Students gathered at Carleton University on Thursday as part of a province-wide day of protest against changes to Ontario’s post-secondary funding system. Carrying signs voicing their opposition to the changes, demonstrators called on the Ontario government to reverse cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), saying the reductions are making post-secondary education more difficult to afford. The rally was organized by a coalition that included the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), the Graduate Students’ Association, student clubs, faculty and staff unions. Nathan Harlan, vice-president of student issues with CUSA, says the changes have forced some students to drop out or shorten their degrees because they can no longer afford to continue. “For this protest, one goal is to reverse the cuts, reduce the amount of loans that are required to get a higher education,” says Harlan. “We really want to have a system where students can afford to go to school and where we can actually build a stronger Ontario.” He says organizers are also concerned about the potential impact of Bill C-33 on student organizations and services, including campus food banks. “At a time when, for instance, the uOttawa food bank is seeing a 400 per cent increase in demand over the last four years, that is an incredible challenge to students, ultimately, and young people are going to be severely impacted by these cuts.” he says. The changes, which took effect for the 2026-27 academic year, slashed the maximum portion of OSAP funding available as non-repayable grants for students at publicly funded colleges and universities from 85 per cent to 25 per cent, with the remainder provided as loans. The province also eliminated grants for students attending private career colleges and ended a tuition freeze, allowing post-secondary institutions to raise tuition by up to two per cent each year. For first-year student Helen Fleming, the protest was an opportunity to make students’ concerns heard. “This is affecting my peers and some of the cuts came between when applications were submitted and accepted, and when we came to university. So I’ve had friends who had to change plans because they could no longer afford the option that they chose without OSAP support,” she says. “I’ve had other friends who have just had to change careers entirely because they can no longer afford post-secondary and really, education costs can be quite inequitable in this country, and I think that OSAP was a big help for a lot of people and now it’s just being pulled out from under us.” The changes come amid investigations into suspected misuse of OSAP funding at some private career colleges, The province has ordered an independent audit, referred its preliminary findings to the Ontario Provincial Police and the auditor general. The government has also frozen OSAP payments to private post-secondary institutions while the review continues. The Carleton University demonstration was among a series of rallies organized at campuses across Ontario on Thursday.
