Government Submissions

The province’s post-secondary sector is in a precarious state. Chronic underfunding, the international visa cap, and the cost-of-living crisis are actively making post-secondary education inaccessible and unaffordable for current and prospective students. To that end, OUSA’s 2025 pre-budget submission highlights pressing student concerns related to sector sustainability, student financial aid, mental health, and gender-based and sexual violence. As we enter a fiscal year with competing priorities across all industries and sectors, it is critical that post-secondary education remains top of mind for the government. If the province hopes to drive the economy forward and work in the best interests of students and their families, stronger financial commitments to the sector must be made.

While the pattern of post-secondary sector underfunding has been known for some time, the Blue Ribbon Panel report has shed light on the dire financial situation that universities are in. Several institutions have announced significant deficits and the risks to student services and programming, such as mental health and accessibility, are imminent. OUSA's 2024 pre-budget submission underscores the importance of higher investments in higher education and calls for improvements to OSAP repayment structures so that students can better afford their post-secondary education in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. The province has an opportunity to create a sustainable funding model that does not rely on international tuition, protects the sector, and ensures students do not lose critical resources that support their success in Ontario's post-secondary system and beyond.

In March 2023, the establishment of the Blue Ribbon Panel was announced by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. The Panel, comprised of experts with varying experiences among the sector, has been tasked with providing recommendations to the Ministry that improve the financial sustainability of the post-secondary sector while driving student excellence and success.

OUSA had an opportunity to provide a written submission and attend a virtual consultation with the Panel. Our submission focuses on the ways the provincial government can improve student affordability and services through measures in tuition, OSAP, government operating grants, and international student support. We are hopeful that the Panel will seriously consider student needs in their deliberations and look forward to seeing their final recommendations that address student concerns.

May 5th, 2021

The Honourable Ross Romano
Minister of Colleges and Universities
Ministry of Colleges and Universities
5th Floor, 438 University Ave
Toronto, ON M7A 1N3
cc:Deputy Minister Shelly Tapp 

Re: OUSA Asks Province to Stop OSAP Clawbacks

Dear Minister Romano,

On behalf of 150,000 professional and undergraduate students in Ontario, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is writing to express concerns regarding the $400M clawback in provincial funding to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for the 2020-21 school year.

OSAP provides crucial financial aid to students who are in most need of financial assistance. In the spirit of reducing the increased financial burden brought on by COVID-19, the federal government doubled the Canada Student Grant (CSG) in 2020-2021 and has committed to doubling the CSG for the next two years. However, OUSA is increasingly concerned that students in Ontario will not feel the positive effects of this policy change if the provincial government continues to claw back provincial portions from the OSAP calculation. We are concerned that the federal government’s investments in OSAP have been used as a cost-saving opportunity for the provincial government, instead of a means to ensure students are receiving additional financial aid. According to the recently announced fiscal plan and outlook, the provincial government reduced its OSAP expenditure by $400M in 2020-2021. We are concerned that, in the context of mass job loss and income disruptions during a global pandemic, provincial OSAP spending has decreased. Given that OSAP calculations factor in student and parental contributions, the financial impact of COVID-19 suggests that provincial spending should have increased. Students are concerned that the provincial government will continue to claw back provincial funding to OSAP and use the federal government’s additional CSG funding as a cost-savings mechanism for the next two years. 

Therefore, OUSA recommends the following: 

1. The Ministry of Colleges and Universities should stop OSAP clawbacks as a result of increased federal funding through Canada Student Grants. 
2. The Ministry of Colleges and Universities should invest any savings generated by the doubling of Canada Student Grants back into OSAP to provide more direct support for students who need it most.

Since the pandemic began, Ontario's students have become increasingly concerned about their ability to afford post-secondary education, access work-integrated learning opportunities, and manage their mental health. The recommendations in this submission will help ensure that students have the support they need to complete their education, gain practical experience, and maintain their well-being—ultimately preparing them to contribute to Ontario’s long-term recovery and building a future where all Ontarians are protected and supported.

Good afternoon PA Cho, Minister Yurek and Mr. Blodgett,

My name is Julia Pereira, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). This afternoon, I will be speaking on behalf of the 150,000 undergraduate and professional students we represent across eight universities in Ontario. I will use these 3 minutes to share OUSA’s three recommendations to provide immediate relief for students and to highlight the challenges students are currently facing.

Students across the province face significant financial barriers to accessing post-secondary education. The COVID-19 Pandemic has only exacerbated these barriers and increased student concerns about the affordability of post-secondary education.

OUSA continues to advocate for improvements to the Student Access Guarantee (SAG) program and OSAP to address the gaps that make post-secondary education unaffordable for students. 

On July 29, 2020, OUSA participated in “The Future of Learning and Prosperity,” a consultation with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to discuss the re-opening of campuses.