Aurora College is currently in the process of becoming a polytechnic university. The current goal will see the college launching as a polytechnic university in 2025. The College’s Thebacha Campus is located in Fort Smith, meaning that we will soon have a local university.
This transformation, and the resulting university campus in Fort Smith, will help support the education of our community and strengthen our local economy. A university will improve the quality of life for both residents and students through social and economic opportunities.
Education
A university in Fort Smith will support and expand the education opportunities in our community. The new university will provide Northern students an opportunity to study in a friendly, small northern community. This campus will help expand options for students to gain at a place-based, Northern focused and Indigenous-led post-secondary education. Other educational benefits of the university include:
- Growing the knowledge economy in Fort Smith and the NWT will help foster and grow leaders, provide educational support in surrounding communities, and establish educational bases in other communities.
- Expanding the research capacity of the Thebacha Campus will foster local innovation and research for the North.
- Increased funding from southern institutions, organizations and businesses will support a wide variety of northern research.
Economy
There are several economic benefits to having a local university, including diversifying the economy, providing opportunities for investment, and creating job opportunities.
Diversifying the Economy
Many communities in the North are based around a resource extraction economy, while Fort Smith’s economy is centred on education and the knowledge economy. A university campus will further help balance the economic diversity in the North.
The university will also help drive innovation, support economic activity and further diversify the economy. The innovation and entrepreneurship skills gained by students will provide them opportunities to compete in international markets.
Investment Opportunities
A university will provide more opportunities for investment. Partnerships with southern universities will create opportunities for them to invest and do research in the North. Additionally, universities can bring large investments into civic infrastructure as the school, departments and programs grow.
Increased Economic Activity
Significant money flows through Canada’s post-secondary institutions each year, generating billions in economic activity. The university will increase local economic activity, creating more opportunities in both Fort Smith and NWT broadly. Student spending will also directly benefit the Fort Smith economy. Students spreading money off campus will have a direct economic benefit to surrounding localities.
Local Jobs
Universities require a wide range of staff to run, increasing the number of local jobs. The university will also indirectly create jobs through increased economic activity.