CICan on the Hill: College leaders shift from advocacy to partnerships as federal $8B commitment is highlighted
At CICan on the Hill (Oct. 2026), 25 college and institute leaders held nearly 30 meetings in Ottawa, shifting the discussion toward strategic partnerships. The piece highlights federal commitments via Team Canada Strong ($8B) and roughly 44,000 prospective learners on CICan member waitlists outside Quebec.
CICan notes its pan‑Canadian network includes 120 public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, polytechnics and Indigenous Institutes, graduating over 300,000 learners annually (including >40,000 in construction‑trades) and reaching 95% of Canadians within 50 km. Team Canada Strong commits $8B: $6B for federally delivered supports (placements, recruitment, incentives, UTIP) and $2B to provinces/territories for expanding training capacity (facilities, equipment, instructors, mobile delivery and completion supports). CICan calls for these funds to be translated into increased training capacity, applied research partnerships and local industry collaborations that connect learners to regional projects.