Dear Tyndale alumni, donors, church partners and friends,
Students at Tyndale University are facing significant financial hardship because the Ontario government has delayed the release of their Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) funding to all private post-secondary institutions. We are asking our wider community to stand with Tyndale students through practical support, advocacy and prayer.
Our students began this semester with the reasonable expectation that the funding they rely on would be available. Weeks into their studies, they are still waiting. For some, this means being unable to pay rent, purchase groceries or cover transportation and textbooks. Some have told us they are facing the threat of eviction. Students with disabilities are also experiencing delays in accessing funding for essential equipment and supports.
These students should be able to concentrate on learning, preparing for their vocations and contributing to their churches and communities. Instead, some are now withdrawing from their studies because of the financial uncertainty and anxiety this delay is causing. The consequences are no longer a future possibility. Students’ education is being interrupted now.
What has happened
On October 6, the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES) announced a pause in OSAP payments to all private postsecondary institutions in Ontario. No date has been provided for the release of those funds.
To assist in your understanding, the key difficulty for Tyndale is that, for OSAP administrative purposes only, the MCURES places Tyndale within the same category as private career colleges, despite being a provincially-legislated private university with more than 130 years of service to students, churches and communities. As a result, Tyndale and our students have become casualties of the private career college review intended to address concerns in a very different part of the postsecondary sector.
We respect the government’s responsibility to protect students and safeguard public funds. We are asking for the prompt release of funding for eligible Tyndale students, with recognition of the University’s distinct status and history of being a trusted and reliable institution. Our leadership continues to advocate directly and persistently with the Ministry and the Premier’s Office. However, there is no commitment to recognize Tyndale differently than any other private career college for OSAP purposes.
How Tyndale is responding
Tyndale is allowing students to defer payments that would be covered by their anticipated OSAP funding. But deferring tuition cannot put food on a student’s table or pay their rent.
On October 7, we launched a Student Support Initiative to help meet immediate needs. Our community is stocking a pantry with food and personal hygiene products, purchasing meal vouchers for students, and working to identify support for those facing other urgent expenses. Our Wellness Centre and Accessibility Services are also helping students explore available assistance.
These efforts depend on the generosity of our community, and available resources are limited. As the delay continues, the need grows.
How you can help
Give to support students.
A gift can help Tyndale respond to the immediate needs of students affected by this delay. Please visit Tyndale’s giving page and make a designated gift with the comment “STUDENT SUPPORT – OSAP RELIEF.”
If you are near campus, you can also donate non-perishable food and personal hygiene products to the Tyndale Community Pantry. Please drop donations off at the main front reception, or purchase a meal voucher through our Dining Hall.
The delay also means that approximately $3 million in anticipated tuition revenue for the Fall semester has not reached the University, even as we continue teaching, supporting students and meeting our operating obligations. We are asking whether a donor, or a group of donors, would consider an extraordinary gift to cover this gap and help sustain Tyndale’s work through this urgent situation. If you are able to consider support of this magnitude, please contact Kevin Kirk, Sr. Vice President, External Relations, to discuss how you can help.
Ask the provincial government to act.
If you live in Ontario, please contact your Member of Provincial Parliament. You can also contact the Premier’s Office. You can find and contact your MPP through the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s website. You may also contact the Premier’s Office directly. You can download a template to email to your MPP.
Ask for the prompt release of OSAP funding for eligible Tyndale University students. We also ask you to support our efforts in asking the government to recognize the distinction between provincially legislated, private, not-for-profit universities and private career colleges within the OSAP framework.
Pray and share this appeal.
Please pray for students experiencing hardship and uncertainty, for those working to support them, and for government officials responsible for resolving this situation. Share this letter with your church, fellow alumni and others who may be able to help.
Thank you for standing with students. We trust God’s faithfulness as we seek a swift resolution, and we ask you to join us in extending compassion and practical care to students who need it now.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marjory Kerr
President and Vice Chancellor
Template Downloads
Here is a template you can download to use for contacting your MPP or the Premier's office.
- MPP Template (Word)
- MPP Template (Google Docs)
- MPP Template (PDF)