Politics · Canada · 5 hrs ago
Ontario inspects eight private colleges amid OSAP fraud concerns
Ontario has begun in-person inspections at eight private career colleges over possible fraud or other irregularities involving student aid.
The investigation concerns OSAP, the Ontario Student Assistance Program, which helps students pay for education.
Earlier in October, the province blocked OSAP access at all 242 private career colleges while it looked into concerns raised by federal officials, advocacy groups and audits.
Auditors cited problems including difficulty confirming students were enrolled and unusually high numbers of applications from the same places; their findings were referred to the Ontario Provincial Police.
College administrators say the broad suspension targets schools without proof of wrongdoing, and some warn they may have to close as funding runs out.
Ontario says OSAP will remain suspended for private colleges until stronger checks are in place, a process expected to begin in the new year.
The province is also considering limits on funded enrolment and online-only programs, and is working on bridge loans for affected students.
Provincial investigators have begun in-person inspections at eight private career colleges over potential “irregularities or fraud” involving OSAP.
Ontario said investigators gathered information and interviewed people at the unnamed colleges, and suggested inspections could expand to more schools and the sector as a whole.
In early October, the province barred students at all 242 private career colleges from accessing OSAP while it investigated concerns raised by the federal government, advocacy groups and internal audits and inspections.
College administrators have criticized the province-wide suspension, while some colleges have warned they may have to close without OSAP funding.
Ontario says OSAP access for private institutions will not resume until a strengthened validation process is in place.
- Who
- Provincial investigators are inspecting eight unnamed private career colleges. Ontario is investigating concerns involving OSAP.
- What
- Investigators are looking for potential evidence of irregularities or fraud and have gathered information and interviewed individuals.
- When
- The inspections were reported on October 20, 2026. The province announced the OSAP suspension in early October.
- Where
- Ontario.
- Why
- The province is investigating concerns about the integrity of OSAP, including student validation and enrollment verification.
Ontario government
Private career college administrators
Aspect
Ontario government
The government says it is investigating concerns about potential irregularities or fraud and will restore OSAP access only after strengthened validation measures are in place.
Private career college administrators
Administrators say the government is targeting schools without evidence of wrongdoing and warn that loss of OSAP funding could force some colleges to close.
Aspect
Ontario government
Ontario plans stronger validation, enrollment caps on OSAP-funded places and the exclusion of online-only programs.
Private career college administrators
Some colleges have warned that they may have to shut their doors if OSAP funding dries up.
Ontario said students at all 242 private career colleges would be barred from accessing OSAP while the province investigated concerns.
Trinity College suspended in-class instruction, according to an internal memo obtained by Global News.
Provincial investigators began in-person inspections at eight private career colleges.
- Colleges inspected
- 8 private career colleges
- Province-wide OSAP suspension
- Students at all 242 private career colleges
- Investigation referrals
- Findings from an external audit by KMPG were referred to the OPP
- Planned validation process
- Expected to be implemented in the new year
- OSAP approval period
- 2026-27 academic year
What people are saying
We are working to develop a strengthened validation process for private postsecondary institutions associated with OSAP approvals for the 2026-27 academic year
This process is expected to be implemented in the new year. OSAP will not resume for private postsecondary institutions until the strengthened validation process is in place.