Annual Report 2003-2004Ministry OverviewThe Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities is committed to building the best workforce in North America that will attract the most jobs and the highest levels of investment. Postsecondary EducationTCU provides policy and program direction and financial support to postsecondary institutions in Ontario in support of the government’s social and economic policy objectives, with the goal of providing opportunities for excellent, accountable, relevant and accessible postsecondary education. The Postsecondary Education program includes operating the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), administering transfer payments to colleges and universities and developing policies and programs related to funding, governance and programs at colleges and universities. Labour Market And TrainingTCU focuses on increasing the quality and quantity of skilled labour in Ontario and supports the key government priority of increased job creation. TCU supports delivery of programs and services and works with employers, regulatory bodies, immigrant groups, training providers and other stakeholders to provide opportunities for internationally trained individuals to work in their trades or professions and to support an apprenticeship program to help people enter the skilled trades. The ministry also prepares unemployed Ontarians to enter the workforce and provides literacy and basic skills upgrading. Annual Report 2003-2004Postsecondary EducationTCU continued to work to address the sustained increase in participation rates at postsecondary institutions that began with the double cohort and is expected to continue throughout the decade. The ministry worked with universities to ensure the commitments for the double cohort would be met and that universities would accept the anticipated 70,000 first-year students in September 2003. Funding was announced to create over 20,000 new student spaces for a total of 135,000 new places in postsecondary institutions. TCU announced funding to establish northern Ontario’s first medical school, located at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury . The ministry established the Quality Assurance Fund for colleges and universities. The fund provided universities with $75 million and colleges with $60 million. The Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002, was proclaimed to allow more flexibility and variability in college programs to better respond to the needs of local communities. Training And Employment SystemTCU registered over 19,000 new apprentices and delivered employment services to 127,000 clients at 127 Job Connect sites throughout the province. It also provided an estimated 42,000 individuals with literacy and numeracy training services at approximately 300 sites across the province. An investment in updated equipment in college classrooms supported the expanded apprenticeship program. The ministry also worked to implement a new model of training, combining college diploma and apprenticeship to provide flexibility and greater access for young people who might choose training in the trades. The ministry expanded programs to help new Canadians and the internationally trained integrate into Ontario 's workforce, including the development of new bridge training programs in teaching, engineering and healthcare professions. Among government investments was an expansion of the CARE for Nurses project to provide bridge training to an additional 100 nurses.
Note: Starting in 2002-2003, major tangible capital assets owned by provincial ministries (land, buildings and transportation infrastructure) are accounted for on a full accrual accounting basis. Other tangible capital assets owned by provincial ministries will continue to be accounted for as expense in the year of acquisition or construction. All capital assets owned by consolidated government organizations are accounted for on a full accrual basis. Annual Report 2002-2003Postsecondary EducationTCU worked to meet commitments to accommodate students in the double cohort, including expanding apprenticeship and other training programs to support those students who chose to enter the workforce. To address expanded enrolment, operating grant funding for colleges and universities was increased and $2.6 billion from the ministry and its partners was invested to create new student spaces at campuses across Ontario. TCU worked closely with Ontario’s universities to ensure that the number of high school students accepted into a university program kept pace with the increased number of applicants. The ministry gave consent to establish an additional 24 applied degree programs at Ontario’s colleges and allowed community colleges to further diversify their range of programs by evolving into newly designated college institutes that encourage specialization tied to local priorities. TCU implemented the College Equipment and Renewal Fund to help colleges acquire state-of-the-art equipment and learning resources. Legislation was passed to establish the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and construction of the new campus began. Training And EmploymentTCU continued to implement a training strategy to ensure the province could respond to the skills gaps created in the knowledge economy and the skills shortages expected as “baby boomers” enter retirement. The ministry increased investments to help Ontarians access apprenticeship and training programs. The ministry invested $3.4 million to help people upgrade their skills to become apprentices in 12 high-demand skilled trades through the Pre-apprenticeship Training Program. TCU increased support for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program to help more secondary students gain experience in the workplace and start careers in the skilled trades. The ministry continued to invest in bridge training programs to assist internationally trained engineers, pharmacists, teachers, laboratory technicians, skilled trades people and other professionals to practise in Ontario . It also established new partnerships with the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the Ontario Regulatory Bodies Steering Committee on Access Issues for Immigrants to encourage regulators and employers to develop their own access initiatives. Through investments in the TVOntario Lifelong Learning Challenge Fund, eight projects were developed in partnership with industry and educational institutions to provide online learning opportunities in key areas such as welding, blueprint reading, electronics and e-commerce.
Note : Starting in 2002-2003, major tangible capital assets owned by provincial ministries (land, buildings and transportation infrastructure) are accounted for on a full accrual accounting basis. Other tangible capital assets owned by provincial ministries will continue to be accounted for as expense in the year of acquisition or construction. All capital assets owned by consolidated government organizations are accounted for on a full accrual basis. For further information about the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, visit our Internet site at www.edu.gov.on.ca. You can find annual reports for other Ontario government ministries online at www.gov.on.ca under “About Government”. ISBN 1-4249-0557-5 (HTML) |
|||||||||||||||||
