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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, March 17, 2016 | 4 Changes to OSAP make average tuition free for low-income students continued from p.1 "We believe that any student regardless of their background or size of their parents' paychecks should be able to go to college or university in this province and that is what we are proposing to do with today's announcement." The changes to OSAP will make average tuition free for more than 150,000 eligible lowand middle-income students across the province and will reduce the cost for many by: · providing the majority of eligible students whose parents earn a median annual income of $83,300 or less with enough grants to more than cover their tuition costs; · eliminating provincial student loan debt for eligible students whose parents earn less than $50,000; · ensuring no eligible student receives less non-repayable aid through the new grant system than they currently do through the 30 Per Cent Off Ontario Tuition Grant. Flynn said the Ontario Student Grant would provide additional support to full-time mature and married students, with eligibility no longer being tied to the number of years a student has been out of high school. He said this predictable, upfront grant would allow families to plan for their education on the basis of net price -- the difference between the sticker price of tuition and what a student actually needs to pay. The Oakville MPP defended the plan, stating allowing more people to reach their potential and the creation of a highly-skilled workforce is essential if Ontario is to continue to compete in the modern world. "We believe this is a much smarter way to allocate taxpayer dollars," said Flynn. "It is going to be paid for by reallocating existing student financial-aid dollars and all the additional revenue from eliminating the Educational Tax Credit is going to be reinvested into the Ontario Student Grant and also other educational skills programs." Sheridan College President and Vice Chancellor Jeff Zabudsky welcomed the announcement stating Sheridan students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and stages of their careers. "We are very excited about the doors that will open to prospective students through the new provincial budget," he said. "The new grant program recognizes the importance of post-secondary education in preparing graduates who will be key to the province's future economic growth and long-term sustainability. It also demonstrates the government's commitment to breaking down barriers and helping more students acquire the qualifications and professional skills that lead to rewarding careers." Zabudsky said there is no shortage of need for the Ontario Student Grant noting more than 70 per cent of Sheridan students seek some form of financial support during their time at the college. Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour and MPP for Oakville, visited Sheridan College Tuesday (March 15) to make an announcement regarding changes to post-secondary tuition and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) as outlined in the 2016 Ontario budget. Pictured, from left, are: Jeff Zabudsky, president and CEO of Sheridan College; Erin Christie, a second-year Bachelor of Interior Design student and admissions representative; and Flynn. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) CAN YOU HEAR THE SOUNDS OF SPRING? Our patients do! $1000 OFF a pair of our premium technology hearing aids* *Promo ends on April 30, 2016. See clinic for more details. SPECIAL SPRING PRICING 905.849.5894 www.oakvillehearing.com 1235 Trafalgar Rd. Suite 207 Nicole Clark Audiologist