The Ontario government has invested $60 million to fund 2,946 additional seats at eight northeastern post-secondary schools, including Nipissing University, Canadore College and Collège Boréal.
The province says the allocation is part of a broader $1.7 billion investment to support a total of 70,000 new seats across Ontario.
Officials say it supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive economy by continuing to develop a world-class workforce.
“Amid global economic uncertainty, our government is taking decisive action to strengthen and protect Ontario’s pipeline of highly skilled workers,” says Lorne Coe, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “This seat expansion will ensure that more students can get the world-class education they need to launch good-paying careers while driving Northeast Ontario’s and Ontario’s economic growth for generations to come.”
There are 1,113 newly funded seats at Nipissing University in education, health, STEM and trades programs.
“At Nipissing University, these funded seats will help us expand opportunities in high-demand fields such as Nursing and Education, supporting the preparation of the next generation of health-care professionals and teachers who are essential to the well-being and success of our communities,” says Dr. Kevin Wamsley, President & Vice-Chancellor of Nipissing. “This investment strengthens our ability to provide students with a high-quality, personalized learning experience while helping address critical workforce needs across Northern Ontario and the province.”
Canadore is getting 92 newly funded seats in health, STEM and education programs.
“The investment in 40,000 new funded postsecondary seats is an important commitment to expanding access to education and preparing people for the careers Ontario needs,” says Dr. Sandra Efu, President and CEO, Canadore College. “In Northern Ontario, colleges play a vital role in connecting learners with hands-on training in high-demand fields and helping employers build the skilled workforce our communities need. We welcome continued collaboration among government, postsecondary institutions, employers and communities to ensure learners across the province can benefit from these opportunities.”
Collège Boréal has 334 newly funded seats in health, education, trades and STEM programs.
Seats have been available for student enrollment as early as this fall.
