Province adds Peterborough-area programs as part of $14M investment
PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — The Ontario government is expanding its flagship tuition support program for health-care students, extending eligibility to two nursing programs in the Peterborough region as part of a broader effort to address workforce shortages and improve access to care.
The province announced Tuesday that students enrolled in nursing programs at Trent University and Sir Sandford Fleming College will now qualify for the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant (OLSG), beginning in the Fall 2026 term.
Backed by a $14-million investment, the expansion will allow up to 1,500 students to have their tuition, books and other direct education costs covered, provided they commit to working in eastern Ontario after graduation.
Addressing regional health-care gaps
The OLSG program is designed to incentivize students to train and remain in high-need regions, including eastern Ontario, where access to health-care services has been under pressure. The grant applies to programs in nursing, paramedicine and medical laboratory technology.
“Our government is taking historic steps in building our homegrown health-care workforce that train, stay, and build their careers in the communities that need them most,” said Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “By expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to Peterborough and the surrounding communities, we are removing financial barriers for students and supporting the future nurses that will connect more people to care in eastern Ontario.”
The province says the expansion builds on the program’s momentum, with more than $175 million already allocated to support nearly 13,000 students across Ontario. Of that, roughly $54 million has gone toward training more than 4,000 health-care workers in eastern Ontario.
Strengthening local workforce pipelines
Health officials say the addition of Peterborough-area institutions will help create a more stable pipeline of workers in both urban and rural communities, including regions served by the Lakelands Public Health Unit, such as Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland.
“By expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to the Peterborough area, our government is building on the success of this program to train the next generation of our health-care workforce,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With 1,500 more nursing students eligible for free tuition, this means more frontline health-care workers providing world-class care in the communities that need them most.”
As of March 2026, the province reports that 260 grant recipients in eastern Ontario have already begun or completed their service commitments, contributing to local health-care delivery.
Local leaders and institutions welcome expansion
Regional officials and postsecondary leaders say the funding will reduce financial barriers for students while helping retain talent in underserved communities.
“Today’s expansion of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant is a monumental win for not just the City and County of Peterborough, but also for healthcare from Haliburton to Northumberland and everywhere in between. By including nursing programs at both Trent University and Fleming College, we are making it possible for local students to pursue their dreams without the burden of tuition debt, provided they commit to serving our rural communities upon graduation. This investment ensures that the world-class health-care professionals trained right here in Peterborough set up roots in rural Ontario and build their careers where they now call home.”
- David Smith
MPP for Peterborough–Kawartha
“Our government is investing in the future of health care by supporting the next generation of nurses, paramedics and lab technicians through a $14 million commitment. The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant removes financial barriers for students while helping ensure more highly skilled health-care professionals are trained, remain, and work in the communities that need them most. This investment will strengthen access to care and bring it closer to home for families across Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock.”
- Laurie Scott
MPP for Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock
“Fleming College is proud to play a key role in supporting the health of our community and preparing the next generation of health-care talent. The Learn and Stay Grant will make a meaningful difference in recruiting and retaining health-care workers in Peterborough and surrounding area and will enable us to do even more to support the local health-care workforce.”
- Theresa Knott
President of Sir Sandford Fleming College
“The inclusion of the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing in the Ontario Learn and Stay grant program allows us to advance two complimentary needs. First, this program reduces financial barriers for talented Trent-Fleming nursing students to complete their education. Second, the Learn and Stay will support a large under-served region of Ontario with additional health-care professionals who stay and work in the area. This grant applies to an important geography of Ontario that is comprised of both urban and rural regions with a catchment of thousands of families in south-eastern Ontario.”
- Cathy Bruce
President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University
Sector organizations highlight long-term impact
Industry groups and professional associations say the program plays a critical role in addressing long-term staffing challenges across Ontario’s health-care system.
“Expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant is a strategic investment in strengthening Ontario’s nursing workforce. Colleges play a critical role in training job-ready graduates, and investments like this help ensure more students can access high-quality programs and build careers where they are needed most, which is critical to meeting Ontario’s growing demand for care and supporting healthier communities across the province.”
- Maureen Adamson
President and CEO, Colleges Ontario
“This investment is an important step in expanding Ontario’s nursing workforce and improving access to high-quality care in our communities. By reducing financial barriers for students and expanding the grant in Eastern Ontario, more learners will pursue nursing education and build their careers in the communities that need them most. Ontario’s universities remain committed to preparing future-ready, highly skilled nurses who are equipped to deliver exceptional care and support the health and well-being of Ontarians.”
- Steve Orsini
President and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities
“WeRPN is pleased with the Ontario government’s expansion of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to Trent University and Sir Sandford Fleming College. This investment is a key step in supporting aspiring RPNs by continuing to remove financial barriers to their education. Growing our nursing talent in Ontario will strengthen local health-care services and ensure communities have better access to the dedicated nurses they need, closer to home.”
- Dianne Martin
CEO, Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (WeRPN)
“RNAO welcomes investments that expand access to nursing education and reduce financial barriers for students. Supporting more learners to study and practise in the communities where they are most needed is an important step toward strengthening Ontario’s nursing workforce. To fully realize these gains, let’s continue investing in safe staffing, healthy work environments, and retention strategies so nurses build long, sustainable careers across the province.”
- Dr. Doris Grinspun
CEO, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
“This expansion is great news for Northumberland-Peterborough South. This means more local students can train for careers in health care without the financial burden, and more of them will stay here to work after they graduate. That’s how we strengthen care close to home, by investing in people and building a workforce our region can count on.”
- David Piccini
MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South
Broader investment in health-care education
The expansion aligns with Ontario’s broader strategy to strengthen its health-care workforce through education funding. In its 2025 budget, the province committed $261.7 million to the Learn and Stay program, alongside a $1.7-billion investment aimed at supporting 70,000 seats in high-demand sectors, including health care.
Applications for Fall 2026 are now open through the provincial portal.
The government maintains that targeted investments like the OLSG will be key to ensuring residents across Ontario — particularly in underserved regions — can access timely, high-quality care close to home.