Hopes are to have Assiniboine Community College’s $118 million Prairie Innovation Centre in Brandon going to tender later this year. 

The Prairie Innovation Centre will provide an integrated learning environment with a mixture of collaborative learning spaces, applied research labs, multipurpose spaces, and amenities.  

The Prairie Innovation Centre will increase opportunities for students, the future agricultural workforce, to gain real-world professional experiences through additional engagement with industry partners and will enhance the college’s contribution to economic prosperity in Manitoba through applied research, work integrated learning, extension and innovation.  

“We are called Manitoba’s ag college and we’ve been training in the ag field for more than 45 years,” said Derrick Turner Vice-President Advancement Foundation, Alumni Relations and Campus Facilities. 

The college launched the Prairie Innovation Centre campaign in 2019 and has increased its fundraising goal twice, from $10 to 15 million, and has now exceeded the new $20 million goal.  

“In January 2023 the Province of Manitoba made an initial commitment of $10 million toward design and costing. The Prairie Innovation Centre will create an enhanced agricultural training capacity, increasing seats in agriculture, environment and related technology programs from 300 to more than 800 to fill the growing agricultural labour gap.” 

“We hope for the fall of 2026 to have the Innovation Centre going. Potentially we could get started this winter with some remediation work in the Parkland building that’s up there right now and next spring get more into the construction phase of things,” said Turner. 

The college also delivers apprenticeship programming in a range of skilled trades disciplines. The college welcomed more than 3,700 full-time and 6,000 part-time students last year. With campuses in Brandon, Dauphin, Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie, Assiniboine provides comprehensive educational opportunities throughout Manitoba.