Barrie students plan demonstration to protest OSAP cuts

Bear Creek and Innisdale secondary schools will walk out March 11.

Barrie students are planning on walking out of school next Wednesday to protest the cuts to Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) grant funding.

The walkout is expected to be part of a broader student movement involving 60 schools across the province.

The demonstrations are to raise awareness and pressure the Ontario government to reverse the cuts to financial assistance for post-secondary education.

Bear Creek Secondary School and Innisdale Secondary School students are planning to protest outside of MPP Andrea Khanjin’s office at 237 Mapleview Drive East, Unit 1 at 12 p.m. on Wed., March 11.

In an email to CTV News, Fynn Touchette, a grade 12 student at Bear Creek and the organizer of the school’s Save OSAP demonstration, said they hope to get Khanjin’s support in reversing the cuts to OSAP funding. They hope this gets to the Minister of Colleges and Universities and Premier Doug Ford.

“We believe these changes are harmful to all Ontarians,” Touchette said. “Access to education is not just a personal benefit, but a public good. When more people can afford college and university, communities benefit from a stronger workforce, a healthier economy and greater opportunity, which is why accessible post secondary education must be protected.”

Students from Barrie North Collegiate Institute and Eastview Secondary School are expected to protest in front of MPP Doug Downey’s office at 20 Bell Farm Road at 12:30 p.m. also on Wednesday.

The Ontario government made an announcement on Feb. 12 that starting this fall, OSAP grants will decrease from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent.