Residents, city politicians and local members of the two higher levels of government have been clamouring for a university in Brampton, as the city’s population continues to explode, but students are forced to travel elsewhere for a university degree.

The University of Toronto released a public statement Thursday about its hopes to land a campus in Brampton.

“It’s very preliminary,” Deep Saini, the head of U of T’s Mississauga campus, told the Star. He said a Brampton facility would be a “node” of UTM, and that the city is ready for its own university space.

“Brampton is the second biggest source for Canadian students (at UTM). We think that number could be significantly larger if there was easier access for Brampton students.”

Currently, 1,400 out of UTM’s 13,300 students are from Brampton, Saini said. “We see ourselves as the number one university in the western GTA.”

Brampton, with a population close to 600,000, is the largest city in Canada without a university and Davis said it’s far past the point in the city’s rapid growth for a university.

When asked if the University of Toronto might have an advantage over other universities trying to partner with Brampton, under the expected provincial proposal call, because Davis is an alumni, Saini was quick to shoot the notion down.

“He has a very long, strong connection with the University of Toronto, but being a former education minister and premier, I believe Mr. Davis will make a decision based on merits.”