The Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) has expressed concerns about the negative impacts of the changes to Ontario’s post-secondary funding on students at both its Orillia and Thunder Bay campuses. The Ministry of Colleges and Universities in Ontario recently announced $6.4 billion in funding over four years to support post-secondary institutions in the province. However, along with this funding, the province is ending the seven-year tuition freeze and implementing significant changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) grant structure, starting this fall.
Under the new changes, colleges and universities can now increase tuition by two percent annually for the next three years, with the possibility of further increases based on inflation rates thereafter. Additionally, OSAP grants will now be capped at 25 percent of aid packages, with at least 75 percent being provided as loans. LUSU President Aliss Chavarri highlighted that these changes mark a significant shift in how student aid is distributed and raised concerns about the impact on middle-income background students and Indigenous students at Lakehead University.
Lakehead University has a student population of approximately 9,300, with around 6,800 students in Thunder Bay and 2,300 students in Orillia. While Chavarri, an international student, is ineligible for OSAP, LUSU reports that about 45 percent of Lakehead students rely on OSAP due to financial need. Chavarri emphasized that these policy changes disproportionately affect institutions like Lakehead, where accessibility and affordability are crucial.
According to LUSU, a significant portion of Lakehead students face barriers to accessing post-secondary education, including being first-generation learners, coming from rural or northern communities, or identifying as Indigenous. LUSU emphasized the importance of viewing post-secondary education as a public good and expressed concerns about the impact of the changes on student-funded services.
While the government’s funding boost for colleges and universities is deemed necessary, Chavarri believes it falls short in addressing the long-standing funding gap in education. LUSU plans to advocate for students’ concerns and collaborate with student unions to amplify their voices on these issues.