About 120 high school students in Owen Sound, Ontario, recently marched to their local government office to protest changes to how the province helps pay for college and university. The students from Owen Sound District Secondary School and St. Mary’s High School walked out of class to meet with Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers on March 12, 2026.
The protest was held because the provincial government announced in February 2026 that the Ontario Student Assistance Program will change how it gives out money starting in the fall of 2026. Instead of most of the money being grants that do not need to be paid back, students will now have to take out more loans that must be returned with interest.
Currently, the program provides up to 85 per cent of funding as grants. Under the new rules, grants will drop to a maximum of 25 per cent, while the amount students must pay back in loans will rise to at least 75 per cent.
Austin Edmunds, a Grade 10 student who helped organize the walkout, said many young people are afraid of the debt they will face in the future. The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance has also raised concerns that the new rules include ending a seven-year freeze on tuition costs, which could allow schools to raise fees by 2 per cent each year.
MPP Paul Vickers spoke with the students outside his office and explained that the government believes these changes are necessary to keep the education sector stable. He told the group that the government must decide where to spend its money, but he promised to share the students’ feedback with provincial leaders.
This local action follows a series of similar protests across the province as the legislature resumed work on March 23, 2026. Opposition parties are now introducing motions to try and stop the changes before they take effect for the 2026-2027 school year.
