The engineering faculty at the University of Calgary is getting a $142.5 million boost from the provincial government.

The money will pay for a major expansion and renovation of the Schulich School of Engineering, increasing its capacity by at least 400 students, officials said.

“By giving the University of Calgary a new, expanded space for its engineering school, we can increase the capacity to educate more engineers who can help us meet our goals and keep building Alberta,” said Premier Alison Redford, who was at the official groundbreaking on Wednesday.

The project, which will add two floors of research space and modernize the existing building, is scheduled to be finished by 2016.

Currently there are about 4,200 students enrolled in engineering at the U of C.