Why should York University be interested in Community of Stouffville?

York U is receiving expressions of interest from nine York Region municipalities York U will look for alignments with its institutional vision / mission / strategic plan Distinct advantages of Whitchurch-Stouffville?
(DRAFT: Part of presentation at Town Council Meeting, Tues, March 18, 2014)

York University: Mission Statement

The pursuit, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge. We test the boundaries and structures of knowledge. We cultivate the critical intellect. We are dynamic, metropolitan and multi-cultural. We value diversity. We are open to the world: we explore global concerns We are a community committed to academic freedom, social justice, accessible education, Innovation is our tradition. Tentanda Via: The way must be tried

 pursuit, preservation & dissemination of knowledge

In transition to a knowledge-based economy (with York Region and Province)
Teva Canada (Pharmaceuticals) Strategic Information Technology Ltd. Bit-Zone Internet Group

major state-of-the-art library expansion (2015) major Museum expansion (completed) embodied by residents: E.g., 40% of W-S women have some univ. training (prov. avg.: 35%)

 multicultural, value diversity, global

Pop. growth: 78% growth since 2006 (highest in York Region from across the globe) E.g, Gr. 6 students who first learnt a language other than English (EQAO 2012-13):
Wendat Village P.S.: 45% Oscar Peterson P.S.: 50% York Region DSB avg: 42%

Active Multicultural Association W-S Vision: Ont.s most welcoming Town Home to two large NGOs: CBM, Emmanuel Intl

dynamic, metropolitan
Latcham Art Gallery Stouffville Sculpture Walk Nineteen-on-the-Park Centre for Arts and Entertainment: Where culture meets community GTAs original metropolis: 16thc. Wendat Village was Canadas ancient New York City (Huffington Post), the largest, most complex cosmopolitan village of its time (R. Williamson) Vision: Onts most vibrant town (as we grow > re-inventing town renaissance, i.e., re-birth/discovery of past; unique sense of place/ identity)

 committed to social justice

Earliest settlers: pioneers of Cdn conscientious objection; descendants of first American abolitionists (Quakers/ Mennonites) (today) Stouffville Peace Festival
2013: Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish (3x Nobel Prize nominee), Dr. Gerry Caplan (York Research Fellow)

CBM Canada: working world-wide with people with disabilities Large(-est?) contributor to Canada Foodgrains Bank (responding to global hunger) York U Strategic Plan: a strong sense of social responsibility set us apart

 cultivate the critical intellect

1830s: a centre "of Radical opinion," one of the "hotbeds of revolution." Here Wllm. Lyon Mackenzie set forth his plan for the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837-38
Ludwig Wideman (Stouffville/Ringwood) chaired meetings; casualty at Montgomerys Tavern skirmish (> impt. factor for establishment of responsible govt)

Frank Underhill (b. in Stouffville), founder of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF); coauthor of Regina Manifesto (1933) Today: TEDX Stouffville (ideas worth spreading)

 classic university town?

Like a medieval town, Community of Stouffville encircled by wall: the Greenbelt Walk Score: 77 - most errands can be accomplished on foot (only York Region municipality scoring over 50) In transition re-defining ourselves as we fillin, and with enough flexibility in the core to become a classic university town Tentanda Via: The way must be tried

Provincial criteria for successful appl.

where population growth is strongest where postsecondary access is limited creation of new facilities larger than 70,000 sq. ft. minimally 1,000 students in the short-term.

Accessibility for N.E. York Region & beyond

NB: a Markham location cannot achieve this level of access for NE York Region municipalities-with weakest postsecondary access in Region. A W-Stouffville proposal would strengthen York Us pitch to province

Location vis--vis Milton & Barrie (strong WLU / Laurentian U. bids)

NB: E.Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora on same GO-line as York U. (their bids would not sufficiently address access) and Barrie

Province: small is perfect! (e.g., UofW Stratford Campus)

Prime Location: Western Approach? (Main St. & Hwy 48 area, looking S-E)

Transformative potential for Main Street (west) Economic Impact (see Stratford, Brantford )

Why should W-S show interest in York U?

Economic benefits of satellite campus: attract money, jobs, diversify tax-base Social benefits: quality of life; arts & culture Risk of investment (debt); risk of no bid? Need to diversify tax-base: loss of small businesses; 88.4% of our unweighted assessment is residential W-S Strategic economic plan: knowledgebased economy