OSAP pause leads career college to suspend classes

Trillium College, a career college with campuses in multiple Ontario cities, has temporarily halted its academic activities due to a province-wide suspension of student financial assistance, as reported by The Canadian Press. The suspension, announced by Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn, affects all private post-secondary institutions, including career colleges, private universities, chiropractic and naturopathic medicine colleges, and performing arts schools.

Trillium College suspended classroom and online instruction as of Friday, informing students via a notice. The college offered interest-free payment arrangements, but many students expressed their inability to make payments without OSAP funding. They requested more time to assess their financial circumstances and explore alternative payment options.

The college stated that continuing normal operations without a viable funding solution would risk the orderly completion of student programs. Quinn's office has acknowledged the impact on students and is exploring alternatives, such as low-interest third-party loans facilitated by financial institutions. However, the government has not yet provided a clear timeline for the resolution.

The broad nature of the pause affects all private post-secondary institutions, and students and schools are condemning Quinn's sweeping action, demanding more targeted consequences for any suspected bad actors. Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request revealed a significant increase in OSAP usage at some schools, with some campuses experiencing usage increases by several hundred to over 1,000 percent over three years.

The government has denied naming any specific colleges under suspicion. Trillium College was not among the six campuses that received denial letters from Quinn earlier this year. The Canadian Press FOI data indicates a comparatively low 64 percent increase in OSAP usage across Trillium’s campuses between 2021-22 and 2024-25. Quinn has stated that many concerns stem from online-only programs, and the government plans to reintroduce legislation making them ineligible for OSAP in the fall.