One Market

Future-Ready

As Wilfrid Laurier University marks the 25th anniversary of its Brantford campus, it is once again reimagining its future — and One Market stands at the centre of that vision. The university’s most ambitious adaptive reuse project to date, One Market is being transformed from a former shopping centre into a dynamic hub of student life and community engagement. 

Laurier purchased the former Market Square mall from the City of Brantford in 2014 and began remodeling and occupying spaces for university purposes in 2019. Ongoing upgrades are bringing new energy and purpose to the property, creating vibrant, flexible spaces that will be essential to the growth and evolution of Laurier’s Brantford campus for the next 25 years and beyond.

The mandate for One Market reflects Laurier’s priorities, including:

1. A campus that is fully integrated into downtown Brantford;
2. A respect for the history of the area and the community;
3. Support for the expansion of postsecondary education for Laurier; and
4. To continue the remarkable revitalization of downtown Brantford that has resulted from the long and productive collaboration between the university and the city.

Creating Vibrancy

The 300,000 square foot building currently houses a Student Commons meeting and study space; the Level 1 Lounge student social space; classrooms and meeting rooms; offices for the Faculty of Science; and centralized student services like Academic Advising, the Dean of Students offices, Career and Co-op, and Wellness Education. 

The One Market Atrium plays host to a number of marquee events open to members of campus and the broader community. Programming in this versatile space ranges from the annual Academic, Creative and Engaged Research Showcase (ACERS), an exhibition of outstanding undergraduate student research, to community events like the Purple and Gold Party, which marked the 25th anniversary of Laurier's Brantford campus with free, family-friendly programming.   

Building Community

In September 2024, it was the site of the inaugural MarketFest, a celebration of contemporary Indigenous thinkers, makers and musicians. Free and open to the public, the event transformed the Atrium into a marketplace of Indigenous vendors, curated by acclaimed Indigenous artist and Laurier alumna Alanah Jewell (BA ’19) of Morningstar Designs. Guests were also invited to attend public lectures on subjects ranging from local history to Indigenization at Laurier and take in live music from the Little Creek Singers, Six Nations Women Singers, Lacey Hill and James N. Wilson. Hosting MarketFest in One Market was a step toward fulfilling Laurier’s commitment to restoring mutual benefit at this site for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. 

At One Market's Podcasting Studio, Laurier staff, faculty and students, as well as members of the broader community, can access professional recording equipment and advice from the university’s podcaster-in-residence, Avery Moore Kloss. Podcasters — and aspiring podcasters — can sign up for studio time, an editing booth or training.  

One Market is also home to environmentally conscious initiatives that helped earn the Brantford campus a Green Business Award from the City of Brantford in 2024. 

• The Laurier Honey Bee Project, which installed apiaries with 320,000 bees on the roof of One Market, addresses pollinator and bee decline through sustainable beekeeping. Laurier Golden Hawk Honey is produced and sold through the operation. 
• Since opening in One Market in fall 2023, the Laurier Freestore has provided more than 2,400 kilograms of donated household items, kitchenware and school supplies to students at no charge. Collected during the annual Move Out program, these items benefit students while also staying out of landfill. 

Several classrooms and meeting rooms in One Market are available for rent by community members, committees and organizations. Most rooms are equipped with multimedia equipment, with capacities ranging from 20 to 48. 

Evolving and Investing

One Market will continue to develop in a way that best meets the needs of both students and the community. Among the upcoming improvements is the renovation of the Belmont Restaurant, owned and operated by the WLU Students’ Union. The Belmont will reopen in September 2025. 

Laurier has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the RedDoor Collective, an Indigenous-owned media and production company located on Six Nations of the Grand River, to explore the creation of a Global Indigenous Innovation Centre and Immersive Shared Reality Cinemas in One Market. The proposed centre envisions a state-of-the-art soundstage and immersive cinema spaces that will serve as a hub for Indigenous-led creativity, education and economic development. 

Laurier faculty, librarians and staff across all campuses are invited to contribute to the future development of One Market through applications to the Brantford Campus Vibrancy Fund. Announced in May 2025, this $500,000 fund will support bold, creative projects that enhance campus life and foster community engagement in the Brantford core. Applications follow a two-stage process, beginning with a letter of intent due July 23, 2025, with selected projects to be completed by April 30, 2026.