Saskatchewan Polytechnic plans to build new centralized Saskatoon campus at Innovation Place

Saskatchewan Polytechnic's buildings in Saskatoon are spread out across the city, but there are now plans in the works to change that. 

On Wednesday, Saskatchewan Polytechnic announced it plans to build a new Saskatoon campus at Innovation Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus to consolidate its operations in the city.

Larry Rosia, the institution's president and CEO, said its current infrastructure in Saskatoon lags behind its other campuses in the province. 

"The reason we've chosen Saskatoon is because it's the campus in most need," Rosia said.

Rosia estimates the entire cost of building the new centralized campus will be around $500 million.

No timeframe for when the new campus will be ready was available Wednesday.

Rosia said Saskatchewan Polytechnic will be able to provide a clearer picture once the construction process starts. 

"If we were to start today and start putting shovels in the ground, It'd probably take three years to complete," Rosia said. "It's a matter of when we put that shovel in the ground, and we'll figure that out over the course of this next year."

He said there will be more discussions on what to do with the current buildings when the new campus is closer to being ready.

Rosia said the campus will be built in a way that meets the demands of the future.

"We want the spaces to be flexible, reconfigurable, so we can keep current with changing technology."

The province has committed to providing up to $200 million to help with construction efforts. 

Saskatchewan's Premier Scott Moe said he hopes the investment can help increase enrolment at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon.

"We need those educated young folks in our labour force," Moe said. "We need those young folks out in our Saskatchewan communities making their home, raising their families and practising their expertise."

Rosia said he hopes the federal government and private donors will also help fund the new campus. He added that the current satellite campuses are outdated, and have high leasing and maintenance costs. 

"It'll absolutely save dollars because being in all those locations is inefficient and it's ineffective."

"A lot of the students don't have the support systems they need."

New campus could strengthen Sask. economy: Rosia

Rosia says the new campus will allow Saskatchewan Polytechnic to grow its program capacity in Saskatoon and create a talent pipeline that benefits Saskatchewan's economy. 

"The real payoff in all of this is that if we bring them together, we can co-locate them such that the solutions of tomorrow are going to be based on multidisciplinary solutions."

Peter Stoicheff, the president of the University of Saskatchewan, said he believes Innovation Place is a great location for the new Saskatoon campus. 

"This ambitious co-location initiative provides a new home for Saskatchewan Polytechnic and in the process will strengthen the city's growing innovation corridor by increasing the potential for visionary collaboration among Saskatchewan Polytechnic, USask and Innovation Place," Stoicheff said.