OSDSS Student Raising Awareness Locally Ahead of Province-Wide Walkout Over OSAP Cuts
A Grade 10 student at Owen Sound District Secondary School aims to raise awareness of a March 11 province-wide student walkout protesting the Ontario government's proposed OSAP changes.
A student from Owen Sound District Secondary School is sounding the alarm over the impact proposed OSAP changes will have on local students, and plans to raise awareness by participating in a province-wide walkout on March 11.
The Grade 10 student, whose name is being withheld by Owen Sound Current to protect their identity, plans to distribute posters around the city to encourage other students to participate.
“It’s important to me that people know this is happening. I want them to know about what Doug Ford is doing to OSAP, and how this is going to greatly impact Ontario students — especially for those just going into college,” the student explained.
The Ontario government is proposing major changes to OSAP to shift it toward a loan-heavy model, capping grants at 25% of funding (down from 85%) starting fall 2026.
“It gives me a lot more anxiety about growing up and being able to afford to live in Canada,” the student said, adding, “There are a lot of people out there it’s going to be a lot harder for.”
The student, who dreams of one day being an actor or drama teacher, also took exception with comments Ontario’s Premier made recently about the perceived value of some career paths.
Ford referred to “basket-weaving courses” as an example of low-value programs during a February 17, 2026, press briefing at Queen's Park, while defending OSAP cuts. He stated, “If you're opting for basket-weaving courses, there aren’t many baskets being sold these days,” urging students to prioritize in-demand fields like healthcare, trades, and STEM instead.
“I feel when he made a comment about basket weaving, he meant arts and culture, which I think is important for society,” the local student said.
Critics across the province, including students, weavers, and opposition figures, argued that Ford’s comments devalued non-STEM education, ignored real-world applications like math and science in crafts, and blamed learners amid rising tuition and debt from OSAP changes.
Hundreds of students rallied outside Queen's Park in Toronto on March 4, chanting and drumming, shouting, “No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities,” according to the CBC.
The local effort planned for next Wednesday is an extension of a province-wide movement being organized online, largely via an Instagram account called @studentsjustwannahavefunds.
The account has provided promotional materials, media tips, and a support email for students, as well as publicizing the names of schools where protests will take place.
Various media reports indicate that high school students in Barrie, Cobourg, Leamington, Peterborough, Picton and Kingston, among other cities, plan to walk out of school in protest on March 11.
Student walkouts in Ontario high schools are not explicitly banned by law and are generally tolerated as a form of free expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but they carry risks of disciplinary action from schools.
Ontario's Education Act emphasizes maintaining order and attendance during school hours, so unapproved walkouts can be treated as truancy or disruption.
Past protests, like the 2019 #StudentsSayNo walkouts (also against Ford's education cuts), occurred at hundreds of schools without mass suspensions, though principals notified parents and monitored safety.
When asked whether Bluewater District School Board and OSDSS have a policy around student walkouts, and whether they could comment on any repercussions for students in the event of a walkout action next week, a board spokesperson told Owen Sound Current on March 5:
“Bluewater District School Board respects the rights of its students in sharing their voices on issues impacting their education.
Our staff will maintain a safe and peaceful environment and ensure students who choose to participate follow the school’s expectations around conduct.”
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