Now that the Ontario government has confirmed that a provincewide pause on student financial assistance payments to career colleges will last for months, some students say they’re worried it will prevent them from graduating. Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn announced late Tuesday afternoon that the pause won’t be lifted until the government establishes a new process for approving private post-secondary institutions under the Ontario Student Assistance Program. He says that work isn’t expected to be finished until the new year, and the government is also still working to secure third-party loans for students through banks. Quinn enacted the pause after he said preliminary findings from an audit into OSAP usage at career colleges highlighted serious concerns. Many students say they feel unfairly penalized for the allegedly suspicious activity of others. Trillium College has suspended classes due to uncertainty around the OSAP pause, and student Marina Whitehead says she now doesn’t know if she will be able to graduate in February, as planned. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026. Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
