NORTH BAY, Ont. — Ontario is expanding its Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to include two new medical laboratory programs in Northern Ontario, a move the province says will help strengthen the region’s health-care workforce by reducing the cost of training for students who commit to working locally after graduation.
The government announced Monday that students enrolled in the medical laboratory technology program at Canadore College in North Bay and the medical laboratory science program at Confederation College in Thunder Bay will be eligible for full coverage of tuition, books and other educational expenses through the grant, provided they agree to work in Northern Ontario once they complete their studies.
“Through the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, our government is bringing highly skilled health-care workers to communities and families that need them most,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “With two new OLSG-eligible medical laboratory programs in Northern Ontario, we’re removing financial barriers to help passionate, dedicated students pursue a world-class education, while connecting more people to high-quality care in their community.”
Both programs are expected to begin accepting students in fall 2026. The province said details on the application process and eligible regions will be available online, with applications for the 2026–27 academic year set to open in spring 2026.
The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant was introduced in 2023 as a targeted workforce strategy aimed at encouraging students in high-demand health programs to train and remain in communities facing staffing pressures. Under the program, eligible learners can have their education costs covered in exchange for a service commitment in an underserviced region after graduation.
Ontario said the grant expansion is intended to help address gaps in diagnostic and laboratory services across the North, where recruiting and retaining specialized health professionals can be difficult due to geography, smaller populations and competition from larger urban centres.
“Our government is continuing to take bold action to ensure Northern Ontario has a strong health-care workforce now and for years to come,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With these two new medical laboratory programs under the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, we are making it easier for people to access education and build their careers in the North, connecting more families to the care they need closer to home.”
Medical laboratory professionals play a central role in patient diagnosis and treatment decisions, and industry representatives say stabilizing the workforce is essential as testing needs rise across the health-care system.
“With 70% of clinical decisions relying on lab results, stabilizing the medical laboratory professionals’ workforce in Northern Ontario and across the province is critical to meet the rising testing demands of our health-care system and ensuring patients get the diagnosis and care they need sooner. By removing financial barriers for MLT students in the North, the government is taking a necessary step towards ensuring Northern communities have improved access to high-quality diagnostic services.”
- Michelle Hoad
CEO, Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario
Ontario said the Learn and Stay Grant has already supported the training of thousands of health-care workers in high-need regions. Since its launch, the province has invested more than $171 million to support 12,700 learners across Ontario, including more than $53 million in Northern Ontario for 3,850 future health-care workers.
As of January 2026, Ontario said there are 200 grant-supported students in nursing and paramedicine programs who have either begun or completed their service commitments and are now working in communities across Northern Ontario.
The province also positioned the grant expansion as part of a broader economic strategy for Northern Ontario, where access to stable health care is often viewed as a prerequisite for attracting and retaining workers and supporting long-term community growth.
“Strengthening community health care is a strategic investment in Northern Ontario’s future,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “By expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, we’re helping train and retain health-care workers in the North, making it easier for people to put down roots, raise families, and build careers. This stability supports local businesses, attracts new workers, and will drive long-term growth across the North.”
Postsecondary leaders welcomed the addition of the two programs, pointing to the role colleges play in supplying job-ready health professionals in smaller and mid-sized communities.
“The expansion of Ontario Learn and Stay Grant-eligible programs highlights the essential role colleges play in building a strong, local health-care workforce. Removing financial barriers for students in Northern Ontario helps ensure communities have access to the skilled medical laboratory professionals they need, close to home.”
- Maureen Adamson
President and CEO of Colleges Ontario
Canadore College said the funding will support its ability to train lab technologists needed in the region.
“The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant plays a critical role in training health-care professionals in Northern Ontario and supporting their retention in the region to meet workforce demands. Canadore College welcomes this funding for our Medical Laboratory Technology program, as it strengthens our ability to prepare skilled health-care workers who are essential to meeting the needs of our communities.”
- George Burton
President and CEO of Canadore College
Confederation College said the program expansion will strengthen access to diagnostic services across Northwestern Ontario.
“Confederation College is proud to see the expansion of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to our medical laboratory programs, a move that will have a profound impact on health care in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario. By removing financial barriers and supporting learners who commit to staying in the region, this investment strengthens our communities and helps ensure access to critical diagnostic services close to home. We thank the Government of Ontario for this important investment in building a sustainable, skilled health-care workforce for the North.”
- Michelle Salo
President, Confederation College
Ontario’s 2025 budget committed $261.7 million to continue supporting nurses, paramedics and lab technologists through the Learn and Stay program, while also earmarking $160 million to cover the educational costs of four cohorts of medical students who agree to practise family medicine anywhere in the province.
The province said expanding the grant to additional medical laboratory programs is intended to build a more consistent pipeline of graduates who can step into in-demand roles and remain in Northern communities over the long term.
