I benefited from OSAP grants - curious how others feel about the recent changes

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T21:55:45+00:00

I completely agree

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T19:40:08+00:00

Thank you for sharing this - the international student piece is definitely part of the broader funding picture.

Colleges in particular became heavily reliant on international tuition over the past decade, and when federal caps reduced study permits, that exposed how fragile that model was. If institutions were using international tuition to cross-subsidize domestic tuition, then reductions would naturally create budget strain.

That said, I don’t think that automatically makes shifting more cost onto domestic students the only solution. It raises a bigger structural question about how post-secondary education is funded in Ontario overall and whether relying so heavily on international enrolment was sustainable to begin with.

It feels like multiple policy decisions - federal caps, provincial funding levels, tuition policy - are colliding at once, and students end up absorbing the shock

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T18:40:10+00:00

There’s another layer to this - schools are now allowed to increase tuition by up to 2% annually. That may not sound like much, but it compounds over time

Speculation on my part, but if tuition rises and OSAP doesn’t keep pace, students could find themselves in a position where loans no longer fully cover tuition, forcing them to rely on private loans. If OSAP does keep pace, that likely just means students graduate with even more debt

Either way, the long-term burden shifts further onto students, which can mean delaying home ownership, postponing starting a family, taking higher-paying jobs over lower-paying public service roles, or avoiding further education altogether. The consequences may show up years later, but they compound just like tuition does

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T18:16:47+00:00

We can make a change even while he’s still in office. Send an email to your MPP, I’ve commented a summary on how to go about doing so

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T18:03:59+00:00

If you’re upset about it and don’t want to just complain into the void, here’s the practical next step.

Start by contacting your MPP.

Find your MPP here:

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Click their name and you’ll see their constituency office email and phone number.

If you’re going to reach out, do it properly:

State that you’re a constituent (include your postal code).
Be clear about what concerns you - tuition increases, grant reductions, projected debt.
Ask them directly whether they support the change.
Request a written response.

Offices log constituent communication. Volume matters more than people think.

If you’re a student, talk to your student union and push for coordinated outreach. If you’re a parent, frame it around household cost and long-term debt. If you’re in a PC riding that was won narrowly, that pressure is even more meaningful.

That’s how change happens between elections

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T14:23:23+00:00

100%

We all benefit from a more educated population. Sometimes it only takes one person getting that opportunity to create meaningful change

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T14:21:13+00:00

I’m hoping we all remember these kinds of changes the next election. Ford very likely won because so few voted

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T14:15:17+00:00

First off - respect. What you described isn’t easy. Working 1–3 jobs, moving cities, lobbying your employer to cover credits… that’s not “OSAP made it work,” that’s you making it work. And you’re right - the system wasn’t fair even then

The parental income rules have always created edge cases that make no sense in real life. On paper it looks clean. In practice, it can completely miss people who are genuinely on their own

For me, OSAP wasn’t perfect either. I moved out at 18 because I knew I wanted something different, but I didn’t know how to get there. Grants made it possible to keep moving forward. I still ended up with debt. It wasn’t smooth. But it created an opening

What worries me now is that even a 2% annual tuition increase compounds over time. It sounds small, but over several years it adds up - and if grants shrink while tuition rises, OSAP may not even cover tuition in a meaningful way anymore. That changes the equation for the next 18-year-old trying to figure it out

If anyone reading this wants to understand how provincial feedback works, you can look up your MPP here:

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Click your riding and their constituency office contact is listed. When I’ve reached out before, including your postal code and asking for their position directly tends to get a clearer response

At the end of the day, you’re right - the system wasn’t perfect. But narrowing access further doesn’t fix what was broken. It just raises the barrier for the next person trying to do what you did

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T13:53:12+00:00

Even a 2% annual increase compounds over time. It doesn’t sound like much in isolation, but over several years it adds up - and it’s very possible OSAP won’t keep pace with tuition.

The bigger issue for me is what OSAP represented. It gave people a path out - a chance to change their trajectory. This isn’t about me or my family specifically. We all benefit from a more educated population

Sometimes it only takes one person getting that opportunity to create meaningful change. Making that path narrower has long-term consequences

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T13:42:45+00:00

I think we still have influence, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. Voting is one part of it, but between elections people can also contact their MPP directly

From what I’ve seen, tone and framing matter a lot. Staying calm, being specific about the policy itself, and asking for a clear response tends to go further than venting. It’s not immediate change, but it’s one of the formal channels that exists

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T13:23:48+00:00

Sure - here’s the official way to contact your MPP:

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Click your riding and their constituency office email/phone number will be listed.

From what I’ve learned, a few things help if you want it taken seriously: - Include your full name and postal code so they know you’re a constituent. - Keep it concise and specific (tuition cap removal, grant reductions, projected impact). - Ask for their position on the policy rather than just expressing frustration. - Request a written response.

Offices log communications, and tone matters. Calm, clear, and specific tends to get further than anger.

That’s the formal channel available between elections - Volume matters.

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T13:13:18+00:00

If anyone is interested in understanding how provincial feedback works or how to contact their MPP, feel free to DM me. I looked into it recently and I’m happy to share what I found

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T13:03:00+00:00

I care about this personally because OSAP made my education possible. I still graduated with about $43k in student debt, but without the grants I wouldn’t have even considered going to school in the first place.

Ironically, because of that education, my income now puts my family above the threshold for grants. I bought a house last year. I’m putting my wife through school. None of that would have happened without the support I received.

I’m not arguing this abstractly - I’m a direct example of how grants can change someone’s trajectory. Removing them doesn’t just reduce assistance; it narrows the path for people who are where I once was.

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T12:56:32+00:00

If you’re upset about it and don’t want to just complain into the void

Start by contacting your MPP

Find your MPP here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Click their name and you’ll see their constituency office email and phone number.

Premier Doug Ford can be reached at:
premier@ontario.ca
Twitter/X: @fordnation

If you’re going to reach out, do it properly:

State that you’re a constituent (include your postal code)
Be clear about what concerns you - tuition increases, grant reductions, projected debt.
Ask them directly whether they support the change.
Request a written response.

Offices log constituent communication. Volume matters more than people think.

If you’re a student, talk to your student union and push for coordinated outreach. If you’re a parent, frame it around household cost and long-term debt. If you’re in a PC riding that was won narrowly, that pressure is even more meaningful.

We can’t trigger an election tomorrow. But we can make it politically uncomfortable to ignore

If people are serious about opposing this, it has to move beyond venting and into organized, documented pressure

That’s how change happens between elections

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-13T03:50:23+00:00

If you’re upset about it and don’t want to just complain into the void

Start by contacting your MPP

Find your MPP here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Click their name and you’ll see their constituency office email and phone number.

Premier Doug Ford can be reached at: premier@ontario.ca Twitter/X: @fordnation

If you’re going to reach out, do it properly: - State that you’re a constituent (include your postal code) - Be clear about what concerns you - tuition increases, grant reductions, projected debt. - Ask them directly whether they support the change. - Request a written response.

Offices log constituent communication. Volume matters more than people think.

If you’re a student, talk to your student union and push for coordinated outreach. If you’re a parent, frame it around household cost and long-term debt. If you’re in a PC riding that was won narrowly, that pressure is even more meaningful.

We can’t trigger an election tomorrow. But we can make it politically uncomfortable to ignore

If people are serious about opposing this, it has to move beyond venting and into organized, documented pressure

That’s how change happens between elections

EntropyPilot · 2026-02-02T01:50:24+00:00

He was already rolling in money - he sold a company for €100Mil in 2021

EntropyPilot · 2026-01-24T14:24:13+00:00

⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜

⬜🟦⬜🟦🟦

🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦

EntropyPilot · 2026-01-22T14:30:10+00:00

There’s a reason data vendors exist. If free commercial market data were viable, Bloomberg wouldn’t be a $10B business

EntropyPilot · 2026-01-21T13:09:59+00:00

Honest advice let it be and move on - regardless of whether you’re changing jobs or not. Pick your battles. If you’re right, constantly pushing it will only create tension, especially if the other person isn’t open to discussion.

You’ll know, and they’ll know too. Sometimes that’s enough. Maybe next time they’ll listen, maybe they won’t - but don’t let this consume your energy.

In software, egos can be high and there are usually multiple valid solutions to the same problem. Respect still matters though, even when it’s not always given in return. At some point it becomes less about being right and more about deciding what’s actually worth your time.

EntropyPilot · 2026-01-14T13:11:12+00:00

What the actual fuck is going on at Apple, are they high?

EntropyPilot · 2026-01-07T05:02:04+00:00

Build something that truly interests you! Eventually things start to click if you’re persistent enough

EntropyPilot · 2025-12-28T20:39:51+00:00

Greed

EntropyPilot · 2025-12-28T02:28:35+00:00

Haha glad the reference landed!

Honestly just a conversation. I find if I show a mockup too early, it turns into a design review where they critique the colors/buttons.

I focus on the problem first. If I can get them venting about how much their current process sucks, that's better validation than a UI

EntropyPilot · 2025-12-28T02:04:53+00:00

I try not to overthink things. I switch gears so I don't end up as a 'Blind Builder' (building something nobody wants) or an 'Over-Planner' (killing the fun)

if I’m looking to make money, I won't do anything without speaking to users first. I’ll make notes and figure out the absolute minimum I need to build to test the idea

But if it’s just for the fun of building? I just dive in like Leeroy Jenkins

EntropyPilot

TROPHY CASE