Ontario nurses warn student loan changes will worsen shortages

Ontario’s student loan overhaul sparks alarm among nursing groups. With 1,400 unpaid clinical hours, the groups say students rely on grants, not loans.

Recent charges to the student loan program in Ontario are concerning for the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) and the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA), representing nurses and nursing students, respectively. They say impacts will lead to financial barriers and future work shortages.

The organizations say that most nursing students depend on student loans and grants due to their rigorous course load as they don’t have time for a job to help pay for their education.

Students must complete 1,400 hours of unpaid clinical placement, lab training, homework and other studying.

“We will be the future caretakers of our patients so we must make sure that we truly understand the materials and everything that we’re given before we enter into practice,” said CNSA President Scarlett Montserrat Sanabria-Ramos.

The recent changes announced by the provincial government – to come into effect next fall – will reduce non-repayable grants and increase reliance on student loans.

That’s concerning for CNSA since financial barriers could deter potential students from pursuing a career in nursing.

“Currently across Canada the living situation is very expensive, and this might make it difficult for them to pursue nursing or maybe even when they enter nursing,” said Montserrat Sanabria-Ramos.

“It might even make it difficult for them to continue nursing just because of the rising costs not only of the tuition that is going to happen but also the increased cost of living throughout the days.”

Monique Storozuk is the Vice President of Ontario Nurses’ Association Region 1, which represents northern Ontario.

She said ONA is concerned that having fewer nursing students pursue the career will lead to worsening shortages in the workforce.

“You’re just going to see students reluctant to go into the nursing program,” she said.

“They’re going to opt to stay in courses that they can do within their own community. And that’s just going to further impact the nursing and our public healthcare system to care for our Ontarians.”

“If Ontario is serious about addressing the nursing shortage, it must restore OSAP funding, recognize the reality of unpaid clinical labour, and ensure that financial barriers do not prevent qualified students from entering the nursing profession,” said former Ontario Regional Director of the CNSA, Sierra Punchard.

Both ONA and the CNSA want the provincial government to reverse its decision on the changes to the loan program. But barring that outcome they want financial aid policies that support equitable access to post-secondary education.

The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security has said the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) framework was no longer sustainable.

“Our government has launched numerous student financial support programs that remain in place, including the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, which has covered the full cost of tuition, books, and other educational costs for 12,800 healthcare students across the province- bolstering the province’s pipeline of nurses and reducing financial barriers for students,” added the ministry.

“As we make historic investments in the post-secondary sector, including an additional $6.4 billion, our enhanced Student Access Guarantee will ensure qualified, low-income Ontario students continue to receive enough financial aid to cover tuition, books, and mandatory fees to offset the modest tuition increase. If OSAP funding does not cover these costs, the institution provides additional support,” Giacoboni’s statement continued.

Since the program’s launch, the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant has supported over 11,400 students in nursing programs across high-need regions of the province. More information such as OLSG-eligible nursing programs and their offered institutions in the north can be found here.

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