Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario is adding 40,000 postsecondary seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities, with new spaces focused on areas including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), health care, education and the skilled trades.
The seats will be available for student enrolment as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
The latest allocation is part of the province’s $6.4-billion investment in the postsecondary sector, including $1.7 billion through the Priority Growth Fund to create more than 70,000 additional seats in high-demand fields.
The province said the expansion is intended to address labour shortages and strengthen the workforce as Ontario faces tariffs and economic uncertainty.
“Our province’s greatest strength is our highly skilled workforce – and those workers are trained at our world-class colleges and universities,” said Nolan Quinn, minister of colleges, universities, research excellence and security. “This investment is supporting the largest seat expansion in Ontario in more than a decade and will ensure more students have the opportunity to train for good-paying careers that protect and strengthen our communities, industries and province.”
Of the more than 70,000 newly funded seats, about 40,200 will be in STEM programs, 16,100 in health care, 7,900 in education, 3,800 in trades and 3,000 in other labour-market-driven programs.
McMaster University in Hamilton is receiving $90 million to fund 2,769 seats beginning this academic year. The province said funding announcements for the other participating colleges and universities will be made in the coming weeks.
“McMaster is grateful to have this opportunity to match more graduates to areas that are critical to the prosperity of Ontario and Canada,” said Susan Tighe, president and vice-chancellor of McMaster University. “The province’s welcome affirmation of our programs helps us to serve students and employers alike, and to meet our mandate as partners in economic development.”
Colleges Ontario president and CEO Maureen Adamson said the funding will increase access to programs in fields facing labour shortages.
“By increasing access to programs in areas such as STEM, health care, education and the skilled trades, Ontario is preparing more students for rewarding careers and helping address critical labour shortages across the province,” she said.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce also pointed to skills shortages among businesses.
“At the Ontario Chamber, we hear every day from businesses facing skills shortages,” said president and CEO Daniel Tisch. “Strengthening Ontario’s talent pipeline is critical to our competitiveness and today’s investment will help ensure employers can find the skilled workers they need to grow.”
Under the Priority Growth Fund, publicly assisted colleges and universities submitted plans based on their institutional strengths, regional economic trends, local labour-market needs and student demand.
The province said the ministry received more than 1,000 letters of support from employers for expanding seats in high-demand programs at local institutions.
The government said programs in STEM, health care, trades and education generally produce graduates with higher employment rates in related fields and higher wages, while supporting key sectors of the economy.
