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Ontario Ends 7-Year Tuition Freeze, Commits $6.4 Billion to Post-Secondary Sector

Officials say the package is designed to stabilize institutions after revenue losses linked to federal caps on international students.

Overview

  • Starting September 2026, colleges and universities may raise domestic tuition by up to 2% a year for three years, then by up to 2% or the three-year average inflation rate, with provincial fees projected to remain below 2019 levels until 2030.
  • The province will inject $6.4 billion over four years, lifting annual operating funding to roughly $7 billion.
  • OSAP will shift to a maximum 25% in grants and at least 75% in loans beginning in September 2026, with grants removed for students at private career colleges.
  • New funding is directed to labour‑market needs, including 70,000 additional seats in in‑demand fields and targeted support for small, rural, northern, French‑language and Indigenous institutions.
  • Universities and colleges welcomed the added stability, while students and opposition warned of higher costs and debt; the government cites the Student Access Guarantee to cover low‑income students’ added fees and estimates average hikes of 18¢ a day for college and 47¢ for university.