Report
to/Rapport au :
Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council/et au Conseil
09 June 2003 / le 09 juin 2003
Submitted
by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, General
Manager/Directeur général
Development Services Department / Services d’aménagement
Contact/Personne-ressource : Michael Murr, Acting Director, Business
Development/
Directeur intérimaire de la Direction du
développement des affaires
Telephone No.580-2424 Ext
25195, michael.murr@ottawa.ca
|
Ref N°: ACS2003-DEV-BUS-0007 |
SUBJECT: VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL
HIGH SCHOOL
FUNDING REQUEST
OBJET: DEMANDE DE FINANCEMENT POUR LA MISE EN PLACE
D’UNE ÉCOLE SECONDAIRE PROFESSIONNELLE ET TECHNIQUE
REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
That the
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council approve
partnership funding in the amount of $75,000 towards the establishment of a
Vocational and Technical Training High School.
RECOMMANDATION
DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique recommande au Conseil municipal d’approuver le
financement d’une somme de 75 000 $ pour la mise en place d’une école
secondaire de formation professionnelle et technique.
BACKGROUND
The Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est
(CECLFCE) are building an innovative vocational and technical training high
school on the campus of La Cité collégiale, a community college located at 801
Aviation Parkway.
The cost of the
new high school is estimated at $7.5 million dollars. The Province of Ontario has committed $3.5 million to the project
and the CECLFCE has launched a fundraising campaign seeking funding partners to
raise the remaining 4 million dollars. The campaign funds will contribute
towards the specialized equipment needs of the school among other funding
needs. This equipment will be used to supply 9 computer laboratories, a science
laboratory and a training workshop. As part of this campaign effort, CECLFCE has approached the City of Ottawa for
support and has requested that the City contribute $250,000 (Document 1). The
fundraising campaign has been quite successful and well supported by the
private sector with 90 local businesses contributing approximately $2 million
to date.
Although the City would like to be in a position to better assist the
School Board in meeting their fundraising objectives, it is currently facing
severe budget constraints. However, City staff in its correspondence with
CECLFCE indicated that it would investigate a contribution equivalent to
development fees that were paid in association with the high school project.
The fees specifically apply to the issuance of building permits in November
2002 and February 2003 and a site plan application that was approved in
November 2002. The total amount of fees paid is equal to $74,441.90.
The technical high school will be unique in the Province of Ontario by providing training in a “real-life” environment in partnership with businesses in trades and technology. Training and education will be offered to students year round in highly specialized trades and technological innovation programs that are in tune with market trends and demands in the job market. The school will accept up to 500 students per year from grades 9-12 and focus on leading edge training in a physical environment equipped with the best training facilities available. The technical high school will also be unique in that opportunities exist to share training facilities with the College allowing for certain synergies of scale. This integration of activities on campus will provide a learning environment in which students will be able to make a smooth transition to La Cité collégial training programs. The aim is to keep students in training and educational programs longer, allowing for the further development of their skills and qualifications.
DISCUSSION
On April 23, 2003, City Council approved a series of Ottawa 20/20 Growth Management Plans to guide the City’s growth and development for the next 20 years. Included in this package is the 20/20 Economic Strategy and supporting 20/20 Talent Plan.
The Talent Plan
establishes a planning framework in which to address key workforce challenges,
including the shortage of skilled tradespersons and low enrollment in
trades/vocational education in the City of Ottawa. Strategic policy directions of the Talent Plan relevant to the
funding request are to support collaborative projects that develop skills
matched to employment opportunities; assist employers in recruiting a skilled
workforce; and to recognize the importance of linking job-seekers with those of
employers for a trained and job-ready workforce. The Talent Plan also calls for City Council to recognize the
merit in investing community resources in sector specific projects when related
to skill development and recruitment.
A review of the educational services provided by the vocational and technical high school indicates that it is consistent with policies of the Talent Plan and implements the overarching strategic direction found in the Economic Strategy of “Investing in People and Place”.
The construction of this specialized vocational school is timely in that it will provide skilled training opportunities and help to address the low percentage of graduating students registered in skilled trades programs. In comparison to other municipalities across Canada, enrollment in skilled programs in Ottawa is below average. This has led to a shortage of skilled tradespersons in certain key sectors of the local economy such as the construction, automobile and technology trades. Existing high school trade programs are broad-based and not trade- or vocation specific and therefore may not provide the level of training required by employers, particularly if students do not seek further post-secondary trades or vocational education.
Overall,
the City’s partnership funding will contribute to the development of a
vocational and technical training high school that will be a great asset to the
community for providing the skills, education and employment opportunities that
are required. In this regard, a funding contribution is consistent with the
policies of the Talent Plan and the strategic direction of the Economic
Strategy. It also supports many strategic directions of the Human Services Plan
- "Working City," "Diversity and Inclusion," and
"Access to the Basics."
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
The Vocational and Technical High School will benefit Ottawa’s rural as well as its urban economy. It is expected that the agricultural economy and agri-related businesses will benefit by having a facility that can provide vocational training needs that will allow operators to adapt to changing technological innovations in this sector.
CONSULTATION
The Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est
(CECLFCE) and La Cité collégiale have been consulted and a copy of this report
has been forwarded to them for review and information.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Funding for the partnership grant is available in the 2003 Capital Budget, internal order 902276, Economic Affairs.
ATTACHMENTS
Document 1 – Funding request letter
from the Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est.
DISPOSITION
Development Services Department to process the partnership funding request.
Corporate
Services Department, Financial Services Branch
to prepare the payment to the
Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est and adjust the
accounts accordingly.
Department of Corporate Services, Secretariat Services to
notify Marc Godbout, Director of Education and Secretary of the Board, Conseil
des école catholiques de langues français du Centre-Est, 4000 rue Labelle,
Gloucester On., K1J 1A1 and M. Denis Hubert,vice-président, Innovation et développement des marchés,
Innovation and Market Development, La Cité collégiale, 801 promenade de
l'Aviation, Ottawa (Ontario) K1K 4R3 of City Council’s decision.
Document 1
FUNDING
REQUEST LETTER FROM THE CONSEIL DES ECOLES
CATHOLIQUES DE LANGUE FRANÇAISE DU CENTRE-EST.
