Alberta commits more funding to post-secondary programs
Posted September 11, 2026 12:33 pm.
The government of Alberta says it is committing more funding to the Targeted Enrolment Expansion, expanding high-demand degree, diploma and certificate programs in the province.
The latest round of investment will see the province commit over $148 million to post-secondary institutions over three years, adding more than 15,000 funded spaces, and aims to help train more nurses, paramedics, teachers, engineers and other skilled professionals needed to support Alberta’s growing economy, public services and communities.
“When students succeed, Alberta succeeds. That’s why our government is making the largest targeted investment in post-secondary expansion in Alberta’s history. This nearly $150 million commitment will create more spaces in the programs students want, and employers need. This funding will help build the skilled workforce that drives economic growth and keeps Alberta competitive for years to come,” said Myles McDougall, Minister of Advanced Education.
Out of the funding, the University of Alberta says it will be receiving over $25 million for more than 1,100 new seats.
Those new seats will be across multiple campuses in 13 programs, which are as follows:
- Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science (Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences)
- Early Childhood Education Diploma (Campus Saint-Jean)
- Health Care Aide (Campus Saint-Jean)
- Bachelor of Health Sciences (College of Health Sciences)
- Master of Education in Counselling Psychology (Faculty of Education)
- Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education, Rural (Augustana Campus/Faculty of Education)
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Faculty of Engineering)
- Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation)
- Master of Nurse Practitioner Practice (Faculty of Nursing)
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)
- Master of Science in Physical Therapy (Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)
- Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Faculty of Science)
“These high-impact programs consistently rank among the finest in Canada and the world. This investment will help us reach our strategic goal of enrolling 60,000 students by fall 2033, which in turn will expand our capacity to empower students with valued skills, drive research and innovation, and reinforce Alberta’s position as an economic powerhouse,” said Bill Flanagan, U of A President and Vice-Chancellor.
Melissa Padfield, U of A Deputy Provost for Students and Enrolment, added, “We are pleased to see this continued provincial investment in direct response to the growing demand we’ve seen from both students and industry. This targeted expansion will leverage our university’s academic excellence to meet the needs of students, employers and communities across the province.”
Meanwhile, for the University of Calgary, nine of its programs will benefit from $15 million of the funding.
These programs include the faculties of engineering, science, education, arts, and kinesiology.
“We thank the Government of Alberta for this timely investment to expand some of our most in-demand academic programs. This new funding will allow the University of Calgary to prepare even more highly educated graduates and help address some of Alberta’s most pressing labour market needs. Increasing capacity at UCalgary is essential for supporting Alberta’s strong economy and growing communities today and in the future,” said Dr. Ed McCauley, president and vice-chancellor, University of Calgary.
Dr. Sandra Davidson, provost and vice-president (academic), added, “University of Calgary continues to see record demand across our academic programs, particularly in these targeted areas. By expanding capacity, we can give more students access to a high-quality education in our province, thus helping to meet the needs for skilled graduates.”
Over $15 million of the funding will also go towards creating almost 1,000 additional seats in education programs, including bachelor of education programs, after-degree programs and seats under the new expedited teaching certificate pathway.
“Alberta School Boards Association welcomes this investment in expanding education programs. These new spaces will address kindergarten to Grade 12 enrolment pressures by helping public, catholic and Francophone school boards recruit qualified educators to ensure students continue to have access to high-quality learning opportunities now and into the future,” said Shali Baziuk, president of the Alberta School Boards Association.
