Coming up with plans to expand Yukon College is no easy task, especially if it's unknown whether there will be the required land.

With the city set to unveil its draft of the revised Official Community Plan (OCP) later this month, Yukon College president Terry Weninger is again reminding council and staff the college wants to see the proposed land that's been set aside for the school included in the document.

Weninger spoke to city council Monday night, outlining the school's current role and how it could grow in the future.

The college, he noted, has continually develop to meet the needs of Yukoners. Today, that means in addition to providing training in the trades and offering a number of diploma programs, the school is also involved in cold climate research and has a number of unique degree-granting programs through partnerships with universities.

The school, he said, has a large role to play in the economic development of Whitehorse as it continues to grow.

Along with giving Yukoners the opportunity to stay in the territory for their post-secondary education and turning out an educated work force who may choose to stay here, there are also opportunities for other students to come here and study, he said.

He pointed to the school's international programs and the new Bachelor of Science program through the University of Alberta, where students from either school can study at the other for some time. Enrolment is continuing to rise each year, he added.

Additionally, the cold climate research happening at the school is bringing researchers into the territory who would otherwise have to do research elsewhere.

To continue growing and moving toward becoming an independent degree-granting institution with increased capacity for research as well, the school will need to expand in future years in all areas from residences to library and research facilities and others.

"In order for Yukon College to move forward, we need a land base,” Weninger said, noting its need for developable land.

That's where the city comes in.

Coun. Florence Roberts asked Weninger whether the college has approached the territory with its plans that would see a master site plan developed for the proposed additional 100 hectares to be set aside for the school.

He replied that it had, but officials with the Yukon government want to see the lands outlined in the city's official plan first.

The lands proposed for college use have been looked at for years.

The most recent proposal for the college would include its current lot of more than 31 ha with additional land running along Mountainview Drive on one side, along the Alaska Highway around the Kopper King subdivision on another side and into undeveloped areas as well.

If the land is guaranteed for the college, work would then begin on a master plan for the site that would look at future uses for the land, Weninger said.

In an interview following Monday's meeting, Mayor Bev Buckway said the city will soon publicly release the proposed draft for the revised OCP, and that will look at potential land uses.

The college's current campus opened in 1988. Prior to that, it was based in what is today the Department of Education building on the edge of Riverdale.