Ontario students describe changes to OSAP funding after grant cuts

Ontario postsecondary students are seeing smaller OSAP grant amounts this school year after provincial changes took effect, with more of their aid shifted into loans. CBC News spoke with five students in Toronto, London, Guelph and other Ontario communities about how the changes are affecting tuition plans, work schedules and future education decisions. The Ford government announced the OSAP changes in February, reducing the provincial grant share students can receive from as much as 85 per cent to 25 per cent. The province has said the previous system was not financially sustainable and pointed to broader investments in colleges and universities. Students interviewed for the story said the reduced grants are increasing financial pressure and, in some cases, prompting them to consider more work, shared housing, delayed graduate studies or different career paths. The article also notes that OSAP funding is based on several factors, including course load and household income, though the program does not fully explain its calculation method.