Ontario’s colleges support the provincial government’s plan to protect Ontario and strengthen the province’s resilience and workforce, as outlined in today’s budget.
Colleges Ontario is encouraged by targeted investments in construction-related skilled trades training and support for small, rural and northern colleges — two key priorities in our 2025 pre-budget submission.
Demand for technology and trades programs continues to grow, with enrolment rising 22 per cent over the last five years. Nearly 40 programs are oversubscribed, leaving students waitlisted or without offers. New investments in trades training, as announced in the provincial budget, will reduce these bottlenecks and help build a skilled workforce in essential sectors.
Colleges also welcome new funding for apprenticeship training. In 2023–24, more than 30,000 apprentices began in-class training at public colleges—nearly four times more than all other training delivery agents combined. With colleges responsible for over 80 per cent of these starts, added apprenticeship seats will support the skilled trades and critical labour market needs.
Ontario’s public colleges deliver in-class training for 34 trades and serve as the sole regional training provider for more than 100 programs, including Heavy Equipment Operator in rural and northern Ontario. The funding announced today strengthens this important role.
Colleges also support the budget’s commitment to STEM growth. Of the $150 million in new funding, $12 million is allocated to colleges. This reinforces the need to broaden the definition of STEM to include applied technology, health-care tech, engineering technicians and skilled trades to meet growing workforce demands.
The sector welcomes the province’s ongoing investment in the Ontario Research Fund (Research Infrastructure), including $207 million over the next three years to help support institutions’ infrastructure needs, such as building modern facilities and equipment.
The province’s continued support for Learn and Stay grants which provide funding for students studying in priority postsecondary health programs is another positive step. Since it was first introduced in 2023, the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant has helped over 8000 students begin training in priority nursing, paramedicine and medical lab technology programs. Encouraging graduates to stay local is a smart investment.
We are pleased to see that the province remains committed to expanding nursing enrolments at both public colleges and universities and continues to invest in flexible nursing pathways—including those developed through the Nursing Program Transformation Initiative (NPTI).
Following the 2008 financial crisis, colleges expanded rapidly to serve almost an additional 20,000 students and helped 45,000 laid-off workers re-enter the workforce through the Second Career program, which is now called Better Jobs Ontario. Today’s announcement of increased funding to Better Jobs Ontario is a promising indicator to support workforce development and resilience.
Support for Indigenous learners and the mining talent pipeline through new Resource Development Scholarships is also encouraging. Indigenous students represent up to 25 per cent of the domestic student population at some northern colleges. Colleges continue to offer tailored support to help them succeed. With college graduates making up half the mining workforce, and growing demand for roles such as resource mining and instrumentation technicians, colleges are well-placed to deliver industry-aligned training.
While these measures offer strong progress, more work remains. Colleges will keep working with the province to ensure funding supports high-quality, hands-on learning. Increased operating grants and expanded mental health services are essential to help students thrive and ensure modern, accessible campuses.
Ontario’s colleges support the government’s focus on housing, infrastructure, job creation and long-term economic growth. A resilient economy depends on a strong workforce. Colleges Ontario stands ready to partner with the province to produce job-ready graduates for critical sectors like housing, healthcare, manufacturing, mining and technology.
Built by Ontario, for Ontario, the province’s colleges remain the backbone of Ontario’s economy and are ready to meet the challenges ahead.