Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario will receive a $1 million grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to build an animation facility on campus, announced the college on Monday.
“An animation studio of this size and magnitude in Sudbury is no Mickey Mouse announcement,” said Sudbury Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) Rick Bartolucci in a press release on Cambrian's website.
“Since 2003 we have indicated our commitment to building a strong Sudbury by supporting new programs, facilities and projects through NOHFC grants. Through these types of initiatives, the McGuinty government is fulfilling its promise to help build a stronger, more diversified Northern Ontario."
The college will build a 13,900 square-foot animation studio and purchase specialized equipment for the facility. The announcement was made in the main lobby of Cambrian's Northern Ontario Centre of Advanced Technology, which will become the main location for the studios required by the animation program.
"It's going to create jobs," continued Bartolucci. "It's going to create another economic engine for our community. I see this as a complete win for everyone involved."
“Today, thanks to the McGuinty government and the NOHFC,Cambrian College will be able to teach modern animation techniques in a technologically-advanced setting,” added Cambrian College President Sylvia Barnard. “The demand for animation specialists is growing across sectors ranging from entertainment and the arts to industry and healthcare. This funding will position us to respond to the needs of these sectors as well as to the needs of aspiring animators. We applaud the McGuinty government for its continued focus on the North and the needs of Northerners.”
Sheridan College To Certify Cambrian Diplomas
Cambrian will partner with Sheridan College, based in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, to bring its world-renowned animation program to Sudbury. The college will offer an advanced three-year program in cel and CGI-based animation techniques, starting in September of 2009. Sheridan professors are guiding the fledgling program, and all graduates of Cambrian College's program will have their diplomas certified by Sheridan.
It's expected that 25 students will enroll in the animation program in its first year, with 80 animation students by its 5th year.
"We're absolutely thrilled because this gives us an opportunity to drive the economy, to support the fledgling industry of the filmmaking industry right here in Sudbury," continued Barnard.
She says she wants an animation industry in Northern Ontario in the hopes that it will encourage youth to stay in the region.
"I grew up in the North, and the trend when I was growing up was worse than it has been in the past -- and that is an out-migration of youth," she said. "You grew up in the North -- your biggest goal was to get the hell out of the North."
Barnard believes the animation program will have greater applications than just in the film industry.
"We used to just think about animation as being something that is for entertainment . . . mining, health care, manufacturing -- all of these different areas are using animation for training," she said. They're using animation for problem-solving and they are employing animators, so it's just a huge opportunity."
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