Ontario OSAP funding and oversight controversy

The Ontario government has suspended access to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) for three Academy of Learning franchise locations in Brampton East, North York, and downtown Toronto. This decision follows inspection reports alleging academic irregularities, including evidence that third parties may have been completing coursework for students. Investigations noted suspicious digital activity, such as a single student account being accessed from 211 different IP addresses, and instances where entire courses were reportedly completed in a single day.

The Academy of Learning locations are currently challenging the funding ban in court, denying most allegations and stating they have implemented corrective measures.

In response to broader trends in OSAP spending, the Ontario Liberals have called for an audit by the provincial auditor general. Data indicates a significant concentration of OSAP funds within private career colleges, with seven institutions accounting for $385 million of the nearly $1 billion in grants issued during the 2024-25 academic year. The request for a value-for-money audit follows reports that 95 per cent of the increase in provincial OSAP grant spending between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years was directed toward private career college students.