Ontario is investing $64 million to add more than 4,100 postsecondary seats across three Greater Toronto Area institutions, expanding training capacity in health care, science and technology, skilled trades and education as the province seeks to address labour shortages and strengthen its workforce.
The funding will support 4,122 additional seats at Centennial College, George Brown Polytechnic and Seneca Polytechnic, with enrollment in some of the newly funded programs beginning as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
$64 Million Investment Targets GTA Workforce Needs
The GTA allocation forms part of Ontario’s broader $1.7 billion commitment to create more than 70,000 additional postsecondary seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities.
The province said the expansion is focused on programs connected to sectors experiencing strong labour demand, including STEM, health care, skilled trades and education.
“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 $1.7 billion seat expansion is part of a wider $6.4 billion provincial investment in Ontario’s postsecondary sector. The government says the additional training capacity is intended to help employers fill skills gaps while strengthening the province’s ability to respond to economic uncertainty and trade pressures.
Health Programs Receive Largest Share of New Seats
Seneca Polytechnic will receive funding for 2,162 additional seats, the largest allocation among the three GTA institutions. That includes 1,413 health-program seats, 422 STEM seats, 188 education seats and 139 skilled-trades seats.
George Brown Polytechnic will add 1,454 seats, including 1,054 in health programs, 212 in education, 169 in skilled trades and 19 in STEM.
Centennial College will receive 506 additional seats. Its allocation consists of 223 health seats, 112 STEM seats, 108 trades seats, 28 education seats and 35 seats in other labour-market-driven programs.
“Every one of these 40,000 new seats represents a person who’ll have the opportunity to arrive in a classroom and graduate ready to start a career that matters – to them, to their family, and to communities across Ontario,” said Dr. Craig Stephenson, President and CEO, Centennial College. “Colleges like Centennial exist for exactly this moment, to educate students for career success where labour market need meets student ambition. We’re proud to be part of delivering on this commitment.”
Colleges Link Expansion to Employer Demand
Ontario initially announced the allocation of 30,000 new seats in May 2026 and launched a call for proposals covering another 40,000. Institutions worked with local employers and communities to identify programs aligned with regional labour-market requirements.
The province assessed proposals based on institutional capacity, student demand and local industry needs. More than 1,000 letters of support were submitted by employers backing seat expansions in programs offered by institutions in their regions.
“I was pleased to join Minister Quinn for this announcement and to see this important investment in Ontario’s students and future workforce,” said Dr. Gervan Fearon, President, George Brown Polytechnic. “Expanding access to programs in high-demand fields will open more doors for learners while helping employers address critical skills needs. At George Brown Polytechnic, we look forward to working with government, industry and our partners to turn this investment into meaningful opportunities and benefits for students and communities as well as to support employment and the entire economy across Ontario.”
Province Expands Postsecondary Funding
Ontario’s new $6.4 billion funding model is expected to raise annual operating funding for colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes to $7 billion, which the province says represents a 30 per cent increase. The plan also includes $57 million for Indigenous Institutes, including $33 million intended to support up to 780 additional seats in high-demand programs.
“The Government of Ontario’s investment means 40,000 more highly skilled workers in the province, 40,000 more graduates in high-demand, high-need occupations, 40,000 more people heading to great jobs in health care, advanced manufacturing, information technology and more,” said David Agnew, President, Seneca Polytechnic. “We thank Minister Quinn for his strong support of the sector and career-focused polytechnic education. It’s a big and positive step forward for students and employers throughout Ontario and comes at a time when we all need to be focused on building an even more resilient economy. Together, we will keep Ontario and Canada strong.”
The GTA expansion adds capacity at three of the region’s major postsecondary institutions as Ontario seeks to connect more students with career-focused education while increasing the supply of graduates available to employers in sectors facing persistent skills needs.