Ontario college pauses classes after province freezes OSAP

They put that pause in place. Tevin Scallon studies at Trillium College and couldn't believe it when he received an email from the school saying all classes were paused. Honestly, it was like it took everything from under me. In the email, the school states it's not a permanent closure or cancellation. As for the reason, it says Trillium has carried the cost of continuing education since OSAP payments didn't come through for students as of August 1st. first. Then the province officially paused the money sector-wide October 6th. It says Trillium's suspension gives students time to assess their options while giving it time to restructure schedule staffing and payment arrangements. Scallon is studying at Trillium's Oshawa campus in the last phase of his social worker program. He's doing a placement at a homeless shelter. that continues but money is tight without his loan money to tell us at the last minute that oh sorry um you know us students who have put so much work into our you know building our lives and then to hear this at the last minute is just kind of like it's jaw-dropping to know that this could even happen you know a spokesperson for the colleges and universities minister defends the sector-wide freeze on osap saying they had evidence of systemic issues and says they're working to develop options for low-interest third-party loans, and that day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the institution. Another student in the same program, though at the Niagara campus, has four children. She's frustrated with both the province and the college. Walk a mile in our shoes. We are not only fighting the government, now we're fighting Trillium too. We're supposed to graduate in February. That doesn't look like it's going to happen. Career Colleges Ontario says it expects other institutions may be forced to make similar difficult decisions if the OSAP pause continues. Trillium College says it will update its students no later than Friday. Meanwhile, student Tevin Scanlon says a solution is urgent. He already has an eviction notice at his apartment. Lorenda Redekamp, CBC News, Toronto.