York University to add 5,260 seats across STEM, health and education programs by fall 2026
Ontario invested $101 million in the Vaughan campus as part of a $1.7 billion provincial push to expand post-secondary capacity across the province.
Sources · Ontario Newsroom
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
York University in Vaughan will add 5,260 new post-secondary seats funded by a $101 million Ontario investment, making spaces available as early as fall 2026.
The allocation breaks down as 3,814 seats for STEM programs, 748 for health programs, and 698 for education programs. The funding is part of Ontario's broader $1.7 billion investment to create more than 70,000 new post-secondary seats across the province in high-demand sectors including STEM, health care, education and trades.
This seat expansion represents the largest post-secondary expansion in Ontario in more than a decade. The first 30,000 seats were allocated in May 2026, with a call for proposals launched for the remaining 40,000 seats that followed. Colleges and universities worked with local communities and industries to identify programs meeting regional labour market needs. Ontario evaluated proposals based on institutional capacity, local industry demand and student demand.
"York University welcomes the Government of Ontario's investment in new postsecondary seats," said Lisa Philipps, Interim President and Vice Chancellor at York University. "This investment does exactly that. It opens doors for more Ontario students and prepares the nurses, social workers, engineers, teachers and innovators our communities are counting on."
Education Minister Nolan Quinn framed the investment as a response to economic uncertainty. "Our province's greatest strength is our highly skilled workforce – and those workers are trained at our world-class colleges and universities. This investment is supporting the largest seat expansion in Ontario in more than a decade and will ensure more students have the opportunity to train for good-paying careers that protect and strengthen our communities, industries and province."
The expansion aims to help Ontario compete economically and build workforce capacity to meet labour shortages. Earlier this year, Ontario stated it needs 1 million university graduates over the next decade to fill labour gaps.
The facts
How many new seats is York University adding?
York University in Vaughan is adding 5,260 new post-secondary seats across STEM, health, and education programs.
How much did Ontario invest in York University's expansion?
Ontario invested $101 million in York University's Vaughan campus for the seat expansion.
When will the new seats be available?
The new seats will be available as early as fall 2026.
How are the 5,260 seats distributed by program type?
The seats break down as 3,814 for STEM programs, 748 for health programs, and 698 for education programs.
