P.E.I.'s culinary institute gets $5.1 million for revitalization

Holland College is getting $5.1 million from the federal and provincial governments to revitalize Charlottetown's Culinary Institute of Canada.

The investment will better equip graduates with the skills and training they need to launch successful careers in the food industry, said Charlottetown MP Sean Casey.

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"These infrastructure improvements will ensure these future researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs have access to up to date training facilities ensuring they have the skills and experience they need to compete on a global level," he said in a news release.

Nourish capital campaign

Thursday's announcement included the launch of Nourish, a capital campaign led by the Holland College Foundation.

In all, the school is looking for $7.5 million to fund a significant renovation and expansion to the teaching and learning environment at the Tourism and Culinary Centre, and a $500,000 investment in student financial aid.

Kevin Murphy, chair of the fundraising campaign, said the government investment is a huge step toward reaching their goal.

'$6.2 million to date'

"The funding from the federal and provincial governments puts us much closer to our objective, and demonstrates the commitment both governments have to ensuring that our young people receive a culinary education second to none," he said. "Collectively, the support of our private and public sector partners totals $6.2 million to date, putting us at 83 per cent of our $7.5 million objective."

The release said in total, the federal and provincial governments and participating partners are investing more than $23 million in P.E.I.'s post-secondary institutions over the next two years.

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