Friday, February 06, 2026
Ontario Investing Over $21 Million to Train Staff in Long-Term Care
New funding will help upskill 700 frontline staff in rural and northern long-term care homes
The Ontario government is delivering on its plan to protect the province’s long-term care system by investing more than $21 million in two programs that will help 700 long-term care staff upgrade their skills. The programs are designed to help workers in rural and northern communities gain new qualifications to advance in their careers and ensure long-term care residents get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.
“We’re making record investments to staff, build and upgrade long-term care across Ontario, including in rural and northern communities, to ensure residents have the safe and supportive homes they deserve,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We will continue to support innovative programs like Learn and Earn to ensure residents in rural and northern communities have access to quality care.”
The government’s investment builds on its existing $4.9 billion four-year staffing plan, which has focused on recruitment, training and retention and helped add tens of thousands of personal support workers and nurses to the provincial workforce. The historic increase to support staff comes as the government surpassed its target of an average of four hours of daily direct care for residents by nurses and personal support workers in 2025.
Continuing this momentum, Ontario is investing $21.5 million over four years to train 700 new long-term care staff through two targeted programs:
- The PSW Learn and Earn Program — Ontario is providing $17.6 million in new funding to help existing long-term care staff, including resident support personnel and dietary aides, train as personal support workers (PSWs), through online coursework followed by paid, on-site clinical placements.
- PSW to PN Learn and Earn Program — Ontario will invest $3.9 million to train 40 current PSWs to become registered practical nurses, giving eligible staff the ability to advance their careers and provide better resident care.
Both programs will be delivered by Humber Polytechnic and build on the early success of the Learn and Earn program that has already supported the training of more than 600 PSWs, helping to deliver more direct care to residents across the province. The program is especially beneficial to rural, remote and northern regions, as homes can grow their own staff and students can train without having to leave their communities.
“Our government is building a strong staff training pipeline to retain more workers and improve resident care,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “This new investment will help existing staff build the skills they need to grow their careers and ensure long-term care residents continue to receive world-class care close to home.”
Building the long-term care workforce is one more way the government is ensuring Ontarians get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve. The plan to improve long-term care is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
Quick Facts:
- Compared to 2021, long-term care residents are now receiving, on average, more than an hour of additional daily direct care from nurses and PSWs — a 36 per cent increase, equivalent to 15 days of additional care per resident, per year. Seniors — people aged 65 and older — make up the fastest growing age group in the province.
- Long-term care homes manage applications to the program, working with Humber Polytechnic that delivers the program. Interested long-term care homes can find more information on Humber Polytechnic’s program website.
- In November 2025, Ontario announced a $180 million investment that launched new programs to attract and retain close to 8,000 highly-skilled nurses.
- The government is also investing $56.8 million to expand enrolment in nursing programs at publicly assisted colleges and universities across the province.
- As part of its plan to fix long-term care and address waitlists, the government is building 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
- Ontario is offering incentives to PSW students and eligible PSWs to launch careers in long-term care homes and in the home and community care sector.
Quotes:
"Our world-class postsecondary institutions are integral to ensuring we have a pipeline of long-term care workers to deliver compassionate care to our loved ones today, and into the future. Through this investment, our government is strengthening that pipeline by training more highly skilled workers to provide exceptional care without having to leave their home communities."
- Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
"Humber is proud to partner with the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care to deliver workforce solutions that strengthen Ontario’s long-term care system. The Learn and Earn Accelerated PSW Program is a proven model that removes financial barriers, supports working learners and helps retain skilled professionals where they are needed most. With nearly 400 PSWs already certified through Humber and up to 600 graduates expected across the province, this investment is making a meaningful difference for residents, employers and communities. We are grateful for the continued leadership of the Government of Ontario and its commitment to building a resilient, compassionate long-term care workforce."
- Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, President & CEO, Humber Polytechnic
"Ontario’s colleges are essential to building and sustaining the long-term care workforce, especially in rural and northern communities. This investment supports accessible, community-based training that helps frontline staff advance their careers without leaving their communities."
- Maureen Adamson, President and CEO, Colleges Ontario
"We commend the government for this investment, which builds on an unprecedented level of support for long-term care in Ontario. In rural and northern communities especially, protecting care means investing in the people who are already at the heart of our homes, where care shapes daily life. By upskilling frontline staff and creating meaningful pathways for growth, this funding helps protect four hours of direct care, strengthens continuity and supports the long-term care workforce to grow and thrive."
- Donna Duncan, CEO, Ontario Long Term Care Association
"By expanding training pathways for frontline staff, Ontario is helping build a stronger, more sustainable long-term care workforce. These programs will make a real difference for homes across rural, northern and remote communities."
- Lisa Levin, CEO, AdvantAge Ontario
"I am delighted about the increased focus and investment made by Ontario’s government on innovative programs like the PSW Learn and Earn training program. HSCPOA recognizes the importance of PSWs within Ontario’s health-care system. Since opening registration December 1, 2024, HSCPOA has been building momentum with voluntary PSW registration and oversight of this important group of care providers. HSCPOA staff are excited about the growing interest in PSW registration and we’re here to help. Wherever care is provided, Ontarians can expect that PSWs registered with HSCPOA will be held to the highest standard for the supportive care they provide."
- Trevor Lee, CEO, Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA)
Additional Resources:
Media Contacts:
Hannah Jensen
Premier’s Office
Hannah.Jensen2@ontario.ca
Stuart Osborne
Minister Kusendova-Bashta’s Office
Stuart.Osborne@ontario.ca
Ministry of Long-Term Care Media Line
Communications Branch
MLTC.Media@ontario.ca
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