New data shows dramatic growth at a small number of private colleges, prompting concerns over OSAP spending and oversight
TORONTO — August 27, 2026
A small group of Ontario private career colleges accounted for a striking share of provincial student grants last year, with students at just seven schools receiving approximately $385 million in OSAP grants, according to newly obtained government data.
The figures, obtained through a freedom-of-information request, show that Ontario Student Assistance Program use increased dramatically at a handful of career colleges while growth across most of the approximately 170 schools in the sector was considerably lower.
At some institutions, the number of students receiving OSAP jumped from fewer than 100 to several thousand within only a few years.
The $385 million in provincial grants received by students at seven career colleges during 2024–25 was roughly equal to the grants provided to students across all of Ontario’s publicly funded colleges — and exceeded the total provided to university students.
The numbers are raising questions about how OSAP spending expanded so rapidly within a relatively small number of private institutions.
Career college association raises concerns
Even Career Colleges Ontario, which represents the sector, says unusually large increases at a small number of institutions warrant scrutiny.
The association said it has been working with provincial officials where increases in OSAP applications may not have been adequately explained.
Spokesperson Taylor Buck stressed, however, that indications of improper conduct are extremely rare among the organization’s members and said maintaining the integrity of both career colleges and OSAP remains a priority.
Academy of Learning locations show major increases
Among the most dramatic increases were campuses operated under the Academy of Learning name.
Its Bay Street location increased from 996 students receiving OSAP in 2021–22 to 7,435 in 2024–25.
In 2024–25 alone, those students received more than $108 million in Ontario grants.
The Academy of Learning’s Brampton East location experienced an even larger percentage increase.
The number of OSAP recipients there climbed from 289 in 2021–22 to 4,260 in 2024–25 — an increase of more than 1,300 per cent.
Academy of Learning said its campuses serve many newcomers and people seeking retraining for second careers who may not be able to afford traditional four-year university programs.
The organization defended the integrity of its institutions and said thousands of its graduates have gone on to jobs in fields including information technology, personal support work and paramedicine.
Province cuts off OSAP access at some schools
The Ontario government has already moved against several institutions.
Students at five career colleges have been disqualified from receiving OSAP for the upcoming school year, while four Academy of Learning locations were among those affected.
Three schools are challenging the government’s decision in court.
According to court documents, provincial concerns included asynchronous learning programs, where students complete online coursework independently and on their own schedules.
Ontario expanded OSAP eligibility to online and asynchronous programs during the COVID-19 pandemic and later made the change permanent.
The province has since raised concerns about what it describes as “compromised participation” in some of those programs.
Ford government promises tougher controls
Earlier this year, Premier Doug Ford’s government significantly reduced student assistance grants for students attending public universities and colleges and eliminated grant eligibility for career college students, citing rapidly rising and “unsustainable” OSAP costs.
Previous data showed that most of the recent increase in OSAP spending was connected to career college students, while financial assistance going to public college and university students remained relatively stable.
The latest figures suggest that much of the career-college growth itself was concentrated among a relatively small number of institutions.
Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn’s office says further action is coming.
The government says institutions can be removed from OSAP entirely when serious concerns arise and plans to introduce additional legislation this fall aimed at controlling program growth, improving accountability and protecting public funds.
Expert calls increases highly unusual
Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, described increases of more than 1,000 per cent at individual schools as far outside normal patterns.
He pointed to Alberta, where increases in student financial aid usage at private career colleges may be limited to about 10 per cent annually, arguing Ontario should have recognized the risks associated with such rapid expansion.
The latest numbers are likely to intensify debate over how hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded student assistance flowed to a relatively small group of private career colleges — and whether Ontario’s oversight system kept pace with the extraordinary growth.