Our Post-secondary Campuses

The downtown is home to a growing university community, mostly due to the rapid growth of Laurier Brantford, as well as significant presences from both Nipissing University and Mohawk College, and most recently Conestoga College. The younger population brought in by the schools and the buildings required for the schools' growing needs are transforming downtown Brantford in ways no one would have thought possible mere years ago.

Wilfrid Laurier University traces its roots back to 1911 when the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary of Canada opened in Waterloo with just four students. From these modest beginnings, Laurier has grown into one of Canada's best universities, with more than 13,500 full-time students on three campuses. Full-time enrolment has grown by 115 percent in the past 10 years, almost double the Ontario average. Laurier has an enviable reputation for academic excellence and community spirit, and a clear vision focusing on quality as it heads towards its second century.

Laurier Brantford opened its doors to students and to higher education in September 1999.  The opening was the result of a process that began in 1996, when the Brant Community Futures Development Corporation commissioned a business plan for the establishment of a university in Brantford. The plan became a catalyst for community discussions which culminated in the establishment of a Brant University Steering Committee in 1997. It was this committee which presented an official proposal to Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998.

Since Laurier Brantford opened its doors in 1999, it has expanded very apidly. Its exceptional rate of growth has been achieved by building a campus with a unique vision and a unique set of academic programs. The physical development that has sustained the growth of the campus has been achieved in partnership with the City of Brantford and Mohawk College. The community has been supportive because Laurier Brantford is a project in urban renewal as well as post-secondary education. The campus has embraced this aspect of its development and wants to continue to play a key role helping transform downtown Brantford from a once derelict core into a vibrant centre known for its educational, historical and cultural attractions.