Federal officials are providing almost $1 million for the Gaelic College‘s new satellite campus.
Mike Kelloway, the MP for Cape Breton-Canso, announced a $950,000 non-repayable contribution through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for Beinn Mhàbu Friday morning.
Officials with the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s are renovating the former St. Joseph’s Convent and Renewal Centre in Mabou to become the Mabou Hill College campus.
During the announcement, Kelloway said the new campus will help promote the Gaelic language and culture and boost the local economy.
“(It means) 17 full-time jobs for rural Cape Breton residents,” he said. “(It will) encourage seasonal businesses to operate year-end, and it will attract more investment to the region.”
Rodney MacDonald, the president of the Gaelic College, said they’ve developed a partnership with Cape Breton University.
MacDonald said the courses they offer at the new campus will be recognized as credit at CBU.
“It’s quite a thing to think that, in a small community in rural Cape Breton, you’re going to be able to take a first-year university foundation year (course)- and then other programs and other courses- that will be recognized for credit,” he said. “If someone told you that a number of years ago, you’d never believe that.”
The facility is expected to open in Sept. 2022.
Provincial officials announced close to $2 million in funding for the project in March.
