Ontario is investing $79 million to create 2,861 additional postsecondary seats at Ontario Tech University and Durham College, expanding training capacity in health care, science and technology, skilled trades, education and other fields tied to regional labour-market demand.
The Durham Region funding forms part of a broader $1.7 billion provincial initiative supporting more than 70,000 additional seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities. The province says the expansion is intended to strengthen Ontario’s skilled workforce amid economic uncertainty and changing employer needs.
Ontario Tech and Durham College Receive New Funding
Ontario Tech University will receive funding for 2,523 new seats, while Durham College will add 338 seats. Enrollment in some of the newly supported programs can begin as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
At Ontario Tech, the allocation includes 1,021 seats in STEM programs, 436 in health programs and 272 in education. Another 794 seats will support other programs identified through labour-market demand.
Durham College’s expansion includes 151 seats in skilled trades, 132 in STEM and 55 in health programs.
“Amid global economic uncertainty, our government is taking decisive action to strengthen and protect Ontario’s pipeline of highly-skilled workers,” said Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby and 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 Whitby’s and Ontario’s economic growth for generations to come.”
Expansion Targets High-Demand Careers
The $1.7 billion seat expansion is part of Ontario’s broader $6.4 billion investment in the postsecondary sector. The government describes the initiative as the province’s largest expansion of postsecondary seats in more than a decade.
The first 30,000 seats were allocated in May 2026, when Ontario also launched a call for proposals covering the remaining 40,000 seats. Colleges and universities were asked to identify programs based on regional economic conditions, employer needs, institutional capacity and student demand.
“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 ministry said it received more than 1,000 letters from employers supporting expanded capacity in high-demand programs.
Durham Institutions Link Expansion to Workforce Needs
Ontario Tech said the funding will strengthen areas including engineering, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced transportation and health care.
“Ontario’s economic strength depends on having the highly skilled talent to lead in the industries shaping our future,” said Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University. “By expanding access to programs in high-demand fields, the Government of Ontario is creating more opportunities for students while strengthening the workforce our communities and employers need. Ontario Tech is proud to support this vision through our distinctive strengths in engineering, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced transportation and health care. We thank Premier Ford, Minister Quinn and the Government of Ontario for this important investment in students and in the province’s long-term competitiveness.”
Durham College similarly said the additional capacity would help connect employers with graduates trained for sectors facing growing workforce requirements.
“We welcome the Ontario government’s continued investment in postsecondary education and workforce development,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, President, Durham College. “Expanding capacity in high-demand programs will create more opportunities for students while helping employers access the skilled talent they need to grow. At Durham College, we are proud to prepare graduates for careers in critical sectors such as skilled trades, health care, STEM and emerging industries, supporting the long-term success of our communities, economy and workforce.”
Province Expands Postsecondary Funding
Ontario’s new funding model is expected to raise annual operating support for colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes to $7 billion, which the province says represents a 30 per cent increase.
The $6.4 billion funding package also includes $57 million for Indigenous Institutes, including $33 million intended to support up to 780 additional seats in programs linked to in-demand occupations.
For Durham Region, the latest allocation is designed to expand local access to postsecondary training while providing employers with a larger pipeline of graduates in sectors considered important to Ontario’s long-term economic growth.