Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, John White, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Glace Bay-Dominion, on behalf of the Honourable Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables and the Honourable David Dingwall, Cape Breton University President and Vice-Chancellor, announced more than $84 million in joint funding for the new Centre for Discovery and Innovation academic building on the Cape Breton University (CBU) campus.
The new building will house laboratories, classrooms, research facilities, and student services, and its modular design will enable interactive learning experiences. Through the installation of a geothermal closed loop system, solar panels, and smart building controls, it will be net-zero ready.
The new Centre for Discovery and Innovation will help position CBU as a leader in climate change preparedness by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the institution to eventually eliminate its carbon footprint. The modern and efficient training and learning facilities will also strengthen recruitment and retention of academic talent on Cape Breton Island.
To build Canada's clean economy, Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to fight climate change and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities, and create good-paying jobs.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, increasing the resiliency of our communities and improving the lives of Canadians.
