A recent analysis of data reveals that a small group of private career colleges in Ontario has experienced significant growth in student financial assistance recipients, raising concerns within the sector. The data, obtained through a freedom-of-information request, shows that a few out of around 170 career colleges saw a substantial increase in students receiving grants and loans from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Some colleges witnessed a surge from less than 100 OSAP recipients to several thousand within a short period.
In the 2024-25 academic year, seven career colleges received approximately $385 million in provincial grants, equivalent to the total amount granted to students in all publicly funded colleges in Ontario and surpassing the funding for university students. This surge in financial aid comes as Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government reduced student assistance grants for university and public college students earlier this year, citing unsustainable OSAP costs.
The data also indicates that most of the recent growth in OSAP recipients has been among career college students, with a concentration of this growth in a limited number of schools. Career Colleges Ontario, the sector’s advocacy organization, expressed concerns to the government regarding certain institutions but emphasized that irregular behavior among its members is rare and protecting the integrity of their work and the OSAP system is a top priority.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in Ontario recently disqualified students at five career colleges from accessing OSAP in the upcoming academic year, citing concerns about asynchronous learning programs that allow students to complete coursework on their own schedule. The province accused these programs of compromising student participation, prompting the decision to cut off OSAP access for these colleges.
The Academy of Learning, which has witnessed significant growth in OSAP recipients and operates multiple franchise schools, attributes its enrollment surge to demographic changes and the appeal of its programs to newcomers and individuals seeking career retraining. Despite facing OSAP eligibility challenges, the organization maintains its commitment to integrity and successful job placements for its graduates.
The new data highlights remarkable spikes in OSAP usage at specific career college locations, with some experiencing unprecedented growth rates. Industry experts caution that such rapid increases are outliers in OSAP usage growth and suggest that other provinces have mechanisms in place to address similar issues, indicating a need for Ontario to address this concerning trend effectively.