LONDON — The Ontario government is connecting over a dozen underserved and growing communities with more health care workers by expanding the Learn and Stay grant. The grant, which was announced in March 2022 for students who enrol in nursing programs, will also include paramedic and medical laboratory technologist programs in priority communities. Eligible students will receive full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other direct educational costs in return for working and caring for people in the region where they studied for a term of service after they graduate.
“Expanding Ontario’s Learn and Stay grant to include nurses, paramedics and med-techs in more underserved and growing communities is another innovative solution that’s connecting people to care, closer to home,” said Premier Doug Ford. “It’s also one more way we’re making sure that all Ontarians in every corner of the province, no matter where they live, have more convenient access to the care and support they need.”
Grant applications for the 2023-24 academic year open this spring, targeting 2,500 postsecondary students who in enrol in the following programs and regions:
“This is a historic investment in our students and in the future of our health care workforce in Ontario,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “By providing targeted financial incentives to encourage students to learn and work in priority communities, the expanded Learn and Stay grant will ensure that our health care professionals get the training they need to make immediate impacts in local hospitals, long-term care homes and other health care facilities after they graduate.”
With more than 12,000 new nurses registering to work in Ontario last year – a record breaking year – and another 30,000 nurses studying at a college or university, the expanded Learn and Stay grant will continue to increase the number of health care workers providing care to people, closer to home.
“We know the status quo isn’t working, so we need to move forward with bold initiatives to add more health care professionals in Ontario and especially in rural and remote communities,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Expanding this grant beyond nursing, to include two additional health care roles in high demand will help ensure that Ontarians, no matter the size of their community, will receive the care they need in their communities.”
The government continues to take action to build up the province’s health care workforce to ensure patients can access the health care they need when they need it, no matter where they live.
"The Ontario Hospital Association welcomes the Learn and Stay Grant, which will attract new health care workers to small, rural, and northern communities. This innovative program helps ensure that health care organizations in remote areas of the province have the health human resources needed to maintain access to the highest quality of care. Ontario hospitals appreciate the responsiveness of the Government of Ontario in recognizing the unique pressures being faced and in introducing timely solutions that will make a significant impact at improving recruitment and retention over the long term."
- Anthony Dale
President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association
"The Ontario Association of Medical Laboratories welcomes today’s expansion of the Learn and Stay Grant program. We are pleased to see the program will focus on training additional medical laboratory technologists in northern and southwestern Ontario. The community laboratory sector is an essential component of Ontario’s health care system, and we look forward to welcoming these new medical laboratory technologists into our communities."
- Paul Gould
CEO, Ontario Association of Medical Laboratories