Get SET Program — Investment Impact Dashboard

Learning Networks of Ontario  ·  2026 Pre-Budget Submission

Get SET is Ontario's most efficient workforce investment — and it's underfunded.

Funding has been frozen since 2017-18. Meanwhile, demand is up 25%, providers are closing, and learners are being turned away.

$108M
Current Funding
Frozen since 2017–18
46,000+
Learners Served Annually
Across 16 regional networks
46.8%
Ontarians with Inadequate Literacy
Signal49 Research (prev. Conf. Board of Canada)
+25%
Demand Increase
Over 2 years — $0 new funding

Return on Investment

Every dollar invested returns multiple dollars to Ontario.

Two complementary analyses — one conservative and grounded in fiscal savings, one broader capturing full economic impact — both point to the same conclusion: Get SET pays for itself.

Conservative Estimate
$2.50–$4.50

Public fiscal return per $1 invested

Based on reduced Ontario Works reliance, increased employment, and improved apprenticeship certification rates. Calculated from direct, measurable fiscal savings only.

Source: LNO Economic Impact Snapshot (conservative model)
Broader Economic Return
$7+

Total economic return per $1 invested

Includes employability gains, productivity improvements, earnings growth over time, and reduced long-term social assistance reliance across the broader Ontario economy.

Source: Independent economic analysis
Multi-Year Potential
5:1–10:1

When multi-year effects are included

Including cumulative tax contributions, earnings growth, reduced recidivism, intergenerational education effects, and employer productivity gains — the return grows substantially over time.

Source: LNO Economic Impact Snapshot (extended model)

The Evidence

Here's exactly how we calculated it.

The conservative $2.50–$4.50 figure is based on two independently calculated pathways: faster exit from Ontario Works, and improved apprenticeship certification.

🏗️

Ontario Works: Faster Exit to Employment

ROI: $8,000 ÷ $2,300 cost per learner ≈ 3.5 : 1

~310,000 OW cases in Ontario Avg. duration: 36 months ~70% have high school or less
1
Conservative assumption Get SET reduces average time on OW by just 3 months
2
OW cost savings $1,000/month (benefits + admin) × 3 months = $3,000 saved per participant
$3,000
3
Employment tax contribution Modest employment at $40,000/year → approx. $5,000 in tax (Year 1 only)
$5,000
4
Total benefit per learner OW savings + employment tax contribution
$8,000
5
Excludes multi-year gains Reduced repeat exam attempts, ongoing earnings growth, reduced OW recidivism
not counted
Return on Investment
$8,000 benefit ÷ $2,300 cost per learner
3.5 : 1
🔧

Apprenticeship: Certification & Earnings

ROI: $6,000 ÷ $2,300 cost per learner ≈ 2.6 : 1

Completion rate: 46–47% CofQ pass rate: 44.5% Wage gain after cert: ~$25,000/yr
1
Conservative assumption Get SET increases apprenticeship certification success by 5 percentage points
2
Earnings differential Journeyperson wages exceed pre-certification earnings by approx. $25,000/year
+$25,000
3
Tax contribution (Year 1 only) Conservative public tax contribution from higher earnings
$6,000
Return on Investment
$6,000 benefit ÷ $2,300 cost per learner
2.6 : 1
📌

These conservative figures don't include…

The $2.50–$4.50 model deliberately excludes a range of well-documented benefits. Including even modest versions of these effects would push the ROI into the 5:1 to 10:1 range.

Multi-year tax contributions Earnings growth over time Reduced OW recidivism Health & justice system savings Intergenerational education effects Employer productivity gains Reduced repeat exam attempts GDP & provincial output growth
Bottom line: Get SET is not a social support program — it is a workforce acceleration investment. Even under the most cautious assumptions, every $1 invested returns between $2.50 and $4.50 in measurable public value.

Funding Scenario Explorer

What would more investment unlock?

Use the slider or select a scenario to see the projected impact of different funding levels — on learners served, economic returns, and Ontario Works outcomes.

Current
Status Quo
$108M
No increase
~46,000 learners
2026 Ask
Interim Stabilization
$136M
+$28M (+26%)
~53,000 learners
Year 2 Growth
$145M
+$37M (+34%)
~57,000 learners
Year 3 Expansion
$170M
+$62M (+57%)
~66,000 learners
Year 4 Full Capacity
$200M
+$92M (+85%)
~78,000 learners
$108M
$108M (Current) $136M (2026 Ask) $170M $200M (Goal)
Learners Served
46,000
Current baseline
Conservative Fiscal Return
$270M
At $2.50 per $1 invested
Broader Economic Return
$756M
At $7 per $1 invested

Projected Impact by Outcome Area

OW Cost Savings
$161M
Employment Tax Gains
$230M
Apprentice Cert. ROI
$28M
Broader GDP Impact
$756M

Total estimated annual economic return to Ontario

Conservative estimate: $2.50–$4.50 return per $1  ·  Broader estimate: $7+ per $1
$756M

What LNO Is Asking For

Three recommendations for the 2026 Ontario Budget.

These recommendations reflect both the urgent stabilization needs of the Get SET ecosystem and the strategic investment required for long-term program effectiveness.

01
Urgent

Immediate Interim Stabilization Funding

Provide $28M in interim funding for 2026-27 to stabilize a proven, high-ROI system. Prevents further provider closures and maintains the ecosystem while program redesign proceeds.

$28M ask — 2026-27
02
Collaborative

Consult with LNO on Program Redesign

The Ministry should engage LNO to co-develop a sustainable, outcomes-focused system that reflects on-the-ground realities across Ontario's 16 regional networks.

Co-design with the sector
03
Strategic

Expedited Review & Multi-Year Funding Model

Undertake a time-bound program review guided by better employment outcomes, reduced red tape, and a stable multi-year funding model that allows providers to plan and grow.

Path to $200M by 2029-30