Kirkland Lake Gold Invests $500,000 in Northern College’s Innovation Hub

Northern College announced an investment of CAD 500,000 from Kirkland Lake Gold to fund a new 24,000 square foot applied research facility at its Timmins Campus. The Innovation Hub is expected to open in mid-2020.

The new facility will include trades-related labs, larger shops, and tech-enhanced classrooms. It will feature a manufacturing lab, prototyping lab, carpentry shop, welding shop, virtual reality lab, simulation lab, alternate energy lab, and mining exploration lab, along with several classrooms.

Northern College's existing innovation facilities have reached maximum capacity due to increased demand from businesses seeking spaces for innovative dialogue, product, and concept testing. The new Innovation Hub aims to address this demand.

Amy McKillip, Manager of Applied Research, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation at Northern College, stated that the new hub will create more education and career opportunities for students and promote business opportunities in the area.

Northern College President and CEO Dr. Fred Gibbons emphasized that industry support from companies like Kirkland Lake Gold allows the college to grow as a multi-faceted institution, providing high-quality education and producing work-ready graduates.

Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, expressed the company's commitment to advancing research and innovation in the region and supporting community-driven organizations like Northern College.