Ontario Investing $4.2 Million to Expand Nursing Education Programs
The Ontario government announced on June 5, 2025, that it will provide over $4.2 million to expand nursing education programs in the province. According to the Ministry of Health, the funding will support accelerated registered nursing degree programs at four institutions and increase nursing education seats at colleges in northern and rural areas.
The Ministry of Health stated that $2 million is allocated for the launch of accelerated nursing degree programs at Conestoga College in Kitchener, St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Western University in London, and York University in Toronto. The ministry reports that these programs will allow students to complete undergraduate nursing degrees in three to three-and-a-half years instead of four. The accelerated programs are scheduled to begin in the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years.
The government will also invest $750,000 to include registered nurse prescribing education in the undergraduate nursing curricula at Georgian College in Barrie, Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, and the University of Windsor, according to the ministry. The ministry states that Ontario will be the first province in Canada to include registered nurse prescribing in undergraduate programs. The Ministry of Health said the Nursing Act was amended in December 2023 to allow registered nurses to prescribe certain medications and communicate a diagnosis for this purpose. Since the amendment, 671 registered nurses have completed the necessary training for this expanded role, according to the ministry.
Nearly $1.5 million will be used to increase nursing program capacity at Confederation College in Thunder Bay and Cambrian College in Sudbury, the ministry reported. The government states that the funding will add 50 registered practical nursing seats at Confederation College and 17 at Cambrian College.
In addition, the Ministry of Health reported that it is investing $56.8 million over the next three years to increase nursing student enrollment at publicly assisted colleges and universities. The ministry also noted a planned investment of $743 million over three years to address health-care staffing needs. According to the ministry, these investments are intended to support more than 2,200 new spots for registered and registered practical nurses and nurse practitioners across Ontario.