Are We Being Heard? Reflections from the 2026 Funders Panel

Each year, we put a great deal of thought and effort into planning TESL Ontario’s Annual Funders Panel. We know how important it is for our members to hear directly from government representatives about the funding landscape, policy changes and priorities shaping our sector. But the value of this session extends beyond the presentations themselves. Throughout the planning process, we engage ministry representatives in conversations about the challenges facing language educators, program administrators and learners, bringing forward the concerns and experiences our members have shared with us.

Our 21st Annual Funders Panel, held on November 6, brought together representatives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), and the Ministry of Education. Moderated by Sharon Rajabi, the session included questions informed by TESL Ontario’s program administrator survey, along with questions directly from the audience.

We want to share a recap of the key updates and takeaways from this year’s discussion. The challenges facing our sector were front and centre, from federal funding reductions and program closures to job losses and concerns about how learners will move beyond foundational language training. While there are no easy answers, the panel offered some encouraging signs that give us reason for cautious optimism.

Federal Outlook: Continued Pressure, but More Predictable Immigration Targets

Christine Charbonneau of IRCC outlined the scale of recent changes. Federal funding for Stage 3 LINC (CLB 7 and higher) ended in September 2025, followed by Stage 2 (CLB 5–6) in September 2026, as IRCC concentrated resources on foundational language training through CLB 4. IRCC’s figures show Ontario language training funding declining from approximately $123 million in 2024–25 to a projected $76 million by 2028–29.

Christine also acknowledged that provincially funded programs cannot fully offset the federal reductions. Meanwhile, IRCC’s data show a complicated picture: some classes have empty seats even as learners in other locations or at different levels face waitlists. Better alignment of course levels, schedules, locations and delivery formats will be a focus for IRCC in the coming year.

There was, however, an encouraging signal in the newly-released federal Budget 2026 and 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan. Targets have been maintained at 380,000 permanent resident admissions and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals annually for 2027 through 2029.

Although these targets remain below earlier immigration levels, Christine described their consistency as providing greater predictability. She cautioned that the composition of future arrivals, including government-assisted refugees, and the implications for settlement funding are still being assessed. More stable immigration targets do not automatically mean more stable language training budgets, but they offer some welcome continuity in an uncertain environment.

IRCC Hears the Concerns About Stage 2

Perhaps one of the most encouraging moments came during the audience Q&A, when Christine was asked whether IRCC could reconsider the elimination of Stage 2 if demand warrants it.

“We hear you and the message is loud and clear,” she responded.

Christine explicitly recognized the importance of CLB 5 and 6 as a bridge from foundational language learning into higher-level programs. She also indicated that feedback from the sector is being carefully considered as IRCC undertakes broader discussions about program renewal and funding beyond its current agreement cycle in 2029.

This was not a commitment to reinstate Stage 2. However, it was an important acknowledgement of a concern TESL Ontario has consistently raised: CLB 4 is simply not sufficient to prepare learners for postsecondary education or adult credit programs and, in many cases, does not provide the language proficiency needed for even basic employment. Without access to intermediate-level language training learners risk being left without a realistic pathway to continue their education, develop their careers or achieve their settlement goals.

Ontario’s Response: Strengthening Employment Pathways and Maintaining Higher-Level Training

Yvonne Ferrer of MLITSD confirmed that Ontario’s Adult Language Training Program continues to support beginner through advanced ESL and FSL instruction. The province has not yet observed a significant shift in enrolment following federal changes at higher levels, but it is monitoring demand and can work with providers to adjust course levels, formats and delivery plans.

Importantly, these adjustments must be made within a fixed funding envelope. Ontario’s system is already experiencing significant demand, having served 65,226 learners in 2025–26, with 5,678 learners on waitlists in October 2026. Provincial programming is an important part of the solution, but it cannot be assumed to absorb every learner affected by federal cuts.

A major emphasis in Yvonne’s presentation was the province’s effort to make employment relevant throughout language instruction. MLITSD is requiring providers to integrate employment-related content across language levels, alongside stronger connections with employment and training services.

This reflects the reality that, for many adult learners, acquiring English is closely connected to finding work, advancing their careers and making meaningful contributions to Ontario’s economy.

That emphasis is also evident in MLITSD’s new 2026 Call for Proposals, launched November 2. The ministry is seeking to expand occupation-specific workplace language training in priority sectors including health care, personal support work, skilled trades, education, STEM, customer service and manufacturing.

The CFP also maintains ESL and FSL instruction from beginner through advanced levels. Under the Newcomer Settlement Program, a new Career Pathways for Skilled Newcomers stream will support internationally trained newcomers in navigating credential recognition and accessing employment opportunities.

MLITSD is also funding a searchable, CLB-aligned inventory of employment-focused curriculum resources, being developed by Avenue Canada Solutions. The initiative aims to make existing resources more accessible and reduce the need for instructors and programs to develop similar materials independently.

Existing provincial funding agreements are being extended to July 31, 2027, with new projects scheduled to run from August 2027 through March 2030. This continuity may help organizations plan, although funding decisions and future program capacity have not yet been finalized.

Additional Pathways Through Adult Education

Daniel Denommé of Ontario’s Ministry of Education highlighted flexible adult credit options, including ESL and English Literacy Development courses and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.

During the discussion, he explained that funding for eligible adult credit programs follows student participation and demand, rather than fixed budgets. However, school boards may still face limits related to space and instructor availability.

These programs provide valuable opportunities for learners to progress toward secondary school credentials and postsecondary education, but they are not a complete substitute for accessible intermediate-level language training.

Looking Ahead: Reasons for Cautious Optimism

The panel did not offer quick fixes or a promise that lost federal programs will return. The pressures facing educators, administrators and learners remain substantial.

Still, several developments deserve attention: immigration targets that offer a steadier planning horizon, continued provincial support for advanced language learning, a stronger emphasis on employment-focused instruction, and federal recognition of the gap created by eliminating Stage 2.

TESL Ontario will continue to advocate for a connected language education system that does not leave learners stranded between foundational language skills and their next step.

Progress may come in small steps, but IRCC’s acknowledgement is an encouraging sign that our concerns are being heard. We will continue to bring forward our members’ experiences, reinforce our recommendations, and keep these important conversations moving forward. There is still a long way to go, but there is hope that our persistence is beginning to pay off.