TORONTO — More than 40 paramedic students at CTS Canadian Career College have already dropped out after the province’s pause on Ontario Student Assistance Program payments to private career colleges, the school says.CTS is the only career college eligible for the Learn and Stay Grant, a signature Ford government program that covers tuition for paramedic, nursing and medical lab technology students who agree to work in underserved areas after graduation. The affected students were enrolled at the college’s North Bay, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie campuses.The college reported that 41 grant-funded students have left their programs, while 115 remain. Students told The Canadian Press the freeze has left them behind on bills and relying on food banks.Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn paused OSAP payments to all private post-secondary institutions in early October after a preliminary audit raised “serious concerns” about the integrity of the system. The province has referred the matter to the Ontario Provincial Police; the pause is expected to last until at least early 2027 while the government builds a new approval process.Opposition parties have criticized the blanket freeze, saying it is punishing legitimate students and institutions while the government investigates a smaller number of bad actors. The NDP has called for emergency relief for affected students.The dropouts at CTS come as the government continues to highlight the Learn and Stay Grant as a tool to address health-care staffing shortages in northern and rural communities.
