U of T considers Brampton presence

U of T has announced an interest in establishing a presence in the City of Brampton.

This presence would take the form of a “facility or building”, according to Jane Stirling, UTM’s director of marketing and communications.

The announcement, made on September 10, follows a public invitation from the Government of Ontario to submit proposals to address a growing need for postsecondary institutions in both the Halton and Peel regions.

In a news release issued by U of T, UTM principal and U of T VP Deep Saini said U of T’s status as the largest postsecondary institution in the western GTA is capable of responding to Brampton’s needs.

“Any such proposal from the University of Toronto would first involve broad consultations within the university,” said Saini, who further added that the initiative is being considered in order to provide better services to students in Brampton.

According to reports from The Bramptonist, the City of Brampton’s University Blue Ribbon Panel contacted several universities, and four universities responded expressing their interest. It is currently unclear which other institutions have expressed an interest in establishing a presence in Brampton.

According to Brian Sittle, the City of Brampton’s senior media coordinator, the city is an excellent candidate to manage the province’s next postsecondary expansion.

“The city’s University Blue Ribbon Panel is meeting with a number of institutions to discuss a vision for the future of education in Brampton and its surrounding communities,” said Sittle in an email to The Medium.

Out of the 13,100 undergraduate students at UTM, Brampton is the second largest source of enrolment, drawing approximately 1,600 students to UTM. The largest source of students is the City of Mississauga, which draws approximately 6,000 students.

When asked about the next steps, Saini told The Medium it is up to the City of Brampton to select which university they want to work with.