When Premier Ford pulled the rug from under the combined Ryerson/Brampton proposal for a new university campus in Brampton, folks wondered if that decision was deliberately designed to eliminate the opportunity for post-secondary education for this city or if it was payback time for the election of the new mayor. To be fair, Ford also cancelled satellite campuses for Milton and Markham but the cautious mind wonders what the motivation was and how that helped the two wandering local PC MPPs.

But while the Premier was doing payback, little did he know that Algoma University was setting up shop right here in Brampton at the Queen’s Square building on Queen Street, right under his nose. For those who might not be aware of Algoma U, its main campus is in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, located at the former Shinwauk residential school.

It seems appropriate that Algoma should take over Shinwauk and dedicate itself to producing students who know aboriginal history and the struggle indigenous children went through at that residential school. One of the motivating factors at Algoma is the 'Seven Grandfather Teachings': Wisdom, Respect, Honesty, Truth, Love, Bravery, and Humility. No wonder Algoma is different from other post-secondary institutions. Hopefully, Algoma will create that same set of studies here to enhance our connection with the Mississaugas of the New Credit and other indigenous peoples in this part of Ontario.

Algoma is not a big university like Toronto or Queen’s but it does fit Brampton and almost fits the parameters Brampton’s Blue-Ribbon Committee set to launch the Ryerson Brampton campus. Algoma Brampton is a branch, a satellite of the main campus of Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie. The Sault campus offers a full university experience.

In Brampton, Algoma offers business courses leading to a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, specializing in accounting, marketing, and human resources management. Algoma also offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and economics and a post-graduate certificate in business … with plans for an MBA degree in the near future. In July of 2018 Algoma/Brampton School of Business and Economics started with 66 students. By July 2018 the Brampton campus had 204 and in May of 2019 enrolment of 320 and by September 2019 about 500 students will be taking classes at the Queens Square location.

It is heartening to see tangible support from Brampton city council that acknowledges the value of transformative financial benefits that a post-secondary education centre can provide for all of the city. With the addition of Algoma/Brampton campus, Sheridan College, as well as the Ryerson University Chang School of Continuing Education offering cyber security courses, Brampton is forging its own notion of post-secondary education tailored for post-secondary students here, despite the actions of the provincial government.

In developing the atmosphere for universities and post-secondary places of learning, this community is stepping up to the challenge with a city council who understands that change is difficult and the pressures of growth demand completion of our educational system so that all of our people have as many opportunities as possible in a competitive world. Too bad the provincial government can’t see that reality. Brampton council acknowledges that actuality and is inviting change. Good for them!

Terry Miller is a longtime Brampton resident and former Peel Region and Brampton City councillor. The Scene column appears weekly in the Guardian.