I’m angry with Doug Ford today.
As a reporter covering politics, there are many reasons to raise a suspicious eyebrow towards our Premier in recent years, including his attempts to open up protected lands in the Greenbelt to development and the disproportionally high number of Minister’s Zoning Orders issued by his government.
Today however, my anger comes from the other major role I play in my life: father to an 18-year-old currently enrolled in their first year of university studies, who is going to be impacted by the provincial government’s planned changes to OSAP and post-secondary tuition rates.
The news was tied to a provincial funding announcement released on February 12, 2026, in which Ontario pledged $6.4 billion to the province’s post-secondary sector, designed to ensure the “sustainability of our colleges, universities, and Indigenous institutes,” according to Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn in a press release, where he also noted the importance of training a “strong, highly skilled workforce for Ontario for decades to come.”
As of next fall, the grant amount available to post-secondary students through OSAP will drop sharply, from up to 85% to a maximum of 25%.
Also, Ontario plans to allow post-secondary institutions to raise tuitions by up to 2% a year for the next three years, and then 2% or the average rate of inflation, whichever is less, in following years, ending a tuition hike freeze put in place by this same government in 2019, along with a 10% cut for domestic tuition rates.
My child is currently studying Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University and living in a student residence on campus. The program is a four-year effort, and combining tuition, residence, and cost of living, they are on the hook for around $24,000 per year over that period.
With such a high price tag, it was a relief for my child and for me when they received word back from OSAP last summer that they would be receiving $20,000, split 50/50 as a grant/loan. While that still equates to a lot of debt post-school, it felt manageable and fair with that ratio applied.
While I certainly understand and even applaud the idea of paying back what you owe, we are living in unstable financial times. Can Ontario’s students really afford to pay back these astronomical loans when they are also looking at grossly inflated grocery, rent, and cost of living expenses post-school? Or does this higher cost of entry for post-secondary education simply mean we will see fewer students bothering to try for it in the future?
It cannot be understated what a lifeline these grants are to students looking to better themselves and join Ontario’s workforce in a meaningful role. With inflation hitting us hard and a job market facing an unpredictable future thanks to the growing prevalence of AI, these students face remarkable uncertainty as they look to the future. Yet, they march on, pursuing their dreams.
Frankly, Ford’s decision feels like a slap in the face to those students who dare to dream but may not come from a family able or willing to help them get started.
The government claims the changes to OSAP and tuition rates are all about protecting Ontario and ensuring a robust post-secondary education system into the future, but the Premier’s disdain for the average student was evident when asked about the changes at a press conference following the announcement.
“I’ve heard some nightmare stories on the other side as well about kids going out there buying fancy watches and cologne and not needing it.… That doesn’t fly with the taxpayers,” said Ford when asked about student backlash to the cuts.
That’s some Marie Antoinette, ‘let them eat cake’ level BS. I can tell you as the actual father of a university student, my kid lives low to facilitate their education. They do their shopping solely at Dollarama, and solely for necessities. Their social life is based entirely around ‘what can we do for free this weekend’ and they barely leave campus. Despite their best efforts, they have been unable to secure a part-time job in the city to generate some income and start paying down their debts.
Ford further demeaned Ontario’s students in that same press conference, stating, “You’re picking basket-weaving courses, and there’s not too many baskets being sold out there. Go into healthcare, go into trades.”
Okay. So, it’s important to note that the premier is most likely not actually insinuating students are paying thousands per year to learn how to make baskets, but rather, his statement is meant to belittle or devalue any educational pursuits the premier deems to be unimportant.
I suppose Ford might categorize my child’s study of choice, Sociology, as a superfluous, tax-payer money-wasting choice.
What Ford doesn’t know is that my kid is passionate, has a desire to help others, and believes they will be able to do so by pursuing this field of study. Pardon my frankness, but who the hell is Doug Ford to tell them otherwise?
Is it my child’s fault that the cost of a post-secondary education is already nearly beyond their grasp, even without these changes? No.
We have tried our best to raise a child who is compassionate and cares about others, and we are proud that they want to harness those skills to try and make the world around them a better place. Now, my child will be saddled with an even larger debt when they are finished, and we as parents feel frustrated and helpless.
Ford doesn’t seem to understand, from his high-level position, the serious implications this decision will have on children like mine, and those who are in an even more precarious financial position.
Students, student unions, and others are not taking the news lightly; they are protesting, writing letters, and inundating the premier’s office with calls demanding he reconsider the decision.
I humbly join their chorus: Mr. Ford, if protecting Ontario is truly your mandate, how about extending that protection to the students doing their best to push forward and realize their dreams instead of making life harder for them and then mocking them for being concerned?
Colour me unimpressed.
