Why students are walking out of classes today
In the wake of Premier Doug Ford’s OSAP cuts, questions persist around how the program actually works. CBC’s Julia Knope breaks down what we know.
Hello, I’m Andrew Lupton with CBC News in London, one of the Ontario cities where students are walking out of classes today.
Across the province, high schoolers are protesting cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) that will include slashing how much they’ll receive in grant money for when they attend post-secondary school.
The province announced the OSAP changes on Feb. 12. They’re expected to take effect for programs that start on or after Aug. 1.
The way OSAP is now structured, students are eligible for both loans and grants, which is money they don’t have to repay. Changes under Premier Doug Ford’s government, however, will mean only 25 per cent of OSAP funding would come from grants, so students would have to take more out in loans they’ll have to repay later.
Since those changes were announced, students have been speaking out about how those changes would affect their post-secondary education. Many are concerned the grant cuts will drive up costs and limit their options, and leave them in more debt after their studies are over.
Ford and other provincial officials have justified the changes by saying OSAP, which is a partnership with the federal government, has become too expensive.
