OSAP Funding Freeze Leaves Career College Students in Limbo

The Ontario government has suspended all Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) payments for students at private career colleges, a move Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn says is necessary to investigate "egregious" use of public money and possible criminal activity.

According to reporting from CityNews Toronto, Quinn announced Tuesday that provincial police have been asked to investigate the issue after auditors flagged serious concerns. Additionally, the government commissioned an audit by KPMG in August. Bianca Giacoboni, a spokesperson for Quinn, stated that a system-wide pause was required because there are no assurances that the issues are not widespread.

Career Colleges Ontario is urging the province to reinstate funding for students who were already approved and are attending in-person classes. Spokesperson Taylor Buck argued that targeted action should be used to address misuse without penalizing students who enrolled in good faith. Court records indicate Career Colleges Ontario had been warning the province about suspicious activity since January 2023, per CityNews Toronto.

Students are reporting immediate financial distress. Daliah Gardoque, a student at the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries, noted she may have to borrow from family, while Caitlin Parker, a mother of six and health information management student at triOS College, said she is unsure if she can afford to stay in school without the funding for day-to-day expenses.

Quinn also stated that the government will introduce legislation to strip OSAP eligibility from online-only programs at private career colleges, as much of the concern focuses on those specific offerings. Data obtained by The Canadian Press via freedom-of-information requests revealed that just seven career colleges accounted for approximately $385 million in OSAP grants in 2024-25, equaling the total amount provided to all of Ontario's publicly funded colleges.