The changes to OSAP, first announced in February, will go into effect for the next school year. The changes limit the maximum amount of funding in the form of grants at 25 per cent, down from the current 85 per cent maximum. Meaning eligible students will have to take on more debt to pay for their schooling.
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra says he will make a final decision early in the new year on what changes to make to the role of trustees in the school system, but he is signalling he is inclined to largely eliminate it. Speaking at a school Friday in Ottawa, where he announced funding to build two new schools and expand one, he says nothing so far has led him to believe that the Ministry of Education's $43-billion budget should be delivered by trustees.