Canadore has announced plans for a private-public partnership to build a college innovation park near the college on Cedar Heights Road.

That’s if council approves rezoning the property owned by Millford Development Limited.

A committee signed off on the proposal Tuesday night.

College president George Burton says the park would house several businesses in a condominium type of development which have an attraction to Canadore programs or the colleges research agenda.

They include the recently announced grow pods.

“There’s also a lighting company that does specialized lighting and lighting research will be a part of this. We have a site now for the movie studio within the complex, there’s also the pharmacy plant which we announced a year ago,” Burton says.

He says the final business that would be ready to go with the rezoning in place would be a packaging company.

Burton says the five companies together would create 370 jobs and help diversify the local economy.

“The most exciting piece is we’re supporting our program development, our research agenda and providing learning opportunities for our students. It’s a win, win, win all around,” he says.

Cedar Heights Road resident Peter Handley supports the proposal but if for some reason Canadore backs out the zoning would have changed and that would be an issue of concern for the area.

“If something happens we don’t want see that industrial zoning just sit there in a residential area,” he says.

Under the recommendation, the green light was given for the rezoning but a hold would go on any development until all the conditions are met.

(photos by station staff are of drawings of college innovation park presented by planner Paul Goodridge)

Filed under: Canadore College, college-innovation-park