Ottawa Students Rally Against OSAP Cuts at Queen's Park
Ottawa post-secondary students joined hundreds of peers from across Ontario at Queen's Park on Tuesday, raising their voices against the Ford government's cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) — and demanding the province restore critical financial aid that many rely on just to stay enrolled.
The protest drew students from universities and colleges across the province, unified by a shared frustration: cuts to OSAP have made an already expensive post-secondary system even harder to navigate, especially for low- and middle-income families.
What's Being Cut — and Who It Hurts
The Ford government's OSAP reforms have reduced or eliminated grants for a significant portion of students who previously qualified for aid. Changes to income thresholds and the shift toward loans over grants have left many students with larger debt loads and less upfront support.
For Ottawa students attending the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Algonquin College, or La Cité, the impact is real. Housing costs in Ottawa have climbed sharply in recent years, and many students are already stretching budgets thin between rent, food, and tuition. Reduced OSAP funding means some are working more hours, taking on more debt, or reconsidering their education altogether.
"We're Not Going Anywhere"
Protesters at Queen's Park carried signs and chanted slogans calling on Premier Doug Ford to reverse the cuts. Student union organizers framed the demonstration as just the beginning of a sustained campaign — not a one-day event.
The energy was clear: this isn't a fringe issue. Students across Ontario, including those from Ottawa's large post-secondary community, are feeling the financial squeeze and are increasingly willing to show up and make noise about it.
Will the Ford Government Respond?
Despite the turnout and the visibility of the protest, CBC's Naama Weingarten reports that the Ford government is unlikely to reverse course. The government has defended its OSAP changes as a reallocation of resources toward students with the greatest need — though critics argue the opposite has happened in practice.
For now, the province appears to be holding its position, leaving student advocates to consider their next steps — whether that means more rallies, lobbying MPPs directly, or building pressure ahead of the next provincial budget cycle.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
Ottawa is home to one of the largest concentrations of post-secondary students in Canada. Tens of thousands of young people study here each year, many of them from families who depend on OSAP to make that possible. When provincial aid gets cut, Ottawa families feel it.
Student advocates here are watching closely, hoping the growing pressure from across Ontario will eventually push the government to reconsider — or at least open a dialogue about what accessible post-secondary education should look like in this province.
Source: CBC Ottawa via RSS. Reporting by Naama Weingarten.
