The provincial government is giving the University of Winnipeg $7.9 million for maintenance and improvements, part of a $40 million contribution to Manitoba’s four major universities.

While each year the Government of Manitoba provides money for capital projects deemed high priority, this year the sum is much more substantial.

“Government set it as a priority in the budget this year,” said Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy Diane McGifford. “We think it was an excellent way to spend this money and to help campuses do their capital improvements.”

The money is a welcome surprise at the U of W, which will use the $8 million for maintenance projects such as roof, floor, door and window repairs, as well as accessibility upgrades for several university buildings.

“The university has an ongoing list of deferred maintenance projects,” said Bill Balan, U of W’s vice president of finance and administration.

“ The university has an ongoing list of deferred maintenance projects.

Bill Balan, U of W VP finance and administration

The money will also go towards a security project already underway, which will enable security to lock all outside university doors through a centralized computer system in case of emergency.

The next step will be to install locks on interior doors such as classrooms, allowing occupants to lock doors from the inside during a crisis. This project is due to begin in the near future, said head of campus security David Mauro.

“The interior doors are a huge step forward,” he said. “The upgrading of interior door hardware throughout the university will also include conversion to electronic access control.”

While Balan is grateful for the government funds, he would rather see them delivered in consistent amounts and intervals, to allow for a preventative maintenance program instead of focusing on emergency projects when they arise.

Balan is confident that such an agreement may be arranged in the future.

“There’s support for that type of idea,” he said of the provincial government.

But McGifford could not comment on that possibility, as she said such a request has not been brought to her attention.

Published in Volume 63, Number 18 of The Uniter (January 29, 2009)