Students applaud the launch of Ontario's Comprehensive Social Assistance
Review

TORONTO, Nov. 30 /CNW/ - With hundreds of thousands of students in Ontario who rely on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), students applaud the launch of the Comprehensive Social Assistance Review, announced by the Government of Ontario on Tuesday, November 30. OSAP, the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW) all displace available funds when accessed together, leaving qualifying students with fewer financial opportunities that would otherwise be available to them.

"Last year, more than 90,000 students signed post cards that demanded that the government take action to create a Poverty-Free Ontario. During the campaign, students expressed the need for major changes to be made to OSAP, ODSP, OW and other social assistance programs," said Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "As students face sky-rocketing tuition fees and record-high student debt, we look forward to working with Frances Lankin and Dr. Munir Sheikh to identify ways in which we can improve social assistance mechanisms for students."

Students have long called for increases to ODSP and OW to more realistically cover the cost of living for Ontarians. This past year, students submitted a comprehensive suite of proposed changes to gradually shift OSAP from a programme that is primarily loans-based, to one that is entirely grants-based.

The Canadian Federation of Students unites more than 300,000 public college and university students across Ontario and more than 600,000 students across Canada at the diploma, undergraduate and graduate levels.

For further information:

Sandy Hudson, Ontario Chairperson: 416-925-3825 or 416-722-8842 (cell)
Nora Loreto, Ontario Communications Coordinator: 416-925-3825 (cell)