We, the undersigned students of Ontario’s private career colleges, are calling for the immediate reinstatement of OSAP funding for students who were already approved prior to the province‑wide pause announced in September 2024.

The government has stated that OSAP payments were paused due to concerns identified in a third‑party audit of the private career college sector. While oversight and accountability are important, the current blanket pause is unfairly punishing students who followed every rule, submitted all required documentation, and were deemed eligible by the Ministry itself.

Why This Pause Is Causing Harm
Many private‑college students come from financially vulnerable backgrounds. We are:

Individuals with poor or rebuilding credit scores
Single parents
Newcomers
Low‑income workers seeking better employment
Students who rely on OSAP because traditional bank loans are not accessible
By pausing OSAP for students who were already approved, the government has placed thousands of vulnerable learners in an impossible situation. We are now being told to pursue “low‑interest bank loans,” despite the fact that many of us cannot qualify due to bad credit — the very reason OSAP exists.

Students Should Not Be Punished for Issues Beyond Their Control
The Ministry approved our applications. We met every requirement. We acted in good faith.

We should not lose our funding because of investigations into institutions we do not control. Students who were already approved should be grandfathered in and allowed to continue their studies without interruption.

We Are Calling For:
Immediate reinstatement of OSAP funding for all students who were approved prior to the pause.
A clear timeline for when payments will resume.
Protection for students with poor credit, who cannot access bank loans.
Transparency regarding how the pause affects currently enrolled students who are mid‑program.
Education Should Not Be Taken Away From Those Who Need It Most
We urge the Government of Ontario to recognize the severe and immediate impact this pause has on students who are already approved, already enrolled, and already struggling. We should not be punished for circumstances outside our control.

We respectfully request that OSAP funding be reinstated for approved students without delay.

Signed, Students of Ontario’s Private Career Colleges