The Ontario government is investing $75 million to train up to 7,800 additional students at post-secondary institutions across the province for in-demand jobs in construction and urban planning.
The province announced this (Friday) morning the investment will strengthen the province’s pipeline of highly skilled construction workers needed to fulfill the government’s plan to build more homes, highways, hospitals and other critical infrastructure. And all of this, in the face of economic uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs.
This investment will fund up to 7,500 new seats at colleges and Indigenous Institutes for construction programs such as welding, carpentry and renovation techniques. The funding will also support up to 300 new seats for graduate students at universities to train vital urban and land use planners across the province by 2028.
Colleges receiving funding to expand enrollment in the construction programs starting as early as September 2025 include: Cambrian College, Confederation College, Collège Boréal, La Cité, Centennial College, Durham College, George Brown College, Humber Polytechnic, Conestoga College, Fleming College, Georgian College, Niagara College and Fanshawe College, as well as Kenjgewin Teg, an Indigenous Institute.
Universities receiving funding to expand enrollment in their graduate level planning programs include: Queen’s University, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Guelph, York University and University of Waterloo. Students interested in careers in construction and the skilled trades can visit My Career Journey to learn more.