News Details

Attention: News/Education/Political/Queen’s Park Editors

For Immediate Release                                                                     

BACK TO SCHOOL BACK TO DEBT: ONTARIO STUDENTS PROPOSE SOLUTIONS FOR GAPS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ONTARIO

TORONTO, February 7, 2006 – Ontario students are asking the provincial government to implement sensible, educated solutions to address the existing gaps in the financial assistance system. The policy recommendations stemming from a previously released OUSA report are aimed at improving access for all willing and qualified students in the province and ensuring that attending post-secondary education in Ontario is dependent on your brains rather than your wallet.

OUSA has outlined a short list of policy recommendations that could be implemented soon and would have an immediate impact in students’ lives. The report itself provides an additional, comprehensive list of necessary improvements.

1.      The assessment of student need must be changed to better reflect the actual costs of attending post-secondary institutions in Ontario.

2.      The “claw back” must be removed. Students currently making over 50 dollars a week get money “clawed back” from their financial assistance.

3.      Government tax-credits must be replaced with up-front grants. Tax-credits do nothing to improve access for low-income individuals.

4.      Reduce interest rates on student loans.

5.      Reinstate an actual 6 month grace period. Students continue to pay interest during the six month “grace” period following graduation.

6.      Push the federal government to not cut $350 million in assistance when the Millennium Scholarship Foundation is up for renewal in 2009.

7.      Invest in early outreach initiatives aimed at encouraging students from underrepresented groups to attend post-secondary education.

“The government and opposition parties have expressed an interest in building an Ontario where every individual has the opportunity to make the most of their potential. In this report we have identified roadblocks that challenge the success of our students and our province” said David Simmonds, President of OUSA. “We are providing government with a clear path to improve the current financial assistance system and look forward to engaging party leaders in constructive discussions aimed at improving access for Ontario’s students.”  

For more information on OUSA’s current policy and campaign initiatives, please visit www.ousa.ca.

Building the Third Pillar: Reforming Ontario’s Student Financial Aid System and other OUSA papers are also available at www.ousa.ca

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For further information, contact:

David Simmonds, President, OUSA, 416-341-9948