This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning colleges, universities, campuses, international students, student housing, research initiatives, tri-council (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) agencies and funding opportunities. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-04-05 to 2026-04-11

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Parliamentary Calendar
• 🇨🇦 Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Provincial Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Parliamentary Calendar

• Industry and Technology Committee: Regulation of AI in Canada’s Strategic Industries (April 13): The Industry and Technology Committee will convene on April 13 from 3:30–5:30 p.m. to hear witnesses regarding opportunities, risks, and regulation of AI across key Canadian industries, including representatives from Bell Canada, Cohere Inc., Vector Institute, and TELUS.
• Human Resources Committee: Clause-by-Clause Bill C-222 and Youth Employment Report (April 13): On April 13, the Human Resources Committee will hold a session from 3:30–5:30 p.m. for consideration of Bill C-222 (EI Act amendments) and an in-camera review of the draft report on youth employment.
• Health Committee: Canada’s Pharmaceutical Sovereignty (April 14): Scheduled for April 14, the Health Committee will address the topic of pharmaceutical sovereignty in Canada, featuring witnesses from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Université de Montréal, BioCanRx, and industry associations, between 3:30–5:30 p.m.
• Procedure and House Affairs Committee: Current State of Civic Resilience (April 16): On April 16 from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Procedure and House Affairs will hear from academic and sector witnesses regarding civic resilience, with webcast options available.
• Canadian Heritage Committee: State of Journalism and Media Sectors (April 16): The Canadian Heritage Committee will meet April 16, 8:15–10:15 a.m., to examine the journalism and media sectors, with input from professional associations, freelance journalists, and think tanks.

Federal Government News

Federal Investment Targets Youth Employment in Natural Resource Sectors

On April 7, 2026, Minister Tim Hodgson (Natural Resources) and Minister Patty Hajdu (Jobs and Families) announced $30 million over two years for youth employment and skills training across natural resource sectors, including energy, forestry, mining, earth sciences, and clean technology. Delivered through the Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP) – Green Jobs, funding will create 900 positions for youth aged 15–30, supporting hands-on experiences in STEM and related domains. Ten organizations across several provinces, including Clean Nova Scotia and Electricity Human Resources Canada, received allocations ranging from $700,000 to $5,600,000. Since 2017, STIP – Green Jobs has created over 6,000 training opportunities, with approximately 80% of participants securing full-time employment following completion. The initiative forms part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), accessible via Natural Resources Canada's STIP – Green Jobs program portal.

Sources: www.canada.ca, www.canada.ca

Federal Research Funding Launched for School Food Programs

The Honourable Anna Gainey, Secretary of State (Children and Youth), and Minister Marjorie Michel (Health) announced on April 8, 2026, the launch of the Funding Research for Evidence in School Food and Health (FRESH) Team Grant. The grant provides $12.6 million over three years for school food program-focused research, including $9 million from Employment and Social Development Canada, $2.7 million from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and $900,000 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Up to 14 grants will be available across three pools: health and socioeconomic effects, policy and program design for equitable outcomes, and school food programs for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students. Registration to apply is open until June 25, 2026, with full applications due October 7, 2026, via ResearchNet.

Sources: www.canada.ca

FedNor Backs Youth Internships to Stem Out-Migration in Northern Ontario

On April 9, 2026, Parliamentary Secretary Pauline Rochefort announced a $105,000 FedNor investment for paid youth internship positions targeting recent graduates in Nipissing-Timiskaming. The North Bay Theatre and Arts Community Centre (Capitol Centre) will receive $52,500 to hire a Data Collection and Archival Specialist for digital cataloguing and online gallery development. The City of North Bay will receive $52,500 for an internship in urban planning and community development, supporting initiatives such as the Housing Accelerator Fund and updates to the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan. Showcased retention metrics include 63% of interns staying with the host employer and 83% transitioning to related jobs, with 91% planning further work in Northern Ontario. This initiative aligns with the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.

Sources: www.canada.ca

CRTC Opens Call for New Broadband Fund Proposals

On April 9, 2026, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) opened its latest call for Broadband Fund project proposals to enhance internet connectivity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. The program enables applicants to submit proposals for high-speed internet projects, satellite transport connectivity, and cellphone service improvements. Since inception, over $771 million in funding has connected more than 320 communities, including 135 Indigenous locations, offering high-speed services to 54,000 homes and improved cellphone coverage along 650 kilometres of major roads. The updated fund stream includes reduced requirements for Indigenous applicants, enhanced guidelines for community consent, and simplified proposal evaluation. The submission deadline is August 13, 2026.

Sources: www.canada.ca, www.canada.ca

Federal Government Invests in Pharmaceutical Sovereignty

Prairies Economic Development Canada announced on April 10, 2026, an additional $50 million to the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative (CCDI) through the Regional Innovation Ecosystems program. The funding supports Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API)—a not-for-profit partnered with the University of Alberta—in constructing the Critical Medicines Production Centre. The centre will facilitate large-scale Canadian pharmaceutical manufacturing, contributing to supply security and biodefense. CCDI's expansion aims to nurture at least 60 early-stage firms, create more than 350 jobs, and provide training to 175 skilled workers in Edmonton, bolstering Canada's capacity for end-to-end commercial drug production.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Agreement Reached to Support Tariff-Impacted Workers

On April 9, 2026, Minister Patty Hajdu (Jobs and Families) and Quebec Minister Pascale Déry announced a $122.5-million Canada–Quebec Workforce Tariff Response agreement to provide tailored skills development and retraining for workers in industries impacted by global tariffs, including softwood lumber and steel. Public employment services will be administered via Services Québec offices across the province.

Sources: www.canada.ca

ESDC Announces Upcoming Action for Youth Employment

Employment and Social Development Canada will stage a youth employment-focused announcement in Ottawa on April 13, 2026, with Minister Patty Hajdu supported by Parliamentary Secretaries Mona Fortier and Annie Koutrakis at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Social Sciences. The event will cover new steps for improving youth employment outcomes, with media registration available for coverage.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Statistics Canada Releases Data on Labour Market Experiences of Recent Immigrants

On April 7, 2026, Statistics Canada published findings from two studies detailing labour market integration outcomes of recent immigrants and non-permanent residents. Data trends and detailed figures are available via the StatsCan site, informing workforce and education planning efforts.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

March 2026 Issue of Canadian Economic News Published

Statistics Canada issued the March 2026 Canadian Economic News release, providing an overview of recent economic indicators relevant to workforce and education sectors.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Provincial Government News

Ontario Proposes Overhaul of Teacher Education Program

Ontario will introduce legislation condensing teacher education from four semesters to 12 months, saving students up to $3,000 in tuition and facilitating earlier entry into the profession. The new model, expected to launch May 2027, will prioritize practical classroom learning and offer additional funding and recognition for mentoring teachers.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

BC Invests $13.3 Million in Apprenticeship Grants for Collision Repair Workforce

ICBC will provide $13.3 million in apprenticeship grants over four years to support workforce development, covering employer training costs, travel for rural apprentices, and grants for women and Indigenous apprenticeships.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

Ontario Marks Completion of Expanded Skills Training Centre in Cambridge

Ontario invested $8.8 million through the Skills Development Fund to expand LiUNA Local 837’s facility, adding capacity for 5,000 additional apprentices and construction workers over five years and incorporating simulator technology for training.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Quebec Transfers Grain Classification Training to ITAQ

Responsibility for grain classification training now rests with ITAQ as of April 6, 2026, following a longstanding partnership with the Régie des marchés agricoles et alimentaires du Québec. The content and requirements remain unchanged.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

Quebec and France Sign Declaration on Digital Sovereignty

Minister Gilles Bélanger formalized a digital sovereignty partnership between Quebec and France, addressing collaborative tools, digital identity, government AI, infrastructure autonomy, and skills for public agents, in Paris on March 30, 2026.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Universities offering exam deferrals, holds on tuition as war rages on in Middle East: Canadian institutions provide flexible arrangements amid regional conflict.
• University develops international reputation for water research: A profile on international recognition for Canadian campus research.
• Tech students, backed by RBC, are giving farming an image makeover: Student-led agricultural innovation initiatives attract sponsorship.
• What advice do you have for postsecondary graduates? Share your thoughts with The Globe: Globe readers discuss guidance for graduating students.
• University of Michigan shifts funding from DEI into its free tuition program, Go Blue Guarantee: Michigan reconfigures university spending priorities.
• Opinion: Grades are failing first-year students. Let’s scrap them: Commentary on the effectiveness of grading for first-year students.

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