OSAP growth was driven mainly by career college students, data shows
OSAP grants rise as private career colleges capture most new funding in Ontario See how the data reshapes the debate over student aid cuts and who benefits
New figures obtained through a freedomofinformation request suggest that most of the recent increase in Ontario Student Assistance Program grants came from students at private career colleges.
Between the 202324 and 202425 academic years, Ontario spent $465 million more on OSAP grants, and about 95 per cent of that growth went to career college students, according to the data reported by The Canadian Press. University students saw grant support decline slightly, while publicly funded college students saw a smaller increase.
The figures have renewed criticism of the Ford government’s decision earlier this year to reduce the grant portion of student aid. Opposition parties said the numbers do not support the argument that rising OSAP costs required broad cuts affecting university and public college students.