Backgrounder: Improving Education

From learning the ABCs to completing postsecondary, education is the foundation for building a better life. More Ontario students, 85.5 per cent, are graduating from high school than ever before. And in 2016, 68 per cent of adults in Ontario had a postsecondary credential, up from 56 per cent in 2002 — higher than rates for any country in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

That’s why Ontario is investing an additional $6.4 billion over three years — to continue to build a strong education system that sets students up for success. The balanced 2017 Budget plan includes a new $5.5-billion investment, building on the commitment made in the 2016 Budget.

How we’re helping

Ontario is taking action by:

• Providing almost $16 billion over 10 years to help build and improve schools.
• Supporting postsecondary education and training for Indigenous learners, including increasing capacity of the nine Indigenous-owned and operated Aboriginal Institutes in Ontario.
• Improving students’ cognitive, emotional, social and physical development with programs and services focusing on their well-being and mental health.
• Creating 40,000 new work-related learning opportunities with employers for students and recent graduates through Ontario’s Career Kick-Start Strategy, providing real-world experiences while enabling employers to help train and equip them for jobs.
• Increasing the minimum salary that people need to earn — to $35,000 from $25,000 — so they can be on a stronger financial footing before they start repaying the provincial portion of OSAP loans.
• Enhancing and modernizing facilities to increase access to postsecondary education across the province, including new sites in Markham, Brampton and Milton.  
• Expanding programs and services for adult learners by providing approximately 90,000 more adults with easier access to skills training and upgrading through Ontario’s Lifelong Learning and Skills Plan.
• Improving Second Career to provide laid-off workers with training to help them find new jobs.