Largest municipalities in Canada without a university?
 

I was just looking at some census data and was in awe that at current growth rates Airdrie (pop 68k) might be the 3rd largest city in Alberta in the next 10-15 years, yet it doesn't have any post-secondary education facilities.

Then I remembered that Red Deer AB, pop ~100k doesn't have a university (it does have a college though).

So I'm curious, what are the largest municipalities, population-wise, in Canada without a university, or without any post secondary schools at all?

A lot of large suburban municipalities often have satellite campuses of universities, usually based in the central city.

I know this is true of Longueuil and Mississauga.

What about places like Markham and Surrey?

Surrey has SFU satellite campus. I think there's a Seneca College campus by Highway 404/Norman Bethune Drive.

Brampton, Markham for now, but they'll be getting satellite campuses in a couple years I believe.

I'd primarily be looking at independent non-suburban cities for this measure. Not sure it's really fair to say Markham itself doesn't have a post-secondary institution when many people can commute to UofT and Ryerson.

Niagara Falls might be the largest independent city in Ontario without a post-secondary institution. Ironically Niagara College falls outside of the city's Northern boundaries. Of course Niagara, St. Catherines, and Thorold can be looked at as one urban area in which case Niagara Falls wouldn't qualify.

Vaughn, perhaps? Although York U is very close.

I’ve heard before that Airdrie was up there for receiving a college, when that will ever happen is anyone’s guess. Would have been nice if we had the room for it in a central location here to drive the revitalization of the downtown.

As a Red Deer person, I am pleased to say we will have a university. No grad studies, but - hoping - offering in house undergraduate degrees will happen within the next three years along with a name change to reflect the upgrade. The official title is "polytechnic university", which in our context means a university that also offers technical courses for folks going into the trades.

If you consider it a standalone city (well it has its own CMA), Barrie ON is probably the largest city in Canada without a university.

Surrey also has Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Although it does have a community college.

But I will add that Lakehead (from Thunder Bay!) has a satellite campus not far away in Orillia.

Red Deer College and Grande Prairie Regional College both received university charters and are in the process of changing. That leaves Ft McMurray and Medicine Hat as the two largest cities/urban areas that do not have a university although both have colleges.

Alberta is pretty well covered, the bigger suburb cities in the major metro areas of Edmonton and Calgary don't really count IMHO as they are served by the many schools within the main city.

I would say Barrie and Sarnia.

Am I correct with these cities not having a university? I know there are probably a few more that are GTA cities.

Barrie
Milton
Chatham-Kent
Brantford
Sarnia
Belleville
Kawartha Lakes
Welland
Cornwall
Timmins

^Brantford has at least one campus - Wilfred Laurier. And they might still have a Mohawk College campus, though I thought I'd heard they closed it/were closing it. And Conestoga as well? Any Brantfordians around?

Chatham-Kent has a University of Guelph campus in Ridgetown (Veterinary school and agricultural sciences). Chatham also has St. Clair College Thames Campus. I don't think there is any university in Lambton county (only Lambton College in Sarnia)

I believe Conestoga shares facilities with WLU in Brantford.

I think it's safe to say that the cities in Saskatchewan outside of Regina and Saskatoon don't have a university; which is a shame since I can see Prince Albert, Moose Jaw and Swift Current being able to sustain a university.

Doesn't PA have a U of S satellite campus?

Moose Jaw has Siast if we're considering trade schools.