CREDIT: ANGELA MCINNES
F Hallway and Forwell Hall are closed off as construction for Innovation Village is underway.

Christmas has come early for Fanshawe College, thanks to a $250,000 donation from Canada Life in support of Innovation Village earlier this month.

With construction currently underway at Fanshawe’s London campus, Innovation Village will be a physical hub where students can find one-stop support and learning opportunities.

The space will include collaborative workspaces, virtual reality and multimedia labs, a maker space, project rooms, research support, and a food processing lab. Community partners will be invited to access resources of students and professors through project work. According to a Fanshawe media release, this will be done with a view to fuel economic growth and social benefits while expanding student opportunities to collaborate with local industries.


“Fanshawe is incredibly grateful to Canada Life for this generous gift in support of Innovation Village,” Peter Devlin, president of Fanshawe College, said in the release. “Innovation Village will equip students with the skills they need to quickly adapt and respond to emerging trends in virtually every industry. Having the support of valued community partners like Canada Life makes a real difference for our students.”

Previous collaborations between Canada Life and Fanshawe College include direct student support, offering co-op and career placements, capital funding and supporting employees who are donors and volunteers of the College.

“An investment in post-secondary education is an investment in the future. That’s why we’re thrilled to support Fanshawe College and its Innovation Village, which aims to offer innovative, hands-on learning to prepare students for the changing work world,” said Jeff Macoun, president and CEO Canada, at Canada Life. “When they graduate, students will have the essential technical and human skills employers are looking for to thrive in a competitive workspace. As a large employer in London and across Canada, we’ve directly benefited from the wealth of highly trained students — and we look forward to welcoming many more in the years to come.”

Construction of Innovation Village is anticipated to be complete by 2023.