The Ontario government yesterday announced it has invested $79 million to fund 2,861 additional seats at Ontario Tech and Durham College to connect more students to good-paying, in-demand careers.
The high-demand areas that are receiving additional seats at Ontario Tech and Durham College include programs in health care, STEM, trades and education, with seats available for student enrollment as early as the fall 2026 academic year.
The 2,523 newly funded seats at Ontario Tech include:
- 1,021 seats for STEM programs
- 436 seats for health programs
- 272 seats for education programs
- 794 seats in other, labour-market driven programs
The 338 newly funded seats at Durham College include:
- 151 seats for trades programs
- 132 seats for STEM programs
- 55 seats for 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.
Ontario’s Economic Strength
“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.
“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.”
This allocation is part of a $1.7 billion investment to support a total of 70,000 new seats, under the province’s plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive economy by continuing to develop a world-class workforce.
“For years, Ontario Tech and Durham College have trained the workforce that powers Durham’s economy, and this investment builds on that foundation. With U.S. tariffs threatening workers and businesses across our province, it is more important than ever to keep well-paying jobs in our communities and create new opportunities for the next generation,” said Todd McCarthy, MPP for Durham.
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