New University of Lethbridge hub for innovation and discovery nearly complete

The University of Lethbridge in southern Alberta has nearly completed its new Destination Project science and academic building. The $248-million hub will feature incubation space where students, faculty researchers, entrepreneurs and industry mentors can turn their ideas into commercial products. Expected to increase student capacity by 450 full-time students, the 38,400-square-metre facility includes state-of-the-art research laboratories for collaborative transdisciplinary research and curricular innovation. The Destination Project will also seek to engage community by offering resources and meeting places for citizens, educational resources for teachers, and an interactive science venue for children and their families. Move-in is scheduled to start in May and the building will open for classes in September. The Government of Alberta contributed a total of $260 million to the facility, including $12 million for planning. The project also received a $1-million donation from BMO Financial Group; the building’s showcase theatre will carry the BMO name.