Northern College says $150,000 RBC Foundation donation will support Haileybury School of Mines and classroom, lab upgrades

Northern College said it received a $150,000 donation from the RBC Foundation on Oct. 27, 2026, funding the college says will support “revitalization” of the Haileybury School of Mines and modernization of some classroom and laboratory spaces at its campuses.

The announcement outlines how the college and the foundation say the money is intended to be used: updates to teaching facilities, continued work on mining-related programs, and efforts to recruit students into mining programming connected to what the college described as industrial expansion in Ontario’s northeast.

In its statement, Northern College said the donation will support what it called further Haileybury School of Mines program “growth and sustainability,” while also modernizing existing classrooms and labs.

The college said the funding will be used to expand recruitment of students for mining programming and to support continued curriculum development. Northern said that work has “the primary goal of supporting the region’s large-scale industrial mining expansion.”

Jamie Johnston, Northern’s dean of mining, trades, technology and apprenticeship, said the college has spent the past two years working with “industry and expert partners” to modernize its mining offerings through the Haileybury School of Mines.

Northern College president and CEO Mitch Dumas said the college expects the RBC Foundation funding to help Haileybury School of Mines programs “keep pace with industry standards and best practices,” and to support classroom and laboratory spaces used by students.

Scott Simon, identified as RBC’s regional vice-president for Northern Lakes, said the foundation aims to support “equipping communities with in-demand skills.”

Northern College did not provide a timeline for the classroom and laboratory upgrades described in the announcement.