On May 29, The Honourable Minister Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, took a tour of Niagara College’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Led by President Sean Kennedy and the NC Leadership Team, Minister Hutchings met with students, visited the Teaching Greenhouse and toured culinary, baking, and research Labs to explore NC’s programs.
Minister Hutchings learned about NC’s Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) and the new HESIC Greenhouse.
Nearing the end of construction, the HESIC Greenhouse will expand NC’s capacity to support the greenhouse industry, one of the fastest growing economic sectors in Canada, and cultivate more hands-on learning opportunities for students.
In the Marotta Family Innovation Complex, Minister Hutchings learned about a beverage pilot plant and enjoyed a tasting of Sobrii, an innovative product that NC’s Research & Innovation team helped to develop.
As part of their federal, provincial and territorial Ministers meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lisa Thompson, Provincial Minister Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, hosted Minister Hutchings and a delegation of Ministers from Nova Scotia, PEI, Saskatchewan, and officials and staff from across the country for lunch.
The group gathered at Benchmark Restaurant where they sampled dishes prepared by NC students. The seasonal menu, designed by Chef Justin Downes, featured locally sourced ingredients like Niagara asparagus, NC rainbow chard and Ontario rhubarb.
“The Ministers spoke about the importance of working together for our communities and local economies and how wonderful of a facility NC students have and are fortunate to learn in,” said Mabel Watt, NC’s Director of Government Relations. “Minister Hutchings also spoke about the impressive nature of the students she met on the tour and how she learned a lot about our programs.”
The College was pleased to host the cross-Canada delegation and showcase how NC students are bringing farm to table and contributing to the future of agriculture in Canada through a wide range of trailblazing programs.
