November 2026
Re: “Hundreds protest OSAP overhaul at Mac” (Kate McCullough, Hamilton Spectator, 6 November):
In a case of déjà vu all over again, as Yogi Berra once remarked, we have students, once again, complaining about rising tuition costs and cutbacks to OSAP. This is in response to Premier Doug Ford’s plan to reduce the amount of OSAP designated as grants from 85% to 25%, along with the temporary suspension of OSAP payments while the government investigates potential fraud.
It’s regrettable that for those who are able to secure a spot in a post-secondary institution, many will have to incur more debt to obtain that degree/diploma. Some who do not have any financial resources beyond OSAP may not be able to continue their education, and that is unfortunate.
That said, I reminded my daughter that nothing is free in this world. Just because you don’t have to personally reach into your wallet, doesn’t mean that someone else isn’t paying the bill. That “free” money you are getting from OSAP is paid for by taxpayers across the province and country. That’s why your pay stub will include a list of the taxes taken off your paycheque, even for students working a part-time job after school, that go to pay for all the social services we enjoy, including OSAP.
Instead of complaining that you’re not getting your “free” money from the government, keep in mind that the governments that you vote for, at all levels, have been overspending your tax dollars on all or the “free” things we get in Canada decades. The interest on the money the government is borrowing is way past the alarming rate, with the federal government spending $60 million in interest payments and the Ontario provincial government spending $17.4 million. That’s just the interest portion, not paying down any of the principle, and that’s money that goes to the loan bondholders, not to Canadian social programs. Think of all the “free” OSAP grants that could be approved if the federal and provincial governments didn’t have to pay that money to Bay Street bondholders. It’s no wonder OSAP is being cut back to include more repayable loans. There’s all the other federal and provincial social programs that could be funded to higher levels too if we didn’t have those interest payments, so don’t forget about that too! How many hospital beds, nurses or rural hospitals could we fund with that kind of money?
The Ontario government spends $6.4 billion on post-secondary, so why isn’t that adequate? Maybe it’s time for a complete rethinking of what a post-secondary education should look like and schools should concentrate on programs that will lead to productive, good paying jobs, at least for the ones that are funded by the taxpayers. If you want a degree in Martian Dance Theory, students should pay the full cost, otherwise it gets eliminated in favour of programs that will qualify you for more than employment as a barista.
By the way, if you play it right, that job as a barista may actually lead to better things. I occasionally remind people that companies like McDonalds and Tim Hortons have internal, fully-funded management training programs that can lead to a very rewarding career, either in the restaurant itself, or in the corporate offices. That cashier asking “Do you want fries with that?” might become the CEO in 20 years, so perhaps consider saving your tuition money for a potentially lucrative corporate career. Isn’t capitalism great!
Numerous employers offer their employees and eligible dependents grants and bursaries that can help pay tuition costs, as do other community and social groups. Sometimes you have to go looking for them, but they are available to eligible applicants. There are also apprenticeships in the skilled trades and the Canadian Armed Forces, who will not only partially or fully fund your education, they will also guarantee you a job after you graduate.
For parents out there, the most responsible thing that you can do for their children is start an RESP; the sooner the better. That RESP, one that the government does contribute to a small degree, doesn’t have to be big enough to fund an entire 4-year program. Even a small amount of money will prove helpful if your financial resources are limited. Additionally, there are few reasons why the student couldn’t get part-time job to contribute financially, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their studies. I was extremely fortunate that I my parents put money aside to pay for my university education, but I still worked every summer and during the school year as a naval reservist so I could contribute as well. As a result, I was debt-free when I graduated.
Regardless of what I think though, it bares stating to all you students out there protesting for the “free” money for your education, including some who advocate for the elimination of all tuition fees, that you need to be prepared to pay for all the generations behind you who will also be getting a “free” education that will be funded by the tax dollars you have been paying since your graduation. Will you still feel that students should get a “free” education then?
Maybe we should all start electing more fiscally responsible governments, ones that aren’t mortgaging our children’s future for their political gain. Oh right, we have tried that and those politicians get vilified at every turn for allowing children to starve and grandma to die! I guess we’ll just keep electing governments that waste our tax dollars until all of it goes to interest payments.
Sources: McMaster University students protest OSAP funding changes, Nothing in this world is free, even OSAP – Canadian Military History.
