The Ontario government announced Tuesday a $750 million investment to expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at colleges and universities across the province.
The funding will support up to 20,500 STEM seats annually, with the stated goal of building a skilled workforce to strengthen Ontario’s economic position amid potential tariffs and economic uncertainty from the United States.
“Our government is working to protect Ontario by building a more resilient economy that can withstand whatever comes our way, including tariffs and economic uncertainty from the U.S.,” said Nolan Quinn, minister of colleges, universities, research excellence and security.
Immediate funding access
The minister said publicly assisted colleges and universities can access the STEM funding immediately upon signing their 2025-2030 operating funding agreements, which have recently been finalized.
This investment, combined with a previously announced $1.3 billion for postsecondary financial stability, represents what the government calls the largest investment in postsecondary education in the province’s history.
Response to increasing demand
According to government figures, applications from Ontario students to STEM undergraduate programs at Ontario universities increased by 34 per cent from 2020 to 2024.
“Increasing numbers of students want to study STEM, and we deeply appreciate the government’s funding in this area,” said David Farrar, president and vice chancellor of McMaster University.
The government also noted that STEM graduates typically experience lower unemployment and higher wages after graduation compared to non-STEM counterparts.
Financial stability measures
As part of the broader financial stability plan for postsecondary institutions, the province is suspending funding recoveries for 2024-2025 from institutions that have fallen below their enrolment floor. This will allow affected schools to redirect over $17 million toward STEM programs.
The government is also implementing a $903 million Postsecondary Education Sustainability Fund over three years and increasing funding for the Efficiency and Accountability Fund to $17 million to support third-party reviews of institutions.
“Ontario’s colleges are training the workforce our economy needs now more than ever – particularly in STEM-based programs across construction, advanced manufacturing, health care, life sciences, mining and energy,” said Maureen Adamson, interim president and CEO of Colleges Ontario.
