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- calendar_today October 14, 2026
Ontario Suspends OSAP Access for Career Colleges
The Ontario government has taken decisive action against three career colleges by barring them from accessing the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) until at least 2030. This measure, implemented by Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn, follows a previous temporary suspension that applied only to the current academic year.
Background: Program Compliance and Government Inspections
The suspension originates from an order issued in May that affected six institutions, including four Academy of Learning locations. The decision was based on government inspections that uncovered evidence suggesting that third parties may have been completing coursework for students—including instances in which entire courses were finished within a single day. Additionally, officials allege that some students could not name their school or program, according to documents filed in court.
Legal Challenge and Arguments of Procedural Unfairness
The three affected Academy of Learning campuses, which share a parent company, have updated their court complaint to reflect the three-year ban stemming from the ministry's "final" decision. In their court application, the schools argue that the minister's decision was unreasonable and procedurally unfair. They claim the ministry imposed new approval criteria and evidence standards without adequate prior notice and relied on information that was not properly disclosed to the schools.
Wider Concerns and OSAP Investigations
Concerns regarding the use of OSAP funding at some career colleges extend beyond just the six institutions initially cited. Career Colleges Ontario began flagging questionable application patterns in 2023, noting 14 campuses with indicators of potential suspicious activity. In August, the government enlisted auditors KPMG to investigate these concerns further. Preliminary findings led the province to refer the matter to the Ontario Provincial Police for possible wrongdoing.
The government has noted issues including the involvement of immigration services firms, shared office spaces between colleges and these firms, inadequate student verification, and clusters of OSAP applications from the same geographical area. While it is unclear if all these issues apply specifically to the three Academy of Learning locations now facing a prolonged OSAP suspension, ministry inspectors did report concerns around student validation and enrolment verification at those schools. None of these allegations have yet been proven in court.
Academy of Learning Responds to Suspension
The Academy of Learning has responded by emphasizing the integrity of its programs and outlining measures implemented in response to the province’s findings. According to a statement, the college has invested significantly in improving admissions processes, identity verification, academic monitoring, and compliance protocols. They acknowledge the issue of rapid course completion as worthy of review, but note that some students study offline after downloading materials. The college has also introduced enhanced monitoring before issuing exam codes.
The Academy expresses concern about the impact of the extended OSAP suspension, stating that it could have serious consequences for adult learners who depend on student financial aid to pursue career training. The schools are seeking a judicial review of the decision, arguing that their corrective action plans—which include dozens of remedial measures—should be considered. They also state some verification attempts may have failed due to student language difficulties or suspicions of scam calls.
Scale of OSAP Grants and System-Wide Changes
Data obtained by The Canadian Press indicates dramatic growth in OSAP grants and applications at the affected colleges. For instance, the Academy of Learning's Bay Street campus saw students on OSAP rise from 996 in 2021-22 to 7,435 in 2024-25, with over $108 million in provincial grants that year. The Brampton East campus rose from about 74 students in 2020-21 to 4,260 in 2024-25, qualifying for more than $64 million in OSAP funding. Together with the North York campus, these locations accounted for a fifth of nearly $1 billion awarded to all career colleges through OSAP in that academic year.
Earlier this year, in response to rising OSAP costs and concerns about compliance, Minister Quinn announced that students at career colleges would lose access to grants and that those at publicly funded institutions would see grant amounts significantly reduced. Furthermore, OSAP loan payments to students at all career colleges and private post-secondary institutions have been paused while the KPMG audit continues.
Source: cbc.ca.
