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As Ontario college students settle back into class for another school year, the head of Colleges Ontario says she is confident the provincial government is taking the necessary steps to ensure the province meets its needs for college-educated skilled trades over the next decade.

Maureen Adamson, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, recently responded to questions on college system capacity as described in the 2026 Stokes Labour Market Study, which projected trades needs through the next 10 years.

The report, commissioned by Colleges Ontario and released in May, found the demand for college-educated workers over the next decade is estimated to be at least 950,000 workers, significantly exceeding the currently estimated domestic supply of 600,000 workers.

The greatest shortages will be in the category Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators and Related Occupations, with 144,000 positions needing to be filled from sources outside of domestic graduates.

The Stokes study found Ontario will need 16,500 carpenters, 9,400 electricians, 7,500 �鶹��ýӳ�� millwrights and industrial mechanics, 6,800 welders and related machine operators and 4,900 plumbers in the next 10 years.

“Ontario colleges are working closely with government, employers and industry partners, with a renewed focus on financial viability and program growth in priority fields,” stated Adamson in a written statement.

“Our institutions have been carefully realigning program delivery…Workforce development is critical for the ongoing success of the provincial economy.”

On May 27, the Ontario government announced it will spend $1.7 billion to fund an additional 70,000 seats in high-demand sectors including STEM and the skilled trades at publicly assisted colleges and universities across the province.

Through a call for proposals, publicly assisted colleges will be required to submit a Priority Growth Plan “that reflects their school’s strengths, regional economic trends, local labour market needs and student demand,” the announcement indicated.

Adamson stated, “The Priority Growth Fund… (offers) a significant opportunity to grow high-demand programs in skilled trades, health care, mining, resource management and advanced manufacturing.”

The Stokes report found the �鶹��ýӳ�� sector employed 578,800 people in 2024. Need will grow by nearly 70,000 positions from 2026-2035 with demand especially focused in specialty trade contracting and building �鶹��ýӳ��.

Addressing broader challenges for the skilled trades, the Stokes paper said public policy changes to international migration will limit the labour market’s ability to fill the gap between domestic college-educated graduates and the demand for college-educated workers.

“This gap is further compounded by recent college program closures that also affect the supply of domestic students,” stated the report.

Asked about program closures, Adamson replied, “The province’s 2026 budget demonstrates a strong commitment to post-secondary education through its $6.4-billion investment, which will help colleges and polytechnics regain their fiscal balance.”

Stokes said there is a direct correlation between college-educated jobs created and GDP growth – a reduction of 33,541 college-educated workers would result in a direct GDP loss of $3.26 billion.

The paper also said successful delivery of the Doug Ford government’s $223-billion, 10-year capital plan, which includes infrastructure expansion with major health, transit, schools and highways capital spending, will be jeopardized by a failure to train sufficient skilled trades.

“If these shortages go unfilled, the government capital plan as it stands will be put at risk with extended completion times and potential cost overruns,” stated the report.