As Ontario makes cuts to student aid program, here’s what we know

The province is revamping how the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) works, slashing the amount that eligible students can get in the form of grants.

Many students have denounced the changes, which the government says are necessary for sustainability, saying they will send them further into debt upon graduating or are making them reconsider their academic plans entirely. 

CBC News tried to get clarity from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Economic and Social Development Canada — the two ministries responsible for determining how much money students get — about how these cuts will affect OSAP’s structure, and how the system actually works. 

While spokespersons provided some information, they did not get into specifics or explain how the new changes will impact students. 

In an effort to get a better understanding of the program, CBC News spoke with higher education experts and reviewed public records, including information posted online by university financial aid offices.   

Here’s what we’ve learned:

OSAP is a financial aid program that gives money to current or incoming students in university or college to pay for school. 

That money comes in the form of grants (money you don’t pay back) and loans (money you do pay back). 

While OSAP is a provincial program, the money you get actually comes from both the provincial and federal governments, according to the program