BCIT Announces $33M in Funding for New Trades and Technology Complex Showcasing Industry Support

September 22, 2023

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has announced a milestone of $33 million in funding towards a new state-of-the-art Trades and Technology Complex. The Trades and Technology Complex will increase access for students pursuing a trades and technology education and career, which will help the Province of BC meet the demand for an estimated 85,000 new trades jobs expected over the next 10 years. Contributions from over 45 organizations and individuals towards the construction of the Trades and Technology Complex demonstrates the incredible connectivity and collaboration between BCIT and industry.

The $220 million Trades and Technology Complex will provide an adaptive, innovative, and flexible learning environment through leading-edge, energy-efficient, sustainable design. The Complex will have capacity for 700 new full-time student spots annually, alleviating waitlists, and delivering the trades training needed to meet the labour needs of the province. The Complex will serve as a living lab where students from different disciplines–such as engineering, architecture and construction – interact, collaborate, and undertake projects together.

BCIT

The Trades and Technology Complex will allow BCIT to offer significantly more in-person training and increase delivery of immersive training for specialized areas, including mass timber construction and net-zero buildings. It will also increase capacity for designing and delivering effective online training through simulation labs and sophisticated technology-enabled classrooms. Through the Complex, BCIT will continue to champion equitable and accessible trades education for all students, prioritizing inclusive learning environments.

Key spaces within the Complex will include the Concert Properties Centre for Trades and Technology, the Robert Bosa Carpentry Pavilion, and the Marine and Mass Timber Workshop.

Features for advancing education through the Trades and Technology Complex will include:

  • Four covered work yards
  • Simulation-based learning areas
  • Cross-disciplinary sim labs for trades and technology collaboration
  • Power engineering sim lab–Kongsberg system
  • Welding simulation lab
  • Industrial network sim lab–industry partnership space
  • Media centre lab–for remote/ online/ narrowcasting education delivery
  • Maker space
  • Classrooms, student commons, demonstration, observation, auxiliary and atrium spaces

More than 45 BC industry leaders and individuals across a range of sectors, including development, electrical, engineering, mining and forestry, have contributed funds through BCIT’s INSPIRE Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the Institute’s history. Donors include organizations such as Concert Properties, Bosa Construction, Wesgroup, Wheaton Precious Metals, Polygon Homes and more. Donor participation in this project has included financial support as well as involvement in the development of programming to directly meet industry needs.

The INSPIRE Campaign aims to raise a total of $125 million in private-sector contributions, which, together with Government of BC funding, supports the long-term redevelopment plan for the BCIT Burnaby Campus valued at over $680 million.

List of donors involved in the announcement:

  • Concert Properties
  • Bosa Construction
  • Teck
  • AES Engineering
  • Allwest Electric Ltd.
  • Anthem Properties Group Ltd.
  • Binational Softwood Lumber Council
  • Binnie
  • Bosa Development
  • Bridge Electric Corporation
  • Canfor
  • Chard Development Ltd.
  • CIMS Ltd.
  • EllisDon Corporation
  • Finning Canada
  • FortisBC
  • Graham Trafford
  • Hampton Lumber
  • Ideal Welders Ltd.
  • Interfor
  • Keith Panel Systems
  • Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd.
  • Lark Group
  • McElhanney
  • Mosaic Forest Management
  • Mott Electric GP
  • Paper Excellence
  • PCI Developments
  • PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.
  • Peter Kiewit Sons ULC
  • Peterson
  • Polygon Homes
  • RDH Building Science Inc.
  • Senez Consulting Ltd.
  • The Jack and Darlene Poole Foundation
  • Tolko
  • Toro Aluminum Group of Companies
  • Townline Homes
  • Wesgroup Properties
  • West Fraser
  • Wheaton Precious Metals

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • IDEAL Canada Wraps up Eighth Season of Battle of the Schools

    IDEAL Canada Wraps up Eighth Season of Battle of the Schools

    This year, IDEAL Canada is celebrating 60 years of manufacturing in Canada. In the spirit of celebration, the company has given apprentices across the country another chance to show off their talents and celebrate their skills as burgeoning electricians with the Battle of the Schools. IDEAL awarded over $25,000 in cash in prizes to apprentices… Read More…

  • Ontario EV ChargeON Program Accepting Applications until January 31, 2024

    Ontario EV ChargeON Program Accepting Applications until January 31, 2024

    November 29, 2023 The province is accepting applications for the EV ChargeON program to build publicly accessible charging stations in communities with less than 170,000 people, as well as in any Indigenous community in Ontario. Eligible applicants include businesses, not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, Indigenous businesses, organizations and communities, and broader public sector organizations like hospitals and… Read More…

  • A Closer Look at ESA’s EV Charger Installation Blitz & EV Charger Considerations

    A Closer Look at ESA’s EV Charger Installation Blitz & EV Charger Considerations

    Earlier this year, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) conducted an EV charger installation ‘blitz’ as part of their campaign to educate homeowners and consumers, in an effort to improve EV charger installation safety in Ontario. Read More…

  • I Have Two Questions for You

    I Have Two Questions for You

    November 24, 2023 By Keith Sones, Valard EVP Strategy & Business Development I have two questions for you. First, how many people do you think you’ll meet in your life? It’s not that hard to determine, quite frankly. Yes, it requires a lot of assumptions to represent the “average” person, but it is possible. Before… Read More…


Changing Scene

  • City Electric Supply Announces Acquisition of Coldbrook Electric Supply

    City Electric Supply Announces Acquisition of Coldbrook Electric Supply

    City Electric Supply (CES) is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Coldbrook Electric Supply, a respected independent wholesaler in Nova Scotia. Read More…

  • Rexel Announces Changes to Group Executive Committee

    Rexel Announces Changes to Group Executive Committee

    December 1, 2023 Rexel today announced the appointment of Roger Little as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the USA and leader of the USA-Canada cluster, effective December 18, 2023. Roger Little has been CEO of Rexel Canada since March 2014 and will succeed Brad Paulsen as CEO of Rexel USA as Mr. Paulsen leaves the… Read More…

  • EFC Welcomes New Distributor Member: Electromart Inc.

    EFC Welcomes New Distributor Member: Electromart Inc.

    November 30, 2023 For over 40 years, Electromart has been going the extra distance to ensure their customers purchases are easy and fun! Primarily geared to serve tradesmen, contractors, commercial, industrial, and retail clients, the company offers knowledge and experience to its customers. The EFC-Official Representative for Electromart is Joan Orgel, Operations Manager. More information… Read More…

  • Graybar Ontario Team Contributes Greatly to the Purse Project

    Graybar Ontario Team Contributes Greatly to the Purse Project

    November 30, 2023 Team lead, Stefanie Cosentino, Graybar Canada, Women’s Network-Ontario Region committee member, and Andrew Fitzpatrick, Graybar Canada, gathered their teams and really did an incredible job with purse donations. The team donated over $500 in cash, which was matched by Graybar, and filled 27 purses, with the top 10 items needed and more…. Read More…