June 17, 2026

The Government of Ontario is providing $8M through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to support workforce development in Northern Ontario. The funding will support training projects for more than 7,300 workers across the region as well as a capital investment into a new training centre in Sudbury. The training centre will be run by Science North and will train 7,000 individuals for sectors such as mining and construction. The province is also partnering with two other organizations–Niiwin Wendaanimok LP and Wahkohtowin–to deliver training and workforce development opportunities in the north. Niiwin Wendaanimok LP will provide technical training, financial literacy, leadership development, and job readiness supports to 100 Indigenous participants from Treaty #3 communities; while Wahkohtowin will provide 60 participants from across Northern ON with Indigenous-led jobs, retention training, and supports as they prepare to build careers in environmental monitoring.

Statistics Canada has released a new dataset on students from Canadian colleges and universities by Indigenous identity and racialized group. The dataset is derived from StatCan’s Postsecondary Student Information System and the Census of Population, and includes students from the 2014 to 2023 cohorts. Users can explore these tables to view data related to Canadian postsecondary enrolments, graduations, and new entrants by Indigenous identity or racialized group. The data can be examined by factors such as educational qualification, field of study, region, gender, and age.

As part of their broader graduation and convocation ceremonies, K–12 and postsecondary schools across the country held special ceremonies and cultural events to honour their Indigenous graduates. The Calgary Board of Education, K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcúl’ecw School District No 83, and McMaster University were among the many institutions that hosted special Indigenous graduation ceremonies. Assiniboine College, the Brandon School Division, and Brandon University co-hosted an Indigenous graduation ceremony to celebrate the community as a whole. These events often included speeches or blessings from members of the local community—such as Chiefs and Council members—and cultural elements such as a pipe ceremony (Brandon) or dancing (Brandon, McMaster). Several of the celebrations included special gifts for graduates: CBE graduates were gifted hand-sewn graduation stoles, McGill University held a Scarf Ceremony where graduates were given a scarf designed by Tammy Beauvais (Kanien’kehá:ka, Kahnawà:ke) and Michael Yellowhair (Navajo); and Vancouver Island University graduates received a blanket designed by Stuart Pagaduan (Snuneymuxw and Qwu’utsun’ nations).

The Nahɂą Dehé Dene Band, Dehcho Divisional Education Council, Nahanni Butte District Education Authority, and the Government of Northwest Territories are reportedly assessing the Charles Yohin School to determine if the school can be renovated or must be replaced. The K–10 school in Nahanni Butte will be reviewed to determine the condition of its electrical, heating, and plumbing systems and surrounding property. The study authors will then provide cost comparisons and recommendations for repairing or replacing the school. “Whether the outcome is a significant renovation or the construction of a new school, future decisions must be guided by the needs of our students, educators, and community, while reflecting the vision and wisdom of our Elders,” said Nahɂą Dehé Dene Band Chief Steve Vital. “We look forward to being part of this process and helping shape a strong future for education in Nahanni Butte.”

Cambrian College and Kenjgewin Teg have partnered to deliver a Practical Nursing program on Manitoulin Island, beginning this September. Cambrian will provide faculty and academic oversight, while Kenjgewin Teg will host the program at its M’chigeeng campus, offer student support services, and offer culturally grounded learning opportunities. “Supporting local and immediate needs for more health care professionals is what our partnership will support – and it makes perfect sense that our two Northern Ontario places of learning are working together toward this goal,” said Kenjgewein Teg President Dr Beverley Roy. Cambrian President Kristine Morrissey added that the partnership “represents an important step toward improving access to healthcare education opportunities for Indigenous learners and strengthening the healthcare workforce across Manitoulin Island.” 

Simon Fraser University has announced that it will name its medical school the SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine, in recognition of a $40M donation from entrepreneurs Ratana and Arran Stephens on behalf of the Stephens family. The medical school will offer an education that is centred on community and Indigenous approaches to health care. The school will use the funds to support student training, research and innovation, and critical infrastructure. SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine Dean Dr David Price stated that the donation will enable the school to “deliver medical education grounded in community, innovation, and Indigenous approaches to care.” SFU says that this is the largest single donation in its history.

As the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) considers restructuring for September, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) has expressed concern about the potential impact on Indigenous student support co-ordinator positions. Indigenous student support co-ordinators travel from school to school to meet the needs of students at each site. While OSSTF says that the OCDSB’s changes would see the number of co-ordinators reduced from six to three, OCDSB has not confirmed that three positions would be cut. However, the district said that it is planning to establish “new, permanent positions as part of an expanded Indigenous education team that will directly support Indigenous students, Indigenous ways of knowing and being, Indigenous culture, student achievement and well-being.”

Algoma University has launched a Master of Social Work program that will begin in Fall 2026. The program will build on the university’s Bachelor of Social Work, offering students a community-informed, practice-based program designed to reflect needs within the region. The curriculum for the master’s program emphasizes anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and decolonial approaches. Students have the option of completing either a three-semester practicum stream or a six-semester thesis stream. “The expansion of the Social Work program supports growing demand for trained professionals in areas such as mental health, child and family services, community development, and Indigenous services, sectors that continue to face workforce shortages, particularly in Northern Ontario,” said AlgomaU Director of the School of Social Work Dr Deb Woodman.

Pembina Trails School Division has announced that it will be naming its new school École Iskonakwa School. Pembina Trails Superintendent Shelley Amos explained that the Cree term Iskonakwa means “as far as the eye can see,” which is a reference to the name of the street that the school is on: Skyline Drive. The term is also rooted in the teaching of the Seven Generations and is a reminder to honour the past and future and live in good relationship with the land.  When it opens in September 2027, the school will offer English and French immersion to up to 800 students and will include a 134-space childcare facility. “This school will be a place where reconciliation thrives, where inclusion is celebrated, and where every student feels that they belong,” said Pembina Trails Superintendent Shelley Amos. “This school has been thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s leaders. Many hands have helped bring this vision to life, and we are deeply grateful for that support.”

Yorkville University and the Métis Nation of Ontario have signed a partnership focused on expanding Indigenous access to higher ed. The Memorandum of Understanding formalizes the relationship between the two organizations and outlines a suite of benefits for MNO citizens, employees, and families. These include a waived application fee, a 25% Indigenous student bursary applied equally across all terms, a 15% Indigenous partnership employee bursary, and an opportunity for students to join an Indigenous Student Advisory Council. “What excites me most about this partnership is that it didn’t start with a signature – it started with trust, built over years of genuine collaboration,” said Yorkville President Dr Julia Christensen Hughes. “Together with the Métis Nation of Ontario, we are determined to raise the bar on what reconciliation in higher education can look like in practice, when students have the opportunity to study on campus or online, while applying and honing their learning in community, for the benefit of community.”