On January 17, 2019, the Ontario government revealed its controversial plans to eliminate free tuition for low-income students and implement a 10% tuition cut for all students across the province in efforts to reduce Ontario’s deficit. The Ford government also announced that it would also eliminate the six months interest-free grace period for loan repayments and make the student levy fee optional. Additionally, the definition of independent student has been raised to six years out of high school, up from four. Following this announcement, the government faced intense backlash from Ontario students and several media outlets. The Conservative government was accused of neglecting students, especially those from the low-income population, and was accused of being a government that does not support education.
The changes announced by the Conservative government are problematic for students for a number of reasons. First, the elimination of free tuition will cause low-income students to take out more loans while also receiving far less grants from the government. In addition, the immediate repayment of OSAP loans gives students, especially those who are low-income, less opportunity and time to reduce their financial burden. Although the 10% reduction in tuition may appear to be a policy in favour of Ontario students, such benefits are negligible for low-income students who will still end up owing more debt than if they had been given grants in the first place. Accordingly, the 10% reduction only benefits students that would have been able to afford their tuition regardless of the tuition cut. Finally, the change in qualifications for independent-status students makes it so that less students are able to qualify for grants. Per these changes, students who have been out of high school for up to six years will need to claim their parents’ income on their OSAP application regardless of whether they still live with their parents. Independent students typically qualify for a higher ratio of grants to loans, so to raise the qualifying threshold to six years means that less students will be eligible for a higher ratio of grants and are expected to have their parents contribute to the cost of their loans.
As tuition forms a significant component of university and college funding, Ford’s tuition cuts will negatively impact the quality of services provided by post-secondary institutions due to a lack of funding from tuition fees. In addition, Ford’s decision to making the student levy fee optional will impact the services provided by student unions and campus organizations as said unions and organizations will be unable to provide the same services the absence of funds derived from the levy fees. Ultimately, the policies implemented by the Ford government will not only make education more expensive for those who cannot afford it, but will also result in a reduction in the quality of services offered by post-secondary institutions.
Speaking from a personal perspective, Ford’s actions certainly would have visible repercussions on my own education. I am a recent graduate and former independent student that qualified for the low-income grants in my fifth and final year of post-secondary schooling. Throughout my university career, I was told by many professors to focus entirely on my education and not take up employment until I graduated. While doing so would have certainly improved my grades, it was unfortunately not a financial reality possibility for me. Having qualified for the so-called free tuition, the financial assistance helped me, as well as many of my other independent-status peers immensely. It also and reduced the already heavy financial burden we bore from our previous loans. Luckily for me, I graduated less than a year before these policies were announced. Unfortunately, there are many students in financial situations similar to mine who will now bear an even heavier debt load prior to the implementation of these policies.
Such policies will certainly make it more difficult for low-income students to attend university without working during their period of study and will force them to part with what little income they have upon graduating. Students have the right to attain higher education no matter their economic background, but the Ford government and their respective actions are invariably undermining this right.
While the Ford government claims that these measures are to cover for overspending by the previous Liberal administration under Kathleen Wynne, it does not reflect the inherent necessity for governments to invest in the education of their citizens. An educated society is more productive and stimulates the economy. As the Ontario government under Ford has taken steps that specifically target investments in education and eliminate them entirely, it suggests that investment in education does not align with this administration’s beliefs. Accordingly, their policies simply be read as being anti-education. The Ontario government has failed to act in favour of students’ best interest since the onset of their Conservative administration.
As evidenced by recent mass demonstrations by students in opposition to the recent funding cuts, the Ford government is certainly out-of-touch with the student-youth population. Since the announcement of these funding cuts, students have successfully come together to protest these policies and voiced their heavy opposition towards these so called beneficial policies. In continuing this powerful voice of opposition, students should continue to advocate against these measures through the use of continued protesting in addition to writing letters to the Minister of Education, Lisa Thompson. While students may not have the power to directly implement policy, the ability for students to band together for a common cause lends them the ability to create a powerful collective voice. Accordingly, students across Ontario should continue to work together to have their voices heard and prevent the Ford government from further implementing dangerous, anti-education policies.B
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