College signs SunMine agreement

College of the Rockies President and CEO David Walls looks forward to collaborating on the innovative SunMine in Kimberley.

College of the Rockies President and CEO David Walls is pleased to be collaborating with the City of Kimberley, Teck, and the EcoSmart Foundation on to the SunMine project in Kimberley.

With over 4,000 solar modules generating 1.05 Megawatts of energy, SunMine will be Western Canada’s largest solar project. SunMine is situated on reclaimed land on the former Teck Sullivan Mine site, within Kimberley city limits. The energy-generating project is community owned, distinct and well suited to capitalize on Kimberley's clear and sunny conditions.

College of the Rockies, having earned eligibility for research grants through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), can provide access to funding opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to the project.

“Collaboration between the College, governments and the private and non-profit sectors provides the greatest opportunity for benefit,” Walls says. “The College looks forward to working with the City of Kimberley and EcoSmart in exploring training and applied research opportunities together.”

“College of the Rockies will be seeking opportunities to engage our students in projects like SunMine. Due to the investment in trades capital funding over the past few years by the Provincial government, we have had the opportunity to expand our curriculum to include solar technology for some of our programs. The Sun Mine will provide opportunities for experiential learning for these programs.”

“Kimberley citizens directly endorsed this project and we're proud to deliver on a bold and innovative initiative,” says Kimberley's Mayor, Ron McRae. “This project aligns with the community's values associated with environment, community and a history of innovation and resilience. We're creating the future, not awaiting it, and this project shows we mean business."

“The SunMine will be the largest solar facility west of Ontario and has the potential to become a key industry in the area. The College is committed to pursuing joint priorities and combining strengths, expertise and resources with the City of Kimberley and EcoSmart as this project comes to fruition,” Walls adds.

Learn more about the SunMine.