Ontario is investing $76 million to create 3,586 additional postsecondary seats at Brock University and Niagara College, expanding training opportunities in fields where employers are seeking skilled workers.
The Niagara allocation is part of the province’s broader $1.7 billion commitment to fund more than 70,000 additional seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities. The new spaces will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), health, skilled trades and education, with enrollment in some programs beginning as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
Brock University and Niagara College Receive $76 Million
The provincial funding will support 2,565 newly funded seats at Brock University and another 1,021 at Niagara College.
At Brock University, the expansion includes 1,183 seats in STEM programs, 801 in health programs and 581 in education programs. Niagara College will receive funding for 346 health program seats, 263 trades seats, 230 STEM seats and 182 education seats.
“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 government said the additional capacity is intended to align postsecondary education more closely with regional labour market needs while increasing the supply of graduates in sectors facing strong demand for workers.
Expansion Part of Ontario’s $6.4 Billion Postsecondary Plan
The Niagara funding forms part of Ontario’s $6.4 billion investment in the postsecondary sector. That package includes $1.7 billion dedicated to creating more than 70,000 additional seats in high-demand programs.
The province announced the allocation of the first 30,000 seats in May 2026 and subsequently invited colleges and universities to submit proposals for the remaining 40,000.
Institutions worked with employers, industries and communities to identify programs expected to address local workforce requirements. The province assessed proposals based on factors including institutional capacity, student demand and regional industry needs.
According to the government, more than 1,000 letters of support were submitted by employers backing additional seats in programs at local institutions.
Niagara Institutions Target Regional Workforce Needs
Brock University said the new funding will help the institution expand programs connected to employment opportunities in Niagara and elsewhere in Ontario.
“From the shores of Lake Ontario, Brock University applauds the Ontario government’s investment in new postsecondary seats that enables us to strategically grow our STEM and applied health programs to develop world-class graduates that serve local community and regional workforce needs and fill in-demand careers,” said Dr. Lesley Rigg, President & Vice-Chancellor, Brock University. “This investment comes at an important time in helping the province stand up to Protect Ontario in building a highly skilled workforce and enhancing Brock’s capacity to drive economic growth and prosperity in Niagara and beyond.”
Niagara College President Sean Kennedy said the investment would strengthen the college’s ability to respond to labour shortages in priority sectors.
“We’re grateful to the Ontario government and Minister Quinn for recognizing the important role that Ontario’s colleges play in building a highly skilled workforce that will fuel economic growth in our communities and across our province,” said Sean Kennedy, President, Niagara College. “The Ontario government’s $1.7 billion investment through the Priority Growth Fund will significantly enhance our ability to address critical shortages in key sectors here in Niagara and beyond.”
Province Focuses Funding on High-Demand Programs
Ontario says graduates of STEM, health care, skilled trades and education programs tend to have higher employment rates in related occupations and play an important role in sectors facing workforce pressures.
The latest funding follows investments announced through Budget 2025, when the province committed nearly $1 billion to support more than 100,000 additional seats in programs including nursing, teaching, STEM and skilled trades.
Under Ontario’s new $6.4 billion funding model, annual operating funding for colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes is expected to reach $7 billion, representing a 30 per cent increase. The plan also includes $57 million for Indigenous Institutes, including $33 million to support as many as 780 additional seats in high-demand programs.
For Niagara, the latest allocation is designed to give more students access to training close to home while helping Brock University and Niagara College expand the pipeline of graduates entering sectors considered important to the region’s labour market and economic growth.