Malhi Details Liberals' Ontario Student Grant Program

Ontario is making college and university more accessible and affordable for low- and middle-income students in Brampton-Springdale through the single-largest modernization ever of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). “Modernizing our province’s student assistance program will make an important difference for a significant number of students in our community, Brampton-Springdale M.P.P. Harinder Malhi said.

As announced in the 2016 Budget, the government will create a single, targeted, non-repayable grant — the Ontario Student Grant — starting in the 2017-18 school year. The changes to OSAP will make average tuition free for more than 150,000 eligible low- and middle-income students across the province and will reduce the cost for many more by:

•  Providing the majority of eligible students whose parents earn the median annual income of $83,300 or less with enough in grants to more than cover their tuition costs.
•  Eliminating provincial student loan debt for eligible students whose parents earn less than $50,000.
•  Ensuring that no eligible student receives less non-repayable aid through the new grant than they currently do through the 30% Off Ontario Tuition Grant.

The Ontario Student Grant will provide additional support for full-time mature and married students, and eligibility will no longer be tied to the number of years a student has been out of high school. This predictable, upfront grant will allow families in Brampton-Springdale to plan for their education on the basis of net price — the difference between the sticker price of tuition and what a student

actually needs to pay. The government will work closely with the postsecondary sector to develop planning tools that more accurately calculate the net tuition and net price of a university or college education.

Breaking down barriers to postsecondary education in Brampton-Springdale is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses.