Ontario Investing $26 million to Train More Frontline Staff in Long-Term Care
January 6, 2026
New funding will support nearly 3,000 new staff in long-term care and allow students to work in their local communities
Long-Term Care
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WHITBY — The Ontario government is delivering on its plan to protect the province’s long-term care system by investing more than $26 million in programs that will train nearly 3,000 new long-term care staff, support professional development and enhance the care residents receive, while giving students the opportunity to study and work in their home communities.
“Our government continues to make historic investments to train more staff in long-term care,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “These new investments will help train a new generation of professionals and support those already qualified to grow their careers, ensuring long-term care residents receive the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.”
The government’s investment builds on its existing $4.9 billion four-year staffing plan , which focused on recruitment, training and retention and helped add tens of thousands of personal support workers and nurses to the provincial workforce. Continuing this momentum, Ontario is investing more than $26 million to train nearly 3,000 new long-term care staff through two targeted programs:
Unlike traditional PSW and RPN training programs, where students start with classroom education and then move on to clinical placements, Living Classrooms integrate education into a long-term care home. Students alternate between in-class learning — delivered in the home or nearby — and applying what they learn as they work with residents within the home.
“Every day, long-term care workers deliver compassionate and high-quality care for our loved ones throughout the province,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment, our government is protecting Ontario by ensuring that future long-term care providers get both the world-class education and hands-on skills they need to thrive in their careers and meaningfully contribute to our health care workforce.”
Building the long-term care workforce is one more way the government is ensuring Ontario residents 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
The government recently announced $180 million for programs to attract and retain close to 8,000 highly skilled nurses.
In August, Ontario invested nearly $60 million to expand enrolment in nursing programs at publicly assisted colleges and universities across the province.
Compared to 2021, daily direct care from nurses and PSWs has increased by over an hour per day. This represents a 36 per cent increase, equivalent to 15 days of additional care per resident per year.
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
Long-term care workers are essential to the well-being of people in Whitby. This critical investment from our government will train more long-term care staff to provide exceptional care in the Durham Region and across Ontario.
– Lorne Coe
MPP for Whitby
As we look to the future, nothing is more important than the development of skilled, dedicated and compassionate caring professionals to meet the needs of Ontario’s aging population. We’re grateful the province recognizes this and is investing in the Living Classroom program, as there is no better learning environment for true person-centred care to thrive.
– James Schlegel
President and CEO of Schlegel Villages
At its core, the Living Classroom is a simple but powerful idea: learning comes alive when education and industry work side by side, in real settings, with real responsibility. Students don’t just learn about care — they practice it, alongside experienced professionals, in the very environments where they will go on to work. That’s precisely what has been made possible for Centennial College students training to become personal support workers, thanks to our partnership with Schlegel Villages and the support of our provincial partners. It’s a model that constitutes a blueprint for how Ontario can strengthen health care in ways that are sustainable, human-centred and future-focused.
– Craig Stephenson
President and CEO, Centennial College
Living Classrooms and the Supporting Professional Growth Fund are strong, practical programs that help long-term care homes recruit, train and retain frontline staff. We welcome the Ontario government’s continued investment and expansion of training opportunities that let students learn where they live, while supporting better care for residents.
– Lisa Levin
Chief Executive Officer, AdvantAge Ontario
Programs like Living Classrooms and the Supporting Professional Growth Fund let people learn where care happens — inside homes, alongside residents and care teams — so staff can start and grow rewarding careers while making a real difference in residents’ daily lives. We thank the Ontario government for its continued leadership in building a strengthened long-term care system and helping people build meaningful careers in long-term care.
– Donna Duncan
CEO, Ontario Long Term Care Association
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