‘Taking our future away’: Ontario students criticize Ford’s plan to cut OSAP grants

Premier Doug Ford is facing growing anger Monday night on college and university campuses across the province.

It’s over fears that the door to higher education is going to slam shut for a lot of students because of Ford’s latest post-secondary funding plan.

One student at McMaster University said, “a lot of us rely on this, and he’s taking away our future, basically.”

Another McMaster student said, “you’re just adding on to the burden that their families already face.”

The premier acknowledged he had been getting a lot of feedback on his plan to make students pay more for student loans.

“I’ve heard from a lot of students messaging me,” said Ford. “I appreciate their messages — some are pretty nasty, but some are very professional.”

Under Ford’s proposed changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), only up to 25 per cent of a student’s funding would be a grant.

The other 75 per cent would be a loan that has to be paid back.

Currently, post-secondary students can get up to 85 per cent of their OSAP funding as a grant leaving 15 per cent as a loan to be paid back.

READ MORE: Students disappointed by Ontario’s cuts to OSAP grants, tuition freeze lift

Students say their loans are already a huge burden that take years to pay off.

One McMaster student said if they received only 25 per cent in grants, they would be $60,000 in debt by the end of their undergraduate studies.

Student leaders say the changes will discourage people from going to university or college.

“It’s going to have a very large impact,” said Stephen DeCordova, the vice president of education for the McMaster Students Union. “Especially on those low to middle income class students, where they’re not going to be able to see that same proportion and it may become even unfeasible for them to attend post-secondary education, knowing that they’re not going to be able to pay off the loans once they’re done university.”

“With these OSAP changes of more grants, less loans,” said Kayla Weiler, the government relations and policy coordinator for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, “we’re going to see the next generation of students financially burdened with decades of student debt.”

“This makes my blood boil,” said NDP Opposition leader Marit Stiles, “to see what Doug Ford is doing to you and to your future.”

Stiles lined up students at Queen’s Park Monday to oppose the changes, with one who said “student’s dreams of attending post-secondary education have been eliminated.”

“When you take a course, you have to look at in-demand jobs — something that can drive our economy and it’s not a God-given right to take taxpayers’ money,” said Ford.

The premier says an education will pay for itself over time if it’s in the right science, technology and health classes.

“So focus on that and you’ll be able to pay back any loans,” said Ford.

McMaster University told CHCH News that they’re working with students to get them the support they need and dealing with questions about funding or deferring education, and they said it welcomes a broader conversation about keeping education affordable.

The Canadian Federation of Students says it has a campus “week of actions” coming up, including a rally by students at Queen’s Park on March 4.

WATCH MORE: Students and critics urge Ford government to reverse OSAP changes