Students at Humber North campus hosted an information booth to drum up support for advocacy efforts to push back against the provincial government's changes to OSAP.
The information booth set up behind the IGNITE tech zone offered students resources, conversations, and baked goods to ensure Humber students were informed about the changes to OSAP before a planned major rally at Queen's Park on Wednesday.
The Progressive Conservative government announced on Feb. 12 that OSAP grants would be cut to 25 per cent from 85 per cent, leaving students to rely on loans for the remaining 75 per cent of their post-secondary funding.
Red Square Day marked the start of a GTA post-secondary protest, amplifying the voices of students who are concerned about OSAP cuts and how the changes will affect their futures.
The Red Square served as a symbol of a 2012 student-led protest in Quebec against tuition increases.
“The red square symbolizes being stuck in debt," said Elizabeth Marculewicz, a second-year student and organizer of Red Square Day at Humber. "Doug Ford is trying to push debt onto students, and it's a symbol of being stuck in the red.”
Red Square Day organizers were warning that OSAP cuts will add thousands to students’ debt.
Humber student and event organizer, Antonio Malo said the changes would on average, add an extra $6,000 to $7,000 in debt per student per year, "which is not cheap for anybody.”
Marculewicz said the student-led organization had been working on this event for two weeks to advocate for their peers, adding that they were inspired by how quickly students came together for the cause.
“I’ve been involved with politics for a very long time, and I've never seen people unite together so quickly,” Marculewicz said. “As soon as [Doug Ford] touched OSAP, it was like something happened, finally students got involved, and it was really heartwarming to see people finally being so concerned for their education.”
The organizers handed out pamphlets explaining the OSAP cuts, red square pins for students to wear, and red square cookies to raise awareness.
Malo said he hopes that the information provided will encourage students to advocate for themselves.
“Just make yourself heard,” he said. “If you make yourself known, you’d get so much farther than just being a bystander.”
Marculewicz said students should advocate for themselves.
“If you have an opinion, you should make your voice heard, and the government should listen. This is going to affect a lot of students’ lives,” she said.
