Ford gov't trims OSAP grants, unfreezes tuition
· Toronto Sun
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OTTAWA — The beginning of August marked some important changes for post-secondary school students.
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Among the important changes for those who rely on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to fund their education include changes to the proportion of grants offered through the program — which as of Aug. 1 are now capped at 25%.
Previously, the grant cap was set at 85%, meaning students now face taking at least 75% of their provincial funding as loans.
The new framework will also see provincial grants for career colleges cut entirely, with career college students now receiving 100% of their funding through loans.
Ontario also lifting 7-year tuition freeze
These changes also come as the province ends a seven-year-long freeze on tuition , which gives post-secondary education institutions the green light to hike domestic tuition fees by up to two per cent annually.
The Ford government are defending the restructuring as a necessary move to ensure long-term financial sustainability of both OSAP and post-secondary institutions — pointing to a $6.4-billion funding package announced earlier this year — and say gaps could be filled by the province’s Student Access Guarantee , which requires schools to provide additional funds to help cover the gap for eligible OSAP students.
Despite that, student advocacy groups are speaking out.
Rory Norris, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said many Ontario students rely on OSAP to fund their education, and that without meaning support, their ability to access post-secondary education will be impacted.
“While OUSA recognizes the importance of protecting the sector’s financial sustainability, we are concerned that this protection comes at the cost of students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds who lack alternative financial support,” he said, adding that a little over 43% of post-secondary school students use OSAP to cover over half of their education costs.
“Additional support through the Student Access Guarantee is a welcomed complementary policy; however, uncertainty regarding eligibility and its implementation continues to raise apprehension among Ontario students and their families.”
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