JASON SETNYK
The Ontario government has announced $6.4 billion in new post-secondary funding, along with sweeping changes to tuition and OSAP, as institutions across the province continue to grapple with a deepening financial crisis. The changes announced by Ontario Colleges and Universities Minister and SDSG MPP Nolan Quinn include ending the eight-year tuition freeze and shifting OSAP toward a more loan-heavy model that critics warn will increase student debt.
Meanwhile, St. Lawrence College is not yet sure how the measures will affect the school.
“In order to protect our province, it is imperative that we continue to train a strong, highly skilled workforce for Ontario,” said Quinn. “Through these changes… our government is not only ensuring the sustainability of our colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes, but also preparing our graduates with the in-demand skills they need… while continuing to keep education accessible.”
Under the updated tuition framework, publicly assisted colleges and universities will be permitted to raise fees by up to 2% annually for three years starting in 2026-27, followed by caps tied to inflation. A 2% increase would add about $179 to the average university tuition of $8,958, and roughly $50 to the average $2,400 college diploma.
The province also confirmed a major shift in financial aid: a maximum of 25% of OSAP will be issued as grants, down dramatically from the current 85%, with the remainder provided as loans. While the government says an enhanced Student Access Guarantee will protect low-income students, early reaction from students and opposition parties has been sharply critical. Students interviewed by CBC described the combined tuition and OSAP changes as “unfair,” and MPPs say they are hearing similar concerns.
The announcement comes amid an extended period of sector-wide cost-cutting that began in 2025, driven by stagnant tuition, Ontario’s lowest-in-Canada provincial funding per student, and a sharp decline in international enrolment. While sector leaders point to all of these pressures, Quinn focused mainly on the federal cap on international students when describing the financial strain. Across Ontario, colleges have suspended hundreds of program intakes, eliminated thousands of positions, and consolidated or closed campuses. Universities have undergone restructuring, hiring freezes, and deficit-reduction plans.
At St. Lawrence College, President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt said the investment arrives at a pivotal moment. “We are grateful the government has recognized the critical role Ontario’s colleges play in delivering job-ready graduates across high-demand sectors,” he said. “This investment is a game changer for Ontario. The details of what exactly the funding announcement will mean for Ontario’s post-secondary institutions, including SLC, have not yet been shared. We look forward to the next steps.”
SLC previously suspended 55 program intakes, representing about 40 per cent of its offerings in 2025, and there have been concerns in both Cornwall and Brockville about reduced student services, including the replacement of Cornwall’s head librarian with a book-vending machine.
Opposition parties argued the announcement downloads costs onto students. NDP critic Peggy Sattler warned that tuition hikes and OSAP changes will force young people deeper into debt. “Under Doug Ford’s watch, young people simply can’t get ahead,” she said. “Ford’s plan to hike tuition and cut OSAP grants will make it impossible for young people to build a future in Ontario… You cannot claim historic investments while telling schools and students to do more with less.”
Liberal critic Tyler Watt said that while increased funding is welcome, it cannot come at the expense of affordability. “After years of chronic underfunding, increased investment is necessary-but it does not erase the damage that has already been done,” Watt said. “Changes to the OSAP grant model risk pushing education further out of reach… weakening the provincial grant program risks saddling the next generation with even more debt.”
The government says the new funding model will support 70,000 in-demand student seats and raise annual operating funding to its highest level in provincial history. The announcement also comes as the Financial Accountability Office warns that Ontario is not on pace to balance the budget in 2026-27, despite the government’s stated plan.
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