A private career college with four campuses in the Greater Toronto Area saw its number of Ontario Student Assistance Program recipients grow by nearly 3,000 per cent over three years, according to data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom-of-information request. The Canadian College of Business, Science and Technology had 562 OSAP recipients in 2021-22 and 17,157 three years later. The school was not among the six career colleges that Ontario's government cut off from the program in May.
The growth was concentrated at one campus, which went from 74 OSAP students to 4,481, an increase of 5,955 per cent. Provincial grants flowing to that campus reached $39 million, and the four campuses together drew about $151 million in provincial grants in 2024-25. The records also show that more than 97 per cent of the school's OSAP students in 2024-25 were enrolled in online programs, up from six per cent in 2021-22.
Ontario Colleges Minister Nolan Quinn removed OSAP eligibility in May from four Academy of Learning sites and two Citi College campuses. Those schools are contesting the decision in court and deny any wrongdoing. Their enrolment growth over the period ranged from roughly 650 to 1,375 per cent, according to the same figures. Quinn has cited systemic concerns across the sector without naming specific schools.
In early October, the province paused OSAP funding for all career colleges while a KPMG audit is carried out. Quinn said the ministry inspected schools in the summer of 2025 and restricted grants earlier this year. Opposition critics say the government moved too slowly, noting that concerns about career college oversight were raised as early as January 2023. NDP critic Peggy Sattler described the situation as a failure of oversight, while Liberal critic Tyler Watt questioned how bad actors had gone unnoticed for so long.
The Canadian College of Business, Science and Technology did not respond to requests for comment. It left the Career Colleges Ontario membership organization on September 1, and the reason for its departure has not been stated. Citi and Academy of Learning have attributed their growth to alignment with job-market needs and to enrolment from newcomers and adult learners.
The federal government flagged the six cut schools in 2025, but not the Toronto college, and says it continues to monitor the sector. Proposed Ontario legislation would cap growth in OSAP-funded enrolment and bar online-only programs from the program. Whether those measures would reach institutions like the Toronto college will depend on how the audit and the legislation proceed.
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