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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIRC)

SIRC building

Our Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIRC) accommodates the university’s need for new spaces for research, study and future active learning.

Opened in 2017, the four-storey building houses:

• Flexible learning spaces featuring multiple seating configurations, room divisibility and the newest audio-visual technology.

• Approximately 280 square metres of student study space.

• Engineering labs in electronics, mechatronics, and robotics as well as a design/makerspace featuring 3D printers, and soldering and electronics stations.

There are many ways for individuals, companies and foundations to support the work of our students and researchers in this new facility.  Find out how you can support SIRC.

For more information on the project, please contact us at sirc@ontariotechu.ca.

  • Updates
    • November 2, 2017 – The university celebrates the official opening of the building. 
    • September 2017 – The Office of the Registrar relocates to the building and the first two floors open to students. 
    • October 13, 2016 – The Government of Canada announces an $11.8 million investment in the university through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund. The Province of Ontario announces a $1.2 million investment in the university through the Building Ontario (BuildON) infrastructure investment program.
    • June 29, 2016 – University of Ontario Institute of Technology Board of Governors approves next phase of SIRC development, and authorizes start of construction at the northeast corner of Conlin Road and Founders Drive. The overall project is valued at $33.5 million.
    • May 9, 2016 – The university submits an application to Canada’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.
    • February 2016 – The university releases a request for proposal (RFP) to create new learning space at the north Oshawa campus location.
  • Registrar's office

    Please go to SIRC when looking for the following services:

    • Enrolment Services
      • Undergraduate Admissions
      • Communications
      • Domestic and International Recruitment
    • Records and Scheduling
    • Information and Client Services
      • Cashier
    • Student Awards and Financial Aid
    Where is SIRC?
  • Questions and Answers
    • Where is SIRC located?
      • The building is located on the northeast corner of Conlin Road and Founders Drive, on the site of the Founders 3 parking lot.
    • How big is SIRC?
      • SIRC is a four-storey, 7,600 square metre space – slightly smaller than the Energy Systems and Nuclear Science Research Centre (ERC).
    • What makes SIRC unique?
      • The advanced research facility accommodates the university's need for new spaces for research, study and future active learning. SIRC promotes interdisciplinary approaches between computer scientists, IT specialists and engineers by clustering the university’s expertise in health and business analytics, IT security, networking, gaming, and software engineering. 
    • What facilities are located in the new building?
      • The university has planned this new building with the future in mind. While the new SIRC building will feature four-storeys, only the first two floors opened in 2017.
      • SIRC, level 1 and 2, are home to three Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science labs: 1) mechatronics/robotics, 2) electronics and 3) an Innovations/makerspace lab featuring 3D printers, and soldering and electronics stations. Most equipment will be mobile to facilitate interchangeability among labs.
      • The Office of the Registrar condensed its operations from five locations into a single location in SIRC (a move that uses 22 per cent less space than present). This helps the university use space more efficiently and frees up student space in existing campus buildings.
      • 4 new flexible classrooms
      • Nearly 280 square metres of new student study
      • Levels 3 and 4 will include additional teaching, research and innovation spaces into the SIRC building's upper floors as new funding or research opportunities become available, without the need to build another structure.
    • Is this building the same as the Centre for Advanced Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship that was announced last year?
      • No. CARIE is a separate project. The SIRC building is the university’s immediate priority, and the university continues to work on the development of CARIE with its federal and provincial partners.
    • What happened to the existing parking lot at the corner of Founders and Conlin?
      • As part of the SIRC project, a new parking area (Founders Lot 5) was created north of the Campus Ice Centre, just off Simcoe Street north of Conlin Road.
    • How does SIRC fit with the new Campus Master Plan?
      • SIRC creates the first new learning landmark at the university’s north Oshawa campus location, and sets the stage for future development of the Windfields Farm lands. The new building follows the growth philosophy expressed in the university’s Campus Master Plan
    • Who built SIRC?
      • EllisDon was the general contractor for the project. EllisDon constructed the university’s first three buildings at the north Oshawa location: the Science Building, the Business and Information Technology Building, and the Campus Library. 
    • Who was the architect for SIRC and what are some of the building’s environmental considerations?
      • Dialog Design was the architect. Energy and sustainability features developed to deliver superior building performance include:
        • Bioretention features – stormwater management
        • Heating system efficiency
        • Efficient ventilation air delivery
        • Lighting efficiency – LED lighting
        • Low window-to-wall ratio – under 40 per cent
        • Ambitious energy reduction target of 25 per cent savings over the industry standard
    •  

SIRC construction