Budget 2026: Career colleges ready to support Canada’s economic and workforce ambitions
The National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) welcomes Budget 2026’s focus on productivity, private-sector investment and workforce development. As the government moves to strengthen Canada’s economy, regulated career colleges are ready to help train the people needed to deliver on these priorities.
Investments in housing, electricity infrastructure, natural resources and defence will require skilled workers across a wide range of occupations. Career colleges offer focused, employer-connected training in skilled trades, cybersecurity, information technology, heavy equipment, business administration and other fields essential to these projects.
The budget’s emphasis on Canadian supply chains, economic sovereignty and technology adoption also highlights the importance of domestic training capacity. Regulated career colleges can help prepare the workers Canadian businesses need to expand production, adopt AI and digital tools, and participate in major infrastructure and defence projects. As these commitments move into implementation, NACC is calling for workforce partnerships that include qualified career colleges and measure success through training quality, graduate employment and responsiveness to employer needs.
“Canada’s economic ambitions require a workforce strategy that includes every capable training partner,” said Michael Sangster, Chief Executive Officer of NACC. “Regulated career colleges have the programs, employer relationships and experience supporting adult learners to make a meaningful contribution. Our members and their students stand ready to be included as these investments move forward.”
Supporting investment in training capacity
Many NACC members are independently owned and operated businesses. The government’s Productivity Mega Deduction could help eligible institutions invest in equipment, technology and other qualifying assets, strengthening their ability to deliver training that reflects modern workplaces. NACC will examine the measure’s application to career colleges as implementation details become available to support our members in their investment decisions in a vast array of private sector investments in education of Canadians.
NACC also welcomes the proposed change allowing students receiving assistance from employers or other independent third parties to remain eligible for scholarship and bursary tax exemptions. This could support stronger partnerships between employers, learners and training providers.
Connecting Canadians with opportunity
The budget’s commitments to Indigenous post-secondary education, retraining for workers affected by tariffs, and pre-apprenticeship and technical training represent opportunities to expand access to employment-focused education.
These measures respect Indigenous leadership, support learner choice and can include regulated career colleges wherever their programs meet quality requirements and demonstrated workforce needs.
Canada’s defence commitments and their implementation create opportunities beyond manufacturing and technology. Military operations and the domestic defence industry depend on workers trained in fields ranging from cybersecurity and heavy equipment to culinary services and administration. NACC will continue building partnerships that connect career college training with these needs.
Aligning federal policy with workforce goals
Student financial assistance, predictable immigration policies and fair tax treatment remain central to NACC’s advocacy. Federal policy should help eligible students access quality training and enable institutions to respond to employer demand.
NACC continues to advocate for equitable access to student grants and fair treatment of HST input tax credits for regulated career colleges. We will also review how the immigration measures affect students, institutions and regional workforce needs.
“Investing in economic growth must include investing in people’s ability to participate,” Sangster added. “That means removing barriers to training and recognizing the contribution career college students and graduates make in communities across Canada.”
NACC will continue reviewing the budget and working with federal officials, provincial associations, employers and education partners to ensure regulated career colleges and their students can contribute fully to Canada’s economic future.
