Mail bag: 03/12/26
‘Asking for fair chance’
Dear Editor:
I am writing about ongoing concerns surrounding the provincial government’s cuts to OSAP and the reduction in non-repayable grants available to students.
Education is not a luxury. It is one of the most essential investments a society can make in its future. Reducing the grant portion of student aid from as much as 85 per cent to roughly 25% shifts a significant burden onto students and their families. This means more debt, more financial stress and potentially fewer opportunities for those who are already struggling to access post-secondary education.
When governments speak about fiscal responsibility, I understand the need to balance budgets. However, responsibility also means recognizing that education strengthens the workforce, increases long-term tax revenue and reduces inequality.
Cutting support today may save money in the short term, but it risks costing far more in the future.
Students are not asking for handouts. They are asking for a fair chance. Increasing reliance on loans over grants discourages lower- and middle-income families from pursuing higher education and places graduates at a financial disadvantage before their careers even begin.
If we believe that education is the foundation of a strong and competitive province, then it should be protected, not reduced. Ontario’s future depends on the opportunities we provide to its students today.
Margherita Tabone,
Rockwood