Vibrant communities begin with strong care, and across Niagara the demand for healthcare professionals and community-based services is mounting.
The new Health Education building at Niagara College is addressing this growing demand, increasing capacity to educate future healthcare professionals, and enhancing the delivery of on-campus community health services.
An unprecedented healthcare crisis is putting access to quality care at risk.
Frontline healthcare workers are stretched to their limits.
In Niagara, these shortages mean people face longer wait times and fewer options for care.
At the same time, Niagara College’s health programs like the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) are at capacity, with many qualified students on waitlists.
Increasing frontline healthcare education is a direct response to this challenge.
By increasing student enrollment, Niagara College can help build the skilled workforce Niagara needs, now and for the future.
By 2032, Ontario will be short 33,000 nurses and 50,000 personal support workers.
A rendering of the new Health Education building at the Welland Campus.
Niagara College’s frontline healthcare education expansion at the Welland Campus is a strategic initiative aimed at addressing Ontario’s growing healthcare crisis. Spanning two storeys, the expansion is an addition to the Applied Health Institute, opened in 2011. The new Health Education building will feature a Canadian-source mass timber frame construction that will be the largest of its kind in Niagara.
An unprecedented healthcare crisis, caused by chronic staff shortages, increased demand, and insufficient funding, is threatening access to quality care for residents in Niagara and Ontario.
Ontario will be short 33,000 nurses and 50,000 personal support workers by 2032.
As a leader in applied nursing education for more than five decades, Niagara College expanded its program offerings in 2024 to include the new Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing within the Myhal School of Nursing.
The College’s new Health Education building will additionally:
These improvements will ensure more qualified nurses and personal support workers are ready to step into vital roles to support more patients, families, and healthcare teams in areas of great need.
Oral health is a key component of overall well-being, yet access to affordable dental care remains limited for many across Niagara. Niagara College’s new Health Education building will significantly enhance dental education and community service delivery by increasing capacity for both students and patients.
The upgraded facilities will support the region’s growing need for trained dental professionals, while more than doubling the number of community members who can access care through the on-campus clinic.
These upgrades will allow more students to graduate from high-demand dental programs, while expanding community access to underserved populations across the Niagara region.
Demand for emergency services is placing increased strain on paramedic teams across Niagara and Ontario, with longer response times, delayed offloads at hospitals, and shortages of trained professionals creating significant gaps in urgent care.
The Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs estimates 1,100 to 1,200 new paramedics are needed each year, yet, only about 700 are expected to graduate from college programs annually.
Niagara College’s new Health Education building will significantly enhance paramedic training to increase program capacity, improve hands-on learning, and better prepare graduates to meet the region’s urgent first responder needs.
These enhancements will give students the experience and skills needed to respond effectively in high-stakes situations, while helping to strengthen emergency care systems across the region.
Hundreds of pharmacy technician and community pharmacy assistant job vacancies across Ontario underscore a serious workforce shortage. Through its new Health Education building, Niagara College will significantly enhance pharmacy technician and community pharmacy assistant training by growing enrollments by one-third to enable more students to enter this essential profession.
Niagara College graduates are integral to local healthcare teams, with many currently serving at Niagara Health and hospitals throughout the region. This expansion will help close workforce gaps and strengthen pharmacy services across Niagara and beyond.
To better prepare skilled graduates to meet growing healthcare demands, … Niagara College is adding a Health and Community Hub to its new Health Education building at the Welland Campus.
This transformative, multi-use Hub will enhance hands-on learning for students in allied health programs, such as nursing, personal support worker, paramedics and more, while delivering essential health services to the community.
The Hub will prepare students to work collaboratively across disciplines, just as they will in hospitals, clinics, and community care environments.
Supervised by registered health professionals, students will gain practical experience delivering high-quality patient care to Niagara residents while completing their curriculum-required clinical practicums.
Beyond supporting student learning, Niagara College will work with health partners from across the Region to offer these new flex spaces for bookable clinics.
Currently, limited clinical placement opportunities restrict enrollment in some of Niagara College’s essential healthcare programs. The new Health and Community Hub will address this barrier by expanding on-campus clinical training options, benefiting both student learning and community healthcare access.
By embedding comprehensive care directly into campus life, the Hub will strengthen local healthcare capacity, improve access to vital services, and empower students to become leaders in the communities they serve.
The new Health Education building at Niagara College represents a community-driven solution to address urgent healthcare challenges across the region.
By contributing to this initiative, you can help increase the number of skilled healthcare professionals working in Niagara.
Your support, through the Together campaign, will help close critical gaps in care, train more healthcare professionals, and build a stronger, more accessible healthcare system for communities across Niagara.
Join us and make a difference where it matters most. Donate today and help build the future of healthcare in Niagara.
Senior Director, Development and Donor Stewardship
Groundbreaking: August 2025
Anticipated substantial completion & occupancy: August 2027
square foot addition to the existing Applied Health Institute (AHI)
The project is being designed to meet Net Zero and Carbon Neutral standards, with aggressive energy efficiency targets.
Niagara College’s Sustainability Plan emphasizes stewardship of the land, and this project will feature landscaping with native, drought-resistant plants and prioritizing Canadian-sourced materials.
million dollar budget
The design is welcoming, inclusive, and thoughtful, meeting enhanced accessibility standards such as the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification.
