May 23rd Weekly Update

• Opening applications for the newly-expanded Learn and Stay Grant, which provides full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other costs for students who enrol in eligible programs
• Supporting homeless prevention efforts in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) through Ontario’s Indigenous Supportive Housing Program (ISHP)
• Working with the Government of Canada to invest over $46M to support the construction of 267 new affordable housing units across Ontario

Applications Open! Sign Up Today for Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant

As of last Tuesday, students can apply for the newly-expanded Learn and Stay Grant. The grant provides full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other costs for students who enrol in an eligible nursing, paramedic or medical laboratory technologist program and agree to stay in under-serviced communities to work after graduation. The program is designed to encourage students to learn and stay locally, helping to bring in-demand health care workers to communities that need them most across the province.

Grant applications for the 2023-24 academic year are now open for postsecondary students who enrol in their first year in the following programs and regions:

• Nursing programs in northern, eastern and southwestern Ontario
• Medical laboratory technologist/medical laboratory sciences programs in northern and southwestern Ontario
• Paramedic programs in northern Ontario.

Students can find the application, as well as information about eligible programs and regions, online at Ontario.ca/learnandstay.

Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services provides Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate long-term housing solutions and support services to Indigenous people experiencing or at risk of homelessness outside the GTA.

“Along with improving access to transit, quality jobs and services in urban centres, our government is improving access to safe housing while supporting homelessness prevention,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs. “We are confident that this investment will result in better outcomes for urban Indigenous populations, and we thank Miziwe Biik and the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services for their continued partnership as we invest in communities across the province.”

In addition to reducing costs in other sectors, supportive housing provides people in Ontario with an opportunity to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. Ontario will continue to support the most vulnerable by providing supportive housing and homelessness prevention services to help those most in need.

Last Friday, the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario announced an investment of over $46 million to support the construction of 267 new affordable housing units across Ontario. Over $30 million is from the Government of Canada and over $15 million is from the Province of Ontario.

This important funding is being provided through the Canada–Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) – an initiative of the Canada-Ontario Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy (NHS).

The Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) provides funding to repair, regenerate and expand community housing so tenants can live in a home that is affordable. It can also be used to support community housing providers whose original program arrangements are expiring and help them to become more sustainable.

In total, twelve projects are receiving funding through COCHI. These projects will provide a diverse mix of unit sizes and varying levels of affordability to meet the unique needs of Ontario’s communities. Project-specific details will be announced locally in the coming weeks.