McMaster is on the hunt to expand and a city councillor wants to ensure that growth comes downtown.

The university is among 27 applications for a provincial pot of money aimed at adding 60,000 spots in underserviced areas.

Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr will ask his fellow councillors at Friday's general issues meeting to formally support Mac's bid and direct staff to help find suitable space in the core.

In a letter to the province, signed by president Patrick Deane, the university does not commit to expanding downtown:

"McMaster's expansion plan focuses on our main campus but also includes the possibility of increasing our offerings in Hamilton's downtown core," it reads.

But Deane does say the university and city are discussing a downtown campus "focused on professional education and research in health, technology and management, buttressed by a new urban research institute and innovative partnerships with industry."

Farr says he is "100 per cent confident (McMaster) has a very keen interest in downtown." He said Councillor Brian McHattie has worked with McMaster for months on the issue.

Farr says the ideas being discussed are for a "significant" presence downtown.

"I often use clich�s like game-changer . but I would say this may be in a category all to itself. I strongly believe in the vitality and economic uplift of student buying power."

The approved projects must accommodate 1,000 full-time students in the short term and have the potential to grow to 5,000 to 10,000 over the next 20 years. Physical spaces must be at least 70,000 square feet.

Farr says he sees the city's role as assistance, not funding. He points out there are a number of city-owned properties that may be suitable sites.

There is no commitment from the province to how many projects it will fund or how much money it will spend.

University spokesperson Andrea Farquhar says Mac officials plan to be at Friday's meeting. Project proposals are due Sept. 26.

"We see lots of opportunities to benefit us and the city in terms of downtown renewal and economic development."

The university, which has about 21,000 full-time undergrads, has seen increasing demand for many of its programs, says Farquhar. She said bringing students, faculty and staff to places off the main campus aligns with the university's community engagement mandate.

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"It's quite exciting what it could look like in the future."

McMaster already operates its continuing education program downtown and is constructing an $84-million health campus at Bay and Main streets.