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The Ontario government is working to ensure a reliable supply of future teachers by investing nearly $55.8 million to train approximately 2,600 new teacher graduates by 2027. This funding is a crucial step in protecting Ontario’s publicly funded education system and ensuring a stable supply of qualified English- and French-language teachers across the province.  

Hon. Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, visited Queen’s on Friday, June 20, where he announced the university would be one of the beneficiaries of new funding to train more teachers for Ontario schools.  

“With this early intervention, our government is proactively addressing teacher shortages and giving more postsecondary students the opportunity to become future educators,” said Minister Quinn. “Access to qualified teachers is critical for students to achieve academically and succeed in the jobs of tomorrow.”

Nearly $55.8 million will be given to Ontario faculties of education with a high demand for students to ensure more aspiring educators can immediately access the high-quality education they need to teach the next generation.  

Just how much of the additional funding will go to Queen’s and how many positions this will create remains part of ongoing discussions, but it was clear the impact is to be significant and was welcome news at the Faculty of Education.  

“We welcome this funding as a meaningful step to bring additional qualified teachers into Ontario schools,” said Queen’s Dean of the Faculty of Education Rebecca Luce-Kapler. “Our ongoing investment in creating contemporary, inclusive learning spaces at Duncan McArthur Hall perfectly complements and facilitates the kind of program growth today’s announcement will help to facilitate. This investment will expand access to areas of need, including Queen’s flexible pathways in Technological Education, French as a Second Language, and Indigenous Education – ensuring Ontario students benefit from passionate, well-prepared educators.”  

Queen’s Rector Niki Boytchuk-Hale a graduate of the Con Ed program now pursuing her Masters of Education, also attended Friday’s announcement.  

“I know firsthand the important role educators play in supporting Ontario students,” said Boytchuk-Hale. “I have also witnessed the need for more teachers, and the challenges that are facing our education system. This announcement creates a wonderful opportunity to bring more people into the teaching profession where they can have real and lasting impacts.”

Ontario’s education landscape is rapidly changing as current teachers are retiring and growing communities need well-trained teachers to educate their kindergarten to Grade 12 students. This funding will support universities in training more teachers to help address projected supply gaps.  

Hon. Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, speaks with Nobel Laureate (Physics, 2015) Dr. Arthur McDonald at the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Centre. (Photo: Queen’s University)

While on campus, the Minister also met with Principal and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane and later met with Nobel Prize winning physicist (2015) Art McDonald and received a tour of the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Centre.

An expert in astroparticle physics, Dr. McDonald is behind some of the most important discoveries in the field. In 2015, he was awarded a Nobel Prize for his research showing neutrinos – one of the smallest particles known to science – have mass.