Mayor Bevilacqua announces first university in Vaughan

Jan. 21, 2019 11:00 a.m.

​Niagara University expands to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

This marks a historic day for the citizens of our community as classes begin at Niagara University’s modern new site located in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC). Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua formally welcomed students, professors and members of the administration on the first day of studies at the university’s new location, adding that he has “proudly delivered on a transformational city-building commitment to bring the first-ever university to the city of Vaughan.”
 
“It has been my dream to bring a university to Vaughan. With focus, discipline and excellent partners, this dream has come true. Today is the manifestation of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication and perseverance. It is a great day for our city and Niagara University as we take steps to take charge of our future,” Mayor Bevilacqua added.
 
Founded in 1856, Niagara University, with its main campus located in Lewiston, N.Y., has relocated its bi-national presence with this new site in Vaughan. Mayor Bevilacqua helped lead negotiations between the university and community leaders. The site is in the heart of the city’s emerging downtown core, located in the Cortel Group’s Expo City complex. The 12,000-square-foot addition includes seven classrooms, faculty and administration offices and student lounge areas. Niagara University’s Vaughan site is walking distance from the VMC TTC subway station and further connected by vivaNext bus rapid transit service.     
 
Students studying in Vaughan can enrol in either the bachelor of professional studies in education or the master of science in education programs. These programs are fully accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and prepare aspiring professionals for careers in primary-junior and intermediate-senior teacher positions, among other education-related employment opportunities. Programs at this site operate under the written consent of the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
 
The new Vaughan site is home to Niagara University in Ontario, which has been offering outstanding teacher training, education and opportunities to Canadian students since 1984. This move will see its more than 300 students, in addition to faculty and administrative staff currently in two other locations, relocate to Vaughan. Niagara University, Vaughan’s first university, has an extensive and proud history in Ontario.  
 
“Niagara University is vested in the creation of the school’s new VMC site. The VMC is the largest and most ambitious project in the city’s history and its downtown is a natural place for Niagara University to be located,” Mayor Bevilacqua said. He adds, “building a complete city means having a post-secondary institution in an urban setting, walking distance from homes, businesses and amenities and connected by regionally-integrated transit.” The Vaughan Centre PwC Tower, Transit City, The MET and the KPMG Tower are among some of the many other developments shaping Vaughan’s rapidly growing skyline.
 
QUOTES
 
“I have been determined to bring a university to Vaughan. Working closely with Niagara University President Rev. James J. Maher, this is a commitment I have proudly delivered for the people of our city. With the arrival of Niagara University to the City of Vaughan, we have secured an important investment in our community and in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Vaughan has made history by attracting the first-ever university to our city and to York Region. As Mayor, I believe that improving access to knowledge, training and education is fundamental to building a more promising future for the citizens of our municipality and the entire Greater Toronto Area.”    
-        Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
“On behalf of the students, staff and faculty of Niagara University, I am excited to expand our Niagara University in Ontario program here to the city of Vaughan, as we work within this community to mentor a new generation of compassionate, dedicated and successful graduates into the workplace. For 35 years, Niagara University faculty and staff have prepared students for personal and professional success as teachers and educational leaders, guided by our Vincentian mission and values. I want to personally thank Mayor Bevilacqua for his genuine enthusiasm, vision, commitment and advocacy to bring people and organizations together to make the arrival of Niagara University here to Vaughan a reality.” 
-        Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Niagara University President
 
QUICK FACTS
 
  • The VMC is the largest and most ambitious project in the City’s history and will include:
    • 1.5 million square feet of office space
    • 750,000 square feet of retail space
    • 12,000 residential units to be home to 25,000 people
    • employment targets of 11,500 jobs, of which 5,000 will be new office jobs
  • The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre TTC subway station has a daily usage of 14,800 riders
  • Niagara University currently has a student body of more than 4,000 individuals
 
LEARN MORE
 
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ABOUT VAUGHAN: The City of Vaughan is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities with a population of more than 335,000. Incorporated in 1991, Vaughan includes the communities of Concord, Kleinburg, Maple, Thornhill and Woodbridge. This culturally diverse municipality is located in the heart of York Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
 
ABOUT NIAGARA UNIVERSITY: Founded by the Vincentian community in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive institution, blending the best of a liberal arts and professional education, grounded in our values-based Catholic tradition. Its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Hospitality and Tourism Management offer programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral level. The university also offers a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Education and a Master of Science in Education degree in Ontario. With ministerial consent and accreditation by the Ontario College of Teachers, The College of Education has offered programs in Ontario for more than 30 years.
 
As the first Vincentian university established in the United States, Niagara prepares students for personal and professional success while emphasizing service to the community in honor of St. Vincent de Paul. Niagara’s institutional commitment to service-learning has led to its inclusion on the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service every year since its inception in 2006, and its recognition with the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement.
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