Ontario Funding 40,000 New Postsecondary Seats to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers
September 21, 2026
The Ontario government has allocated 40,000 new funded seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities to connect more students to good-paying, in-demand careers. This allocation, which is part of a broader $1.7 billion investment to support a total of 70,000 new seats, supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive economy by continuing to develop a world-class workforce. The high-demand areas that are receiving additional seats include programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), health care, education and trades, with seats available for student enrollment as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
“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.”
The most recent allocation is part of the government’s historic $6.4 billion investment in the postsecondary sector, which includes $1.7 billion to fund a total of more than 70,000 additional postsecondary seats in high-demand sectors at publicly assisted colleges and universities. This seat expansion is the largest postsecondary seat expansion in more than a decade and is aimed at helping the province stand up to tariffs and economic uncertainty by building a highly skilled workforce to support the most competitive economy in the G7.
The allocation of the first 30,000 seats was announced in May 2026, at which time a call for proposals was launched for the remaining 40,000 new seats that are being announced today. Colleges and universities worked with their local communities and industries to identify programs that will prepare students for in-demand jobs and meet regional labour market needs. Ontario evaluated proposals based on institutional capacity, local industry needs and student demand to ensure the greatest impact on workforce development and economic growth.
Today’s announcement was made at McMaster University in Hamilton, which is receiving a total of $90 million to fund 2,769 seats starting this academic year. Funding announcements for the other recipient 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, 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.”
The more than 70,000 newly funded seats include:
- 40,200 more seats in STEM programs
- 16,100 more seats in health care programs
- 7,900 more seats in education programs
- 3,800 more seats in trades programs
- 3,000 more seats in other, labour-market driven programs
“At the Ontario Chamber, we hear every day from businesses facing skills shortages,” said Daniel Tisch, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “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.”
This expansion will ensure students across Ontario can access the education they need to launch rewarding, in-demand careers, while ensuring Ontario’s world-class institutions can continue producing one of the most competitive workforces in the G7 for generations to come.
Quick Facts
- Through the call for proposals, publicly assisted colleges and universities submitted a Priority Growth Plan to the government that reflects their school’s strengths, regional economic trends, local labour market needs, and student demand.
- The ministry received over 1,000 letters of support from employers who endorse the expansion of seats across in-demand programs at their local institution.
- Programs in STEM, health care, trades and education produce graduates who have higher rates of employment in related fields, earn higher wages and drive key sectors of the economy.
- Through Budget 2025, Ontario invested nearly a billion dollars into publicly assisted colleges and universities to fund over 100,000 more seats in programs that produce graduates to meet Ontario’s labour market demands such as teaching, nursing, STEM, and skilled trades.
- Ontario’s new $6.4 billion funding model will raise annual operating funding at colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes to $7 billion, a 30 per cent increase and the highest level in the province’s history.
- As part of its $6.4 billion new funding model, Ontario is also investing a historic $57 million into Indigenous Institutes, including $33 million to expand up to 780 seats for in-demand programs.
