If elected, the Progressive Conservatives are promising to add $1 billion to a skills development program designed to help workers retool their abilities to new careers in the face of potential tariffs. Another $1.5 billion would also be earmarked to “urgently expand” training and employment programs in the province if tariffs hit.
The Progressive Conservatives are also promising that, if elected, they will add $100 million to the Better Jobs Ontario program to boost workers’ access to training for in-demand jobs to help people retrain if there are tariffs.
The party also promised to add $165 million for a paid skills program for people to learn and work simultaneously while being paid in areas like apprenticeships.
Publicly funded colleges and universities would receive $705 million from the PCs to add 20,000 new STEM seats annually, 5,000 new apprenticeships and 2,600 construction places.
The Liberals have promised to clear the school repair backlog and install heating and air conditioning in every classroom by doubling the annual capital funding for schools. The party also said it would build 90 new schools over four years.
The Liberal Party also said it would allow lower student-to-teacher ratios and hire more mental health support staff for schools. It would also tie per-pupil funding to inflation.
The Liberals also promised to quadruple the school food program budget and feed every school child a free lunch, daily.
The Liberals committed to renewing the federal-provincial $10 a day child care deal.
The Ontario Liberals pledged, if elected, to eliminate interest on OSAP loans and raise the threshold for repayment to $50,000.
The party says it would cap international enrollment at Ontario colleges and universities at 10 per cent. The Liberals said they would change government funding to reduce college and university reliance on international students.
The Liberals have promised to introduce a one-year, post-secondary teaching qualification.
The NDP has promised to spend an extra $830 million per year on school repairs and maintenance. The party says that the policy will clear the repair backlog within 10 years.
The NDP is also pledging to hire more staff in Ontario’s schools, although it has not published a cost or number for that promise. The party would also expand school meal programs but hasn’t defined how much.
If elected, the Ontario NDP is promising to end academic streaming in schools and to “review” the funding model to ensure it takes into account higher-needs students, not just the raw number of people in a class. The party said it would also update the school bus funding formula.
The NDP has pledged a universal free school meal program for school students.
The NDP also promised to complete the delivery of $10 per day child care in partnership with the federal government.
For language schools, the Ontario NDP is promising to increase francophone education in French school boards and French immersion in English boards.
On post-secondary education, the Ontario NDP is promising to keep domestic tuition fees frozen, eliminate interest from existing student loans and turn student loans into grants.
The party also said it would increase per-student funding in post-secondary by 20 per cent and tie it to inflation. It pledged to create a standalone French institution at Sudbury University.
The Greens have promised to increase per-student funding by $1,500 and to establish an independent review of the province’s school funding formula, including a focus on the cost of remote and rural schools.
The party would cap Grades four to eight at 24 students and kindergarten at 26 students. The party plans to double the number of students that can access school meal programs.
The Ontario Green Party has also pledged to eliminate EQAO testing.
On colleges and universities, the Greens would waive tuition in certain, in-demand programs. The party would also convert student loans to grants for middle and lower-income students, eliminating interest on debt.
The Ontario Greens promised to immediately increase per-student university funding by 20 per cent and tie the measure to inflation.