**NORTHERN COLLEGE MEDIA RELEASE**

The Ontario government’s 2018 budget investments will ensure more students have access to college programs that open the door to rewarding and meaningful employment.

“The budget delivers some important investments in student success,” said Dr. Fred Gibbons, President and CEO of Northern College. “This will help us produce more graduates with the professional and technical expertise that is pivotal to success in today’s economy.”

Highlights of the 2018 Ontario Budget include:

  • An increased investment of $500 million in capital improvements at colleges and universities. Funding will grow from $10 million in 2020-21 to more than $60 million by 2022-23.
  • An increase in the funding for college equipment and renewal to $20 million a year over the next three years from the current level of $8 million per year.
  • An investment of $170 million over three years to modernize apprenticeship training.
  • An investment of about $40 million per year over three years to develop post-secondary education programs that respond to the changing needs of students and employers.
  • Affirmation of the $2.1 billion investment in a ‘whole of community’ approach to mental health services that will improve the support available to students.

The budget also reaffirms the province’s commitment to ensure students from low- and middle-income families pay little or no tuition and have easier access to student assistance. As well, the budget supports students’ career planning with investments that allow high schools to hire more guidance counsellors.

“It’s essential that graduates entering today’s workforce are equipped with the qualifications and expertise to pursue meaningful careers,” Gibbons said. “The new investments announced yesterday allows more students to develop that expertise by strengthening the quality of our programs. Of equal importance is the government’s investment into additional supports for mental wellness throughout the post-secondary sector.”