Middlesex Memorial Tower, Western University (Photo Credits: Samantha Luis)
On February 12th, the Ford government announced there would be a policy change to OSAP coming fall of 2026. This change being the maximum grant dropping from 85% to 25%, as well as private career colleges will no longer be receiving any grants.
We spoke with Jerry Peng, a Western engineering student about why he wanted to help organize Save OSAP London. Peng says the policy changes may lead many students including himself to delay their education or drop out completely.
Another notable difference is tuition costs of publicly assisted colleges and universities are now allowed to increase tuition by up to 2% per year for three years.
Peng says these changes, “will make the current students and future students struggle in debt.”
Peggy Sattler, MPP of London West states, “young people simply can’t get ahead.”
Terence Kernaghan, MPP of London North Centre has also released a statement following this. “Students in my riding are telling me they are terrified about what these OSAP cuts mean for them right now,” said Kernaghan. “Students at Western, Huron, and King’s made financial plans and were counting on receiving these grants. Now they are being told those grants will be replaced with loans, and that means graduating with far more debt than they planned for.
The Save OSAP protests will take place February 28th and March 1st from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at London’s Victoria Park.
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