February 13, 2026

The Government of Ontario has announced several measures to support its postsecondary sector’s long-term sustainability and success. A new long-term funding model will see $6.4B invested into the sector over four years, with annual operating funding raised by 30%. The tuition fee freeze has been lifted, with publicly assisted institutions permitted to raise tuition by up to 2% per year for three years. The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) has also been adjusted to bring it in alignment with other provinces. Numerous representatives from the postsecondary sector—including Colleges Ontario, the Council of Ontario Universities, and the Indigenous Institutes Consortium—praised the news as a crucial investment in education.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) has announced that the upcoming Inuit Nunangat University main campus will be located in Arviat, Nunavut. According to ITK, Arviat ranked highest in several key categories including overall readiness, capacity, and alignment with the university’s vision for a culturally rich learning environment. Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated also announced that it will be contributing an additional $50M to the construction of the main campus. Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr said that the community is in full support of the university, which they hope will bring economic benefits to the hamlet. The other locations that submitted detailed pitches to host the university will now be considered to host regional knowledge centres or satellite campuses.

Polytechnique Montréal will be undertaking a $350M modernization and expansion project that will enable it to accommodate more than 500 additional engineering students. The project is supported by $269M in funding from the Government of Québec. The funds will be used for a variety of initiatives, including the creation of state-of-the-art engineering-focused laboratories, the expansion the J-Armand-Bombardier Building, and the redevelopment of outdoor spaces. The institution’s main pavilion will also be expanded and renovated. QC Premier François Legault asserted that the province’s changing economy means that it needs more engineers.

Several postsecondary institutions across Canada recently marked UNESCO’s 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science with special statements and profiles of women researchers on their campus. For 2026, UNESCO encouraged showcasing existing good practices and solutions for building more inclusive STEM ecosystems. In Canadian PSE, institutions acted on this by hosting events to discuss practices for closing the gender gap in STEM, sharing the strategies and policies they are implementing, and showcasing the stories of faculty and students on campus.

Lambton College has launched the Ethical and Responsible Artificial Intelligence Tool. The tool is designed to ensure that Lambton’s collaborative research initiatives are transparent, fair, and accountable from their beginnings. It uses the Government of Canada’s FASTER (Fair, Accountable, Secure, Transparent, Educated, Relevant) principles to support assessment of algorithmic bias. “This tool allows us to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks while ensuring that AI solutions developed at Lambton College meet the highest ethical standards for industry and community partners,” said Lambton Digital Transformation Lab Manager Adesh Shah.

The University of Alberta has proposed removing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) from its hiring policy, reports CBC. Currently, the policy states that when evaluating two similarly qualified candidates, hiring panels should favour candidates from historically underrepresented groups. The board of governors will reportedly review a draft recruitment policy that removes this practice and eliminates references to how the university is committed to correcting employment disadvantages. The university explained in a statement that, in practice, qualified candidates still faced barriers under the policy. The changes have met resistance from some members of the university community.

Okanagan College and WeBC have launched TogetHER, a leadership and growth initiative for women business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs. The initiative will include online innovation exchanges, c-led by industry leaders and college representatives, that touch on topics such as funding, leadership journeys, and procurement. It will culminate in a two-day summit in March. “TogetHER creates space for women-led businesses to connect, share expertise and build partnerships that can help support long-term success,” explains Okanagan Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship Caitlin Hartigan.

Cégep de Lanaudière and Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick have each announced updates to their programming. CCNB will be expanding three of its programs—a certificate in early childhood education, a diploma in childcare services leadership, and a diploma in social and community service—across all of its campuses in September 2026. The college says that this will help to better meet the needs of communities across New Brunswick. Cégep de Lanaudière’s continuing education division is launching seven new courses in AI. The topics covered in these courses range from programs on how to create images or presentations with AI tools to ethics in AI. The courses will be available in 2026.

Seneca Polytechnic has signed a memorandum of co-operation with the Military Personnel Generation Training Group (MPGTG). Through this agreement, the two will work together to expand the training opportunities available for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members. Seneca’s AI-powered tools will be integrated into a variety of training environments to enhance training and preparedness for CAF members and future recruits. “MPGTG plays a vital role in training and educating members of the CAF for front line occupations,” said Seneca President David Agnew. “We are delighted to have a role in this essential work for our national security and sharing our expertise in AI to benefit members of the military and, by extension, all Canadians.”

In honour of Valentine’s Day, CourseCompare has released a ranking of the top universities in Canada for “finding love.” The ranking considers a variety of factors including campus density, residence culture, walkability, shared rituals, and alumni network cohesion. Queen’s University took first place, with blogTO highlighting the campus’s cozy cafes and hangout spots. Queen’s was followed by Western University (#2), St Francis Xavier University (#3), the University of Guelph (#4), Acadia University (#5), Dalhousie University (#6), McMaster University (#7), Université de Sherbrooke (#8), the University of Ottawa (#9), and Carleton University (#10).