Government Submissions

June 19^th, 2020

The Honourable Ross Romano

Minister of Colleges and Universities

Ministry of Colleges and Universities

5^th Floor, 438 University Ave

Toronto, ON M7A 1N3

Cc:Deputy Minister Laurie LeBlanc 

Re: OSAP Estimator Concerns & OSAP Recommendations

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 status of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for the 2020-21 school year. 

As we enter the last week of June, students are making important decisions about their post-secondary education, including whether they can afford to return to school in the Fall. Unfortunately, because the OSAP assessment tool has not been finalized, students are unable to use the OSAP estimator to determine their funding eligibility. This prevents students from planning their finances effectively and making arrangements for the coming year.

In this report, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, the College Student Alliance, the Council of Ontario Universities, and Colleges Ontario make joint recommendations to the provincial government aimed at improving student mental health in postsecondary communities across the province. Highlighting the need for a 'whole-of-community' approach, life-long mental health care, and increased service provision, this report builds on the 2017 report In It Together: Taking Action on Student Mental Health.

Recent changes in post-secondary have left students feeling uncertain about their futures and worried about completing their studies. This submission responds to these changes by highlighting the need for investment in student financial aid, mental health care, sexual violence prevention, and experiential learning opportunities. Increased support in these areas will help ensure that all willing and qualified students are able to pursue a post-secondary education in Ontario.

This submission highlights the need for the next provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy to address the impact poverty has on access to, and success in, post-secondary education. It calls on the provincial government to make investments in student financial aid, work-integrated learning opportunities, and supports and services so all students have the opportunity to thrive.

On behalf of the College Student Alliance, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities, a joint pre-budget submission for Budget 2018 concerning the mental health of our students.

This submission highlights the need for further investment in open educational resources, experiential learning, and university funding to maintain and improve the affordability and quality of a university education in the province.

In the report, the four partners - the College Student Alliance, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities – say providing effective support for student mental health is one of the most pressing issues on college and university campuses today, and that post-secondary institutions have made addressing it a priority but can’t meet the challenge alone.

Students believe that a modern and robust university sector is critical to Ontario and while the 2016 Budget made great strides towards a more affordable and accessible post-secondary system with the changes to OSAP, we need to ensure the quality of education and experience of students is high. The publication and centralization of post-secondary data will enable smart, evidence based decisions, by policy makers and students alike. Taking further steps to making campuses free from sexual violence by creating a new Sexual Violence Prevention Unit in the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development offers a tangible step towards this goal. To make the university sector work for students (and work for Ontario) in creating the highly skilled workforce of the future, the government should create new partnerships and new incentive structures to promote and broaden experiential learning. Quality services will allow Ontario’s students to get the most out of their educational experience, and will greatly help reduce the non-financial barriers to postsecondary education. 

This document discusses aid disbursement when delays occur in the verification of family income, reviews of students with special circumstances, how OSAP’s allowable costs cap and the Student Access Guarantee (SAG) should behave in light of the OSG, and how the OSG should apply to students with disabilities. Overall, this submission serves to highlight the core principles that students believe should be kept at the forefront when creating solutions to the challenges arising from the implementation of the OSG.