Provincial Government Cuts Back on OSAP Grant Funding

Doug Ford’s conservative government announced changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) beginning this fall, altering the model from 85 per cent grants and 25 per cent loans to 85 per cent loans and 25 per cent grants. 

The new model has also rescinded the cap on tuition, now permitting universities and colleges to annually increase tuition by 2 per cent for the next three years.

“The federal government’s decision to remove grant eligibility from students at private career colleges, coupled with increased program uptake in recent years, has put billions of dollars of pressure on the OSAP,” says Kevin Holland, Thunder Bay Atikokan conservative MPP. “To restore sustainability to OSAP and ensure its availability for future generations, our government is aligning our student financial support framework with other jurisdictions across Canada,” 

According to Holland,  students will still be able to receive funding through an “enhanced” Student Access Guarantee and other financial assistance institutions. However, he did not specify what the changes to these structures would look like. 

Holland offered no comment on the criticism directed at the decision. 

Students are not convinced that these are positive changes. Those who rely on OSAP are concerned that this decision might discourage people from accessing higher education and significantly impact students in the long run. 

“Education is meant to be the great equalizer where people, no matter what circumstances they come from, have a chance to learn and grow and work hard to be thoughtful, well-rounded citizens,” says Lise Vaugeois, Thunder Bay-Superior North NDP MPP.

Vaugeois is shocked at the government’s decision to cut back on education spending. She says that Ontario has the lowest educational spending out of the provinces.  

“We don’t collect taxes to build luxury spas or to rip down the science center and build a smaller one so he can sell the land off to a developer,” says Vaugeois. 

“We pay taxes to look after each other and to make sure the next generation is able to get on its feet.”