**NORTHERN COLLEGE NEWS RELEASE**

Northern College is pleased to announce its multi-million dollar economic impact on the community of Kirkland Lake.
United States based Emsi, an economic modelling company recently completed an economic impact assessment of the Kirkland Lake Campus of Northern College. Results being released today, reveal that the Kirkland Lake Campus principally serves a local student market. Yet despite serving a local market, the economic impact as measured during the 2016-2017 reference year was substantial and can be attributed to the college campus’s excellent post-secondary programs and to the significant activity it engages in with industry, providing customized training programs to the region, as well as to out of province industry partners.

During the analysis year, Kirkland Lake Campus and its students added $18.3 million in income to its catchment region economy, supporting 240 jobs throughout the region. The unique programs located at the Kirkland Lake Campus, including its signature program in Welding Engineering Technology and its industry acclaimed Environmental Engineering Technician – Water and Wastewater Systems Operations have helped contribute to and support this job creation.

The campus’s annualized payroll during the reference year totalled $4.3 million and employed 81 full-time equivalent employees. Further direct college expenditures of $982,000 supported day-to-day operations over the course of the year.

Over the years, literally hundreds of Northern College Kirkland Lake Campus graduates have entered or re-entered the local workforce. Today the accumulated contribution of former students currently employed in the regional workforce amounts to $12.7 million in added income, as calculated during the reference year.

“The reputation for its industry acclaimed programs and high calibre graduates that Northern College, Kirkland Lake Campus has produced is well known throughout Canada,” commented Dr. Fred Gibbons, President and CEO. “Completion of this study now quantifies the powerful influence the college and its graduates have throughout the Kirkland Lake region. The campus creates a significant impact on the business community and generates a return on investment to its major stakeholder groups – students, taxpayers and society. ”

Using a two-pronged approach that involves an economic impact analysis and an investment analysis, United States based Emsi calculated the benefits received by each of these groups during the reference year 2016-2017, the year for which complete financial data was available. The study was conducted in the first quarter of 2018.

Filed under: Local News