The Ontario government has announced a tuition fee decrease among other changes to the student assistance program today.
In the 2019-2020 academic year, students across the province will see their tuition lowered by 10 per cent and the reduction of the family income threshold for the Ontario Student Grant.
“By lowering tuition across the entire province, our government is ensuring that all qualified Ontario students will have more affordable access to high quality skills, training and education,” said Merrilee Fullerton, minister of Training, Colleges and Universities in the press release.
According to the press release, these changes will save arts and science degree students $660 in tuition fees and Carleton University’s engineering students $1,120.
Fullerton announced that government is refocusing the Ontario Students Assistance Program (OSAP) to ensure that the program is sustainable and that funding is will be directed at a greater proportion to families “with the greatest financial need.”
In the new academic year, the share of funds going to low-income families will increase from 69 to 72 per cent. Additionally, approximately 80 per cent of grants will go to students from families earning less than $50,000 a year.
The province also wants universities and colleges to give students option more control over non-tuition fees such as those going to clubs and non-student related organization. It’s asking that schools have the option to opt-out of those additional fees.
However, fees that fund major campus-wide services such as health and counselling and academic support will remain as they are deemed mandatory.
In 2021, the Ontario government is planning to put a freeze on tuition fees.
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