Ontario student aid freeze threatens closure of Hamilton dental college in December

TORONTO — A college in Hamilton, Ontario, that trains dental hygienists and dental assistants faces the risk of closing next December.

The cause is the Doug Ford government's decision to suspend payments from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to private educational institutions.

Southern Ontario Dental College, which has operated for 22 years, is under growing financial pressure after the funding most of its students rely on to pay tuition and cover living expenses stopped arriving.

College administrators warned that if no financial alternative is provided, continuing their studies could become impossible. Students fear losing years of study and the debt they took on to earn new professional qualifications.

Why did Ontario halt OSAP aid?

Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities, Nolan Quinn, decided last October to suspend Ontario Student Assistance Program payments to students at private institutions, after troubling indicators emerged during a broad audit of the sector.

The government said the initial review found problems with verifying student enrolment, attendance and completion of coursework, as well as an unusual rise in funding applications at certain institutions.

The ministry referred some preliminary findings to the Ontario Provincial Police. The institutions named in the allegations have denied any wrongdoing.

Quinn said the suspension could continue into the new year while the government puts stricter measures in place to protect the integrity of the aid system.

College warns of December closure

Alice Estrabillo, the college's chief operating officer, said the institution may have to close its doors in December if it continues to operate without collecting fees from students.

She said the college did not expect government funding to stop so suddenly, especially since it has trained generations of professionals over more than two decades.

In an effort to ease the crisis, students set up a food bank in one of the college's rooms to help classmates who are struggling to afford food and other basic needs.

Most students depend on OSAP because of the high cost of hands-on programs, which require equipment and specialized clinical training.

Student faces risk of losing her home

Among those affected is Hayley Eddy, a single mother who enrolled in a two-year dental hygiene program that costs about $52,000.

Eddy left her previous job as a dental assistant to improve her qualifications and her children's future, but she is now looking for temporary work through Facebook ads to cover their expenses.

She said she received a notice over unpaid rent after relying on her OSAP loan to cover housing, food and child care.

The concerns are not limited to those receiving aid. Diane Yu, who has reached her third term, fears the college will close before she completes her clinical training and professional licensing exams.

Yu said she had been preparing to focus on her final exams but is now worried about her ability to finish her studies.

$1 billion in grants draws government scrutiny

Data obtained by The Canadian Press show that OSAP grants for private career colleges nearly doubled between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, reaching about $1 billion.

The government says the increase, much of it concentrated at a small number of institutions, calls for a comprehensive review to prevent misuse of public funds.

Students and college administrators, for their part, are asking why all institutions are being penalized instead of only those under suspicion.

Ford government looks at alternative loans

The Ontario government said it is working to provide low-interest loans through independent financial institutions to help students during the OSAP suspension.

It has not yet announced when those loans will become available or how students can apply for them.

Premier Doug Ford said the auditing firm KPMG will prioritize reviewing lower-risk institutions so that their funding can resume, without giving a timeline.

The association Career Colleges Ontario warned that a continued suspension could lead to additional closures, noting that students will bear the greatest consequences.

Southern Ontario Dental College remains open for now, but its administration warns that without a quick solution it could end operations in December, leaving its students facing an uncertain academic and professional future.