Post-secondary students in Ontario will face a new economic reality when they return to school this fall. Tuition, which had remained frozen since 2019, increased by two per cent. The Ford government has also made drastic changes to the OSAP program. Previously, approximately 85 per cent of financial aid was achieved through grants. Under the new model, grants will only make up a maximum of 25 per cent of funding. “[What] I’m hearing from a lot of students is that affordability piece,” said Rory Norris, vice president of government stakeholder relations and president of the Ontario Undergrad Student Alliance. “I think it’s affecting students across the board, not only when it comes to their tuition costs, but obviously housing and the cost of food. All of these things have been increasing over the past couple of years.” Norris also noted that students from lower income families will be hardest hit by the changes to OSAP. “We’ve seen students who are taking more classes online,” he said. “I know a student in particular who isn’t going to be taking any in-person classes anymore. I’m seeing students who are taking on additional part-time jobs and, particularly, more hours in those part-time jobs to able to support themselves.” Norris hopes the province will eliminate or reduce the amount of interest owed. According to the government, the changes to OSAP were necessary due to increasing costs. They project OSAP will cost the province approximately $2.7 billion in 2026. Currently, students have six months after their study period ends to start paying back their loan. Norris wants the province to give OSAP recipients a little more leeway. He believes students would gain more financial stability with a two-year delay.
