{"data":[{"cache":"2026-10-03 02:26:53","id":1008092,"previous_administration_flag":0,"assets":null,"contacts_custom":null,"contacts_default":null,"contacts":"

Bianca Giacoboni<\/strong>
Minister's Office
Bianca.Giacoboni@ontario.ca<\/a><\/p>

Media Relations<\/strong>
Communications Branch
Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
MCURES.media@ontario.ca<\/a><\/p>","content_title":"Ontario Funding More Than 7,500 More Seats in Ottawa to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers","clean_title":"Ontario Funding More Than 7,500 More Seats in Ottawa to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers","content_subtitle":"Province\u2019s $1.7 billion investment funding more than 70,000 additional seats in STEM, health care, education and trades","content_lead":"

OTTAWA <\/strong>\u2014 The Ontario government has invested $205 million to fund 7,574 additional seats at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Coll\u00e8ge La Cit\u00e9 to connect more students to good-paying, in-demand careers. This allocation, which is part of a broader $1.7 billion investment to support a total of 70,000 new seats<\/a>, supports the province\u2019s plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive economy by continuing to develop a world-class workforce. The high-demand areas that are receiving additional seats at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Coll\u00e8ge La Cit\u00e9 include programs in STEM<\/abbr>, health, trades and education, with seats available for student enrollment as early as the fall 2026 academic year.<\/p>","content_body":"

\u201cOur province\u2019s greatest strength is our highly skilled workforce \u2013 and those workers are trained at our world-class colleges and universities,\u201d said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. \u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>

This investment is part of the government\u2019s historic $6.4 billion investment in the postsecondary sector, which includes $1.7 billion to fund a total of more than 70,000 additional postsecondary seats in high-demand sectors at publicly assisted colleges and universities. This seat expansion is the largest postsecondary seat expansion in more than a decade and is aimed at helping the province stand up to tariffs and economic uncertainty by building a highly skilled workforce to support the most competitive economy in the G7.<\/p>

The allocation of the first 30,000 seats was announced in May 2026<\/a>, at which time a call for proposals was launched for the remaining 40,000 new seats. Colleges and universities worked with their local communities and industries to identify programs that will prepare students for in-demand jobs and meet regional labour market needs. Ontario evaluated proposals based on institutional capacity, local industry needs and student demand to ensure the greatest impact on workforce development and economic growth.<\/p>

The 4,128 newly funded seats at the University of Ottawa include:<\/p>