Ontario Power Generation (OPG) announced a $5 million donation over five years to Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Nov. 26 in a continuing effort to develop the institutions’ nuclear programs.
The donation follows up on a similar $10 million donation made between 2005 and 2010.
“It’s clearly an indication that OPG is pleased with the delivery they have received with the result of the first donation they made,” said UOIT President Ron Bordessa.
According to Bordessa, Durham and UOIT were obvious partners for this investment. They are part of the few Ontario universities that offer nuclear-related programs. UOIT is the only school in Canada to offer a bachelor of nuclear engineering, Bordessa said.
“Since our partnership, we do hire every year a significant amount of grads from the program,” said Jennifer Knox, a public relations manager for OPG. “What we’re trying to emphasize is that it’s really an investment.”
Since 2005, OPG has hired over 150 interns and co-op students and over 100 graduates in power engineering, skilled trades and engineering programs from both Durham and UOIT, according to the Durham Region News.
OPG’s partnership with Durham College began informally back in the 1990s. “In 2005, when [UOIT] came along, it became more formalized,” said Donna McFarlane, a vice-president (communications, marketing and external relations) at Durham College.
The majority of the donation will go towards program and facility development, including $1 million that will contribute to the construction of Durham College’s Whitby campus, McFarlane said.
The donation has drawn positive reactions from the student bodies at both Durham College and UOIT.
“The students are pleased that this is another indication that nuclear education at UOIT is a high profile degree,” Bordessa said. “Our job placement history for students in this program is excellent.”
Bordessa said UOIT hopes this partnership will continue and contribute to establishing the Durham region as the nuclear energy capital of Canada.