Ford says he faced pressure from colleges over tuition increases

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said post‑secondary leaders pressured him to allow tuition increases; the government will permit two per cent annual tuition increases and will cut the share of OSAP funding given as grants starting this fall.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he received thousands of calls from students after his government announced changes to post‑secondary funding. The government will allow colleges and universities to raise tuition by up to two per cent annually and is changing the makeup of OSAP grants and loans. Ford said he had resisted increasing tuition for years and cited pressure from college and university leaders. Key details: - Ford said he received thousands of student calls and that he responded to each with a standard statement. - From September, colleges and universities may increase tuition by two per cent annually for three years; after that, increases will be the lower of two per cent or the average rate of inflation. - The current OSAP mix was reported as about 85% grants and 15% loans; starting this fall grants will be limited to a maximum of 25% of OSAP funding. Summary: Officials described the changes as a response to financial pressures in the post‑secondary sector, including revenue declines linked to fewer international students. The tuition and OSAP changes are scheduled to take effect beginning this fall and in September, with further implementation details not provided.