Students welcome tuition cut, but worry over OSAP changes

University and college students in Ottawa say they're happy to hear tuition will dropby 10 per cent in September, but worry about changes to loans and grants that couldleave them struggling to pay offdebt.

Merrilee Fullerton, the MPP for Kanata-Carleton and minister of training, colleges and universities, announced Thursday that the average college student will save $340 per year, and university undergraduates will save between $600 and $1,000 as a result of the tuition cuts.

• Ontario PCs to eliminate free tuition for low-income students

At the same time, she said the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) will undergo yet another overhaul, citing a recent audit and criticizingthe former Liberal government for allowing it to "balloon to the point of fiscal unsustainability."

Today's announcementalso effectively eliminates the fully covered tuition put in place by the Liberalsfor families earning less than $50,000.

The Carleton University Student Union had been advocating for tuition cuts for some time, but said the changes to OSAP turned good news into bad.

"I think it started out on a high but after all the revelations that came after it's kind of a time of limbo for students, there's a cloud hanging over any student who might be receiving assistance," said David Oladejo, president of the student union.

Tuition changes good and bad, says CUSA president

6 years ago

Duration 0:33

David Oladejo, president of the Carleton University Students' Association, shares his thoughts on the positive and negative effects of the changes to tuition in Ontario.

In statements to CBC News, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University said they would be reviewing how the government's changes will affect them.

Meanwhile, Algonquin College said the news of the tuition cut came as a surprise and will create a $9-million hole in its budget.

"We'll have to go back and take a look at projects that we can't start or different operating budgets that we have," said President Cheryl Jensen.

All three schools said their priority with any changes is students.

Lingering questions

On the Carleton University campus, reaction to news of the tuition cuts was equally guarded.

"I'd be excited for that, really excited for that. I just wish it was more," said third-year neuroscience student Venance Selemani.

Selemanisaid he pays about $9,000 a year in tuition, an amount he can't cover with his minimum-wage job at a grocery store.He depends on OSAP to make up the shortfall, and worried the changes to the loan program could jeopardize that source of money.

"It's already a struggle to get. It's a long process," he said.

Michelle Macland, a mother ofthree children under 10,transferedto Carletonas a mature student for a final year of social work courses.

She saidthe former Liberal government's OSAP policyallowed her to return to school, and suggested the PC overhaul will make things more difficult to students like her.

"Ford preaches that he's putting money back in the hands of Ontarians, but is he?" she asked.

Macland said she fears the OSAP changes will make it difficult for low-income families to attend college or university and "break the cycle of poverty."