Ontario students brace for ‘vast amount’ of debt amid OSAP changes, tuition increases

As of August 1, Ontario students are facing significant changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), which have reduced the proportion of non-repayable grants from 85 percent to a maximum of 25 percent. The remaining financial aid is now provided in the form of repayable loans, leading to concerns regarding increased student debt levels across the province.

Individual students, such as those entering graduate studies at the University of Toronto, report that these policy shifts are forcing them to increase their working hours. Some students have indicated that the financial strain may necessitate reliance on food banks to manage the costs of their education alongside the anticipated growth in debt.