A provincewide freeze on financial aid payments for students attending Ontario career colleges will continue for several months, as confirmed by the government, leading many students to fear it might hinder their graduation plans.
Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn shared late Tuesday that the freeze will remain until a new process is put in place for approving private post-secondary institutions under the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
Quinn mentioned that this work likely won’t be completed until the beginning of next year, adding that the government is still trying to secure alternative loans for students through banks.
The minister initiated this pause following preliminary findings from an audit of OSAP usage at career colleges, which raised serious concerns.
However, many students feel they are being unfairly affected by the questionable actions of others. They, along with Career Colleges Ontario, are urging for a more focused approach to identify and address any wrongdoers.
“We are disappointed that yesterday’s announcement means students and compliant institutions will continue to face uncertainty until at least the new year,” Career Colleges Ontario stated in a Wednesday release.
“While we back stronger oversight measures and proposed legislation aimed at protecting OSAP’s integrity, numerous students are struggling to pay rent, support their families, and keep up with their studies.”
Students Express Fears About Their Academic Future
For students like Jennifer Koster in Trillium College’s law clerk program-who was planning to graduate in February-the promise of a solution so far away is not comforting.
“The only way that I could describe it was a bomb being dropped on me,” she said regarding earlier news about the pause on OSAP payments for all career college attendees.
Things have gotten even trickier for Trillium College students since last week when classes were suspended across campuses due to uncertainties surrounding OSAP. Several students reported that the school suggested putting them on payment plans with monthly fees around $1,500-an amount they can’t afford without OSAP assistance.
Koster relies on the Ontario Disability Support Program and mentioned she’d need to allocate almost her entire monthly disability check toward tuition if that level of payment was required.
“I went to college to better my future, and now.. it feels like it’s leaving my entire future in jeopardy,” Koster said.
WATCH | Students react to OSAP pause for private colleges:
Students left stranded as Ontario halts OSAP funding for private colleges
Ontario has halted all OSAP payments for career college students while an audit into possible misuse of financial aid continues. As CBC’s Lorenda Reddekopp explains, students worry about their education hanging in balance.
Scott Daley, who studies massage therapy at CTS Canadian Career College campus in Barrie, stated that the halt of OSAP funding extending into next year adds significant stress.
“We’ve had times where we weren’t sure where we were going to be able to get groceries,” Daley said.</P
“We have to kind of rob Peter just to pay Paul. It’s kind of over the top right now.. I’ve lost sleep. I’m not eating properly right now because of it.”</P
Deanna Hutten, a second-year master’s student at Mc Master Divinity College studying counselling and spiritual care has decided to reduce her course load while picking up extra hours at work so she can afford school expenses.</P
“This is [because of] something that I didn’t do,” she expressed. “It’s something that the government mismanaged.”</P
PROVINCE ACKNOWLEDGES PAUSE WILL IMPACT STUDENTS</H2
Quinn acknowledged Tuesday in his statement recognizing how much this pause affects students
“While necessary TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF osap AND TO PROTECT ONTARIO TAXPAYERS FROM ABUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT THIS WORK IS HAVING ON STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE,” HE WROTE.
“THIS IMPACT IS NOT LOST ON US AS WE WORK TO RESTORE INTEGRITY TO THE SYSTEM AND PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH GREATER CERTAINTY AND STABILITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.”</H2
ONTARIO CAREER COLLEGE SUSPENDING ALL CLASSES IN WAKE OF osap PAUSE: p >TRILLIUM COLLEGE HAS SUSPENDED ALL CLASSES AFTER ONTARIO PAUSED osap FUNDING FOR PRIVATE CAREER COLLEGES. CBC’S LORENDA REDDEKOPP SPEAKS TO STUDENTS LEFT STRANDED MID-PROGRAM.
MARINA WHITEHEAD , A TRILLIUM COLLEGE STUDENT IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICE WORKER PROGRAM SAID SHE TOO IS SUPPOSED TO FINISH IN FEBRUARY AND NOW DOESN’T KNOW IF THAT WILL HAPPEN.
SHE IS FRUSTRATED BOTH WITH THE GOVERNMENT ’S SWEEPING osap PAUSE AND TRILLIUM’S HANDLING OF IT.
“THE GOVERNMENT , THEY GET TO FINISH THEIR DAY AT FIVE , GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES , AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS GOING TO COME FROM ,” WHITEHEAD SAID.
“THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AN EVICTION NOTICE IN THE MAIL. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PUTTING IN SO MUCH HARD WORK JUST TO THROW IT DOWN THE DRAIN. … I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO WALK A MILE IN US , THE STUDENTS ’ SHOES.”
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