Latest news with #UofA
CBC
4 days ago
- Business
- CBC
U of A looking for help to manage assets, cut its physical footprint
The University of Alberta is looking for someone to help it decide which assets to keep and let go of in the coming years, as it aims to reduce its physical footprint by up to 30 per cent. A request for proposals (RFP) outlines the university's need to manage a fast-growing student population and a sprawling inventory of infrastructure and land. It cites a strategic plan, released in April, that states the U of A needs to assess its infrastructure needs to remain financially sustainable. The U of A is seeking services to assemble a series of master plans to make sure its assets are used efficiently, a university spokesperson said in a statement to CBC News. "These plans will identify how to best use current assets, what will be needed in the future, and what needs to change — all within the university's current footprint," the statement read. The university faces "a number of competing priorities in a challenging fiscal environment," its space and facilities webpage says. The U of A estimates its deferred maintenance will total more than $1 billion by the end of the year. The RFP said the university manages nearly 1.63 square kilometres of land, and more than 400 buildings — more than 60 per cent of which are over 40 years old. "This is one of the largest volumes of buildings across the greatest land base of Canadian universities," the RFP said, adding that the U of A has the most space per student among Canada's U15 institutions — the country's top research universities. Developing the master plans is expected to take two years, as the university works toward its goal of enrolling 60,000 students by 2033. The goal is to analyze how much space the university has, how much it should have, and what it will need to accommodate that many students. It's looking for recommended steps, such as identifying which buildings are best suited for consolidation. In the strategic plan, a map shows the intentions for campus infrastructure over the next 10 years. Several structures slated for disposal include the administration, human ecology and clinical sciences buildings. Others, like the Humanities Centre and some of the older homes leased to fraternities, are marked as needing future study. The university announced it would be terminating lease agreements with multiple fraternities in the spring. Universities across the country are figuring out how to efficiently use campus space, particularly amid financial pressures from dwindling international student enrolment and a sustained decline in government investment, said Gabriel Miller, president and CEO of Universities Canada, an advocacy group. But historically, he said, infrastructure was more of a team effort between universities and government. "Governments have been reluctant to play their role in that partnership," Miller said. Miller said, during a time of renewed focus on national infrastructure projects, helping universities modernize and grow needs to be part of the conversation. "Universities build roads. They provide water services. Oftentimes their recreation facilities are shared with the community," he said. "There's no reason why these anchors of our community shouldn't be eligible for community infrastructure investments." This isn't the first time the U of A has had to take a hard look at its infrastructure footprint alongside cost pressures. It sold the historic Ring Houses to a development company for materials in 2021. It demolished and sold off the Mactaggart mansion — which had been donated by a local philanthropist — because it couldn't afford to maintain the property. That space is set to become Edmonton's first Nordic spa. In 2022, the university expressed intention to remove the brutalist Humanities building, along Saskatchewan Drive, from its inventory because of mounting deferred maintenance.
Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
'Disconnected': Province's ER wait numbers not whole story, says top Alberta doc
Article content By the numbers Article content In May, the rate was 19.2, in June it was 15.7 and in July it was 20.7. Article content At the U of A, it's 17 per cent on the year. The rate in May was 14, but dropped to 12.2 in June before ticking up to 12.9 July. Article content The Misericordia Hospital in west Edmonton has a rate of 16.4 per cent on the year, while at the Grey Nuns Hospital in southeast Edmonton, it's 13.2. Article content Government figures for July indicate the only Edmonton hospital with 'leaves without being seen' figures at 10 per cent or less was the Stollery Children's Hospital at the U of A site, where just under nine per cent went unseen before leaving. Article content At the Sturgeon hospital in St. Albert, figures ran under the provincial average; the LWBS rate is fairly steady over three years, up from seven per cent in 2023 to 8.5 per cent in 2025. Article content Article content A previous survey from the AMA indicated almost one in five Albertans — 18 per cent — surveyed who went to the emergency room left before receiving care, but the province pushed back on the survey, saying the AMA sample size of 1,120 respondents does not reflect the full range of patient experiences or health data. Article content One of the challenges Thirsk sees is space. In his 25-year medical career in Alberta, he's seen the number of hospitals in Edmonton stay static at four, while the population has doubled. Article content Asked about the 2024 cancellation of the planned South Edmonton Hospital, Jones's ministry said a projected cost of $4.9 billion cost would have made it the most expensive hospital in Canadian history. Article content 'It would have been an inefficient use of funds that could have been more effectively directed toward expanding existing infrastructure, increasing overall bed capacity, and better meeting the needs of Albertans,' said the ministry in its statement. Article content Article content Improvements slated for the health-care system in the Edmonton Corridor through Budget 2025 include an investment of $180 million over three years for health capital projects, with $2 million for planning new in-patient towers at Grey Nuns Hospital and the Misericordia Hospital, which will eventually add a total of 700 beds, Jones's office said. Article content Another $11 million is earmarked for planning for a new, stand-alone Stollery Children's Hospital, which is expected to eventually free up space within the University of Alberta Hospital for redevelopment, 'potentially allowing for the addition of a substantial number of adult in-patient beds,' the statement said. Article content Some $3 million is set aside to support plans to expand the Strathcona Community Hospital. Article content Of $17 million to develop urgent care centres across the province, two of those are earmarked for Edmonton. Specified for non-critical health needs, they're expected to reduce pressure on hospitals around the province, the ministry said.
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
'Disconnected': Province's ER wait numbers not whole story, says top Alberta doc
Article content By the numbers Article content Among the four main hospitals in Edmonton, the Alex had the highest LWBS rate, 21.2 per cent. Article content In May, the rate was 19.2, in June it was 15.7 and in July it was 20.7. Article content At the U of A, it's 17 per cent on the year. The rate in May was 14, but dropped to 12.2 in June before ticking up to 12.9 July. Article content The Misericordia Hospital in west Edmonton has a rate of 16.4 per cent on the year, while at the Grey Nuns Hospital in southeast Edmonton, it's 13.2. Article content Government figures for July indicate the only Edmonton hospital with 'leaves without being seen' figures at 10 per cent or less was the Stollery Children's Hospital at the U of A site, where just under nine per cent went unseen before leaving. Article content At the Sturgeon hospital in St. Albert, figures ran under the provincial average; the LWBS rate is fairly steady over three years, up from seven per cent in 2023 to 8.5 per cent in 2025. Article content Article content A previous survey from the AMA indicated almost one in five Albertans — 18 per cent — surveyed who went to the emergency room left before receiving care, but the province pushed back on the survey, saying the AMA sample size of 1,120 respondents does not reflect the full range of patient experiences or health data. Article content One of the challenges Thirsk sees is space. In his 25-year medical career in Alberta, he's seen the number of hospitals in Edmonton stay static at four, while the population has doubled. Article content Asked about the 2024 cancellation of the planned South Edmonton Hospital, Jones's ministry said a projected cost of $4.9 billion cost would have made it the most expensive hospital in Canadian history. Article content 'It would have been an inefficient use of funds that could have been more effectively directed toward expanding existing infrastructure, increasing overall bed capacity, and better meeting the needs of Albertans,' said the ministry in its statement. Article content Article content Improvements slated for the health-care system in the Edmonton Corridor through Budget 2025 include an investment of $180 million over three years for health capital projects, with $2 million for planning new in-patient towers at Grey Nuns Hospital and the Misericordia Hospital, which will eventually add a total of 700 beds, Jones's office said. Article content Another $11 million is earmarked for planning for a new, stand-alone Stollery Children's Hospital, which is expected to eventually free up space within the University of Alberta Hospital for redevelopment, 'potentially allowing for the addition of a substantial number of adult in-patient beds,' the statement said. Article content Some $3 million is set aside to support plans to expand the Strathcona Community Hospital. Article content Of $17 million to develop urgent care centres across the province, two of those are earmarked for Edmonton. Specified for non-critical health needs, they're expected to reduce pressure on hospitals around the province, the ministry said.
CTV News
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Climate change could impact Alberta's rat population: expert
Darcie Deangelo, an anthropologist with the U of A joined CTV Morning Live Edmonton to discuss her new book on human and rat relations.
Axios
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Territorial Cup is 54th on top 100 college football rivalries
The fight for the Territorial Cup is big in Arizona but doesn't garner much attention beyond state borders. The big picture: The Athletic released fresh rankings of the top 100 college football rivalries, and Arizona State University vs. the University of Arizona was 54th. The intrigue: The rivalry is "red hot" no matter the teams' records, The Athletic writes, but the annual matchups rarely affect anything besides the series tally, which currently stands at 51-46-1 in UofA's favor. But with the Sun Devils and Wildcats in the Big 12, "there's a chance it climbs the list." Flashback: Last season, ASU punched its ticket to the conference championship with a win over UofA, going on to beat Iowa State for the Big 12 crown.
