TORONTO – Wilfrid Laurier University is expanding its presence in the heart of Toronto’s financial district with a highly visible office on the main floor of the prestigious Exchange Tower building at King and York streets.

The university will hold a day-long celebration on Tuesday Sept. 22, 2009 to mark its growing presence in Toronto and officially open the new office. The event will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with the opening of trading at Toronto Stock Exchange by a Laurier delegation. A private reception will be held in the TMX Gallery starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by an open house in the new Laurier office from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“Laurier already has a significant presence in Toronto through our many alumni who work and live in the city, through the many Laurier students who come from the GTA, and through our successful weekend MBA program,” said Dr. Max Blouw, president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. “The new office will raise the profile of the university in Canada’s largest city and provide a base of support for our many initiatives there.”

Speakers at the Sept. 22 reception include Dr. Blouw, Toronto Mayor David Miller and Laurier Dean of Business and Economics Ginny Dybenko.

Laurier’s new 2,500-square-foot office occupies a prominent corner location at 130 King St. W., with a lobby looking out onto King and York streets and an entrance off the main-floor lobby of the Exchange Tower building.

The university’s new Toronto office will support a variety of initiatives, including:

* Laurier’s innovative MBA weekend program, which has operated in Toronto for 11 years and will continue to hold classes in the nearby St. Andrew’s Club and Conference Centre.

* Laurier’s co-op education program, including the largest business degree co-op program in Canada. Seventy per cent of undergraduate and 75 per cent of MBA co-op work terms are currently located in the Toronto area. More than 230 employers in Toronto hire 700 Laurier co-op students in business, economics, arts and science each year.

* Student recruitment efforts. Nearly 45 per cent of Laurier students come from the GTA.

* Alumni relations programs. More than 12,100 Laurier alumni live in the Toronto area, and 642 work in senior executive positions.

* University development and fund-raising activities.

* Government relations.