The grand opening of NorQuest College's new campus addition, the Singhmar Centre for Learning, offered guests a tour around the world. Entertainment and cuisine from the Americas was featured on the main floor, Asia on the second, Europe on the third, and Africa on the fourth. 
Guests also had the opportunity to visit new student spaces, classrooms, health labs, Indigenous student centre, Learner Centre, 1000 Women Child Care Centre, Students' Association office, Bookstore, and Edmonton Oilers Hospitality Institute.
Photo: Ribbon cutting ceremony; from left: Mayor, Don Iveson; building namesake, Dr. Prem Singhmar; NorQuest College president and CEO, Dr. Jodi Abbott; chair of the college's board of governors, Alan Skoreyko; Dr. Saroj Singhmar with granddaughter Sophia; Minister of Advanced Education, Marlin Schmidt; and MLA for Edmonton-Centre, David Shepherd.
"Singhmar Centre for Learning is a bright and spacious building that was truly designed for students giving them the classrooms, study space and student services they need in order to thrive throughout their studies," says Charles Lau, DIALOG architect.
A multicultural musical fusion opened the formal program followed by a snapshot of NorQuest's history. In his address to the crowd, NorQuest College board chair Alan Skoreyko, offered deep appreciation to all those involved in making this building a reality. "Look around you every person in this room has contributed to this moment," he said.
"It was a pleasure for our team to work with the college on a project their team cared so deeply about and was so heavily invested in," says Rob Otway, vice president and district manager, PCL Construction. "The collaboration between everyone involved with the project was exceptional. This teamwork allowed NorQuest to achieve its vision of an expanded downtown campus that will help meet Alberta's current and future workforce needs."
Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson spoke to NorQuest as "essential to the future of our city," and welcomed key individuals (pictured above) to the stage for the official ribbon cutting.
Echoing how important NorQuest is to the community in his remarks, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education, Marlin Schmidt, noted the college's inclusive, student-centred, and workforce-relevant training sets it apart.
"Our government is proud to make Albertans' lives better by supporting the Singhmar Centre for Learning as we know it will help students, the City of Edmonton, and the entire province succeed," he added.
College president and CEO, Dr. Jodi Abbott, saluted the college's compelling future, marking the closing of the formal program.
"As we further position ourselves as a modern and entrepreneurial organization, we will walk hand-in-hand with industry and the public sector, and be progressive and nimble in our response to what they need," she said.
May 6, 2025
