Ontario allocates $79 million for 2,861 new seats at Ontario Tech and Durham College, with enrolment possible by fall 2026

Ontario is funding 2,861 new postsecondary seats at Ontario Tech University and Durham College through a $79 million allocation announced Sept. 17, 2026, with seats available for student enrolment as early as fall 2026, the province said.

The additional seats are intended for programs in health care, STEM, trades and education—fields the province describes as high-demand. For students in Durham Region, the announcement signals a planned increase in local spaces in those program areas starting next year.

Most of the seats—2,523—are slated for Ontario Tech University. The province’s breakdown lists 1,021 seats for STEM programs, 436 for health programs, 272 for education programs and 794 seats in “other, labour-market driven programs.”

Durham College is allocated 338 seats: 151 for trades programs, 132 for STEM programs and 55 for health programs.

In the release, Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, parliamentary assistant to the minister of colleges, universities, research excellence and security, said the expansion “will ensure that more students can get the world-class education they need to launch good-paying careers.”

The province said the Durham allocation is part of a broader $1.7 billion plan to fund more than 70,000 additional seats at publicly assisted colleges and universities across Ontario in what it calls high-demand sectors. The province also described the $1.7 billion as part of a $6.4 billion postsecondary funding plan.

Ontario announced the first 30,000 seats under the 70,000-seat expansion in May 2026. At that time, the province said it launched a call for proposals for the remaining 40,000 new seats.

Ontario Tech President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Steven Murphy and Durham College President Dr. Elaine Popp both said the new funding would expand access to programs and support workforce needs, according to their statements included in the provincial release.