Discover Narcity
Get the latest and greatest stories every day in your inbox.
Career college students worry about impact of OSAP pause, extended to 2027
Students worry about impact of OSAP pause
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Now that the Ontario government has confirmed that a provincewide pause on student financial assistance payments to career colleges will last for months, some students say they're worried it will prevent them from graduating.
Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn announced late Tuesday afternoon that the pause won't be lifted until the government establishes a new process for approving private post-secondary institutions under the Ontario Student Assistance Program.
He says that work isn't expected to be finished until the new year, and the government is also still working to secure third-party loans for students through banks.
Quinn enacted the pause after he said preliminary findings from an audit into OSAP usage at career colleges highlighted serious concerns.
Many students say they feel unfairly penalized for the allegedly suspicious activity of others.
Trillium College has suspended classes due to uncertainty around the OSAP pause, and student Marina Whitehead says she now doesn't know if she will be able to graduate in February, as planned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Allison Jones | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Keep reading
Show less
Social media ban for under-16s consistent with Charter, government says
Ottawa says social media ban Charter-compliant
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The Liberal government says while its proposed digital safety legislation might affect freedom of expression, the bill itself is consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Bill C-34 would ban social media access for kids under 16 and experts have warned it is likely to face a constitutional challenge.
The government included the analysis in a Charter statement, a document issued by the justice minister that looks at whether a bill is consistent with the Charter.
It says the bill might engage freedom of expression and equality rights, as well as section 8 of the Charter, which deals with privacy.
But it says the social media ban is consistent with the Charter for a number of reasons, including the fact that age-based restrictions already apply to activities like voting and driving.
It says there is considerable evidence about the risks social media use poses for young people and social media platforms with adequate safeguards will be exempt from the ban.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Anja Karadeglija | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Keep reading
Show less
Musical about genetic discovery conceived as way to process 'life-changing' family secret
Musical conceived as way to process family secret
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
After Noam Tomaschoff's parents revealed to him that his dad — the man who raised him from birth — was not his biological father, his gut instinct wasn't to keep harbouring the secret they had kept for 31 years: It was to share it, and share it widely.
"My brain automatically told me, like, you need to make something out of this," he said of his reaction in the summer of 2022.
That intuition led the writer-actor to process the news through penning a one-man musical with his two childhood friends based on his real-life extraordinary genetic discovery.
Another aspect of the personal bombshell was the fact that the only child actually had more than 35 half-siblings.
"I've met people who have had similar experiences and when they don't have an outlet, whatever it may be, to wrangle it and make sense of it and own it, it can remain a big obstacle, something you never get past," he said. "I think it was my way of getting through it."
After successful runs at the Toronto and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, a showcase in New York, and performances in other Canadian cities, "Our Little Secret: A True New Musical" is heading to the Off-Mirvish stage, giving the Toronto-born performer a special homecoming.
"It's everything. It's like the Olympics," he said of the show hitting the CAA Theatre for a nearly three-week run, beginning Nov. 3.
For Tomaschoff, the last four years have been a whirlwind.
He had a typical childhood and said he never had any reason to suspect his parents were keeping anything — let alone an identity-shaking secret — from him. But as detailed in a lengthy 2023 Toronto Life feature, when he was 31, a woman he was dating, who is now his fiancée, told him about direct-to-consumer genetic test kits. On a whim, he ordered one. When he told his mom about the impending DNA test, the series of life-shifting events unfolded.
Unable to conceive naturally, Tomaschoff's parents turned to sperm donation and decided to tell only a few family members. Tomaschoff said it wasn't in his nature to lash out at his parents. Intellectually, he said, he understood their reasons for not telling him.
"That was the general guidance at the time; it made sense," he said. "There wasn't as much of a support structure. There's a lot of shame around this type of thing, so I was never there being like, 'How could you do this?' I know why they did it."
After taking the DNA test, Tomaschoff connected with other people who were conceived via the same sperm donor. The man died before Tomaschoff learned of their relation, but he has since grown close to some of his half-siblings, he said.
While his parents wanted their son to keep the truth under wraps, Tomaschoff refused. Before learning about his true backstory, the 35-year-old artist had been living in Los Angeles, struggling to land auditions and feeling "creatively adrift" after wrapping up an independent feature film project, he said.
"I had never had such a stroke of inspiration about any other project I've done in my life" he said.
After receiving a slot in the 2023 Toronto Fringe Festival, Tomaschoff wrote the show with his best friends, composer Ryan Peters and producer Russell Citron, whom he had met in high school and, fittingly, bonded with over a love of musical theatre.
The show, then called "Our Little Secret: The 23andMe Musical," sold out all its performances and earned awards, including the Patron’s Pick and Best of Fringe.
Tomaschoff has since performed it at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and later in Montreal. The show is currently playing at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre until Oct. 25. Ahead of its return to the Toronto stage, Tomaschoff said the show's rise has been "very amazing and humbling."
"Our Little Secret" has evolved since its original conception. Initially, Tomaschoff said, it focused on the fun, joyful and wow moments, but after receiving constructive feedback that it lacked emotional, vulnerable notes, he said the show now better balances the highs and lows of that time period.
"It would be unsatisfying for the general audience to see a show that's just kind of all happy. It certainly wouldn't be true if it was all sad," he said. "It's trying to have everything in there that was a key step along the way, whether it was a difficult moment or overcoming that."
The new production is directed by veteran stage performer Adam Pascal, best known for his role in the original Broadway and West End productions of "Rent." In "Our Little Secret," Tomaschoff speaks directly to the audience — referred to as breaking the fourth wall — and plays multiple roles, including his parents, Gideon Tomaschoff and Sylvie Leone-Tomaschoff.
When he was creating the musical, he kept his folks in the dark about its contents, a move he described as "my little payback." But when his parents first saw it performed, they really liked it, he said. With every new iteration of the script, he strives to represent them authentically, while not shying away from difficult moments.
"It's a negotiation, but we always strive to arrive at consensus around each new version of the script, which I think it must be the first musical in history where the parents essentially have an editorial role in the writing of it," Tomaschoff said. "But it's another way that we kind of keep each other honest."
Tomaschoff's story is specific, but he said the show deals with universal themes such as identity and family crisis. He wants audiences of all ages to walk out of the show inspired to embrace honesty in their relationships.
While he's had years to process the truth, Tomaschoff said during performances, he can still tap into the initial moment of shock.
"I think I will be able to forever because it was just such a life-changing moment."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Kaitlyn McGrath | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Keep reading
Show less
Augmentation de loyer au Québec : Voici ce que ton proprio a le droit de faire ou non
Prends des notes pour ton prochain renouvellement de bail. đź‘€
Habituellement, au Québec, la grande majorité des baux se terminent le 31 juin et durent douze mois. Sachant que l'avis de renouvellement doit se faire entre trois à six mois avant la fin du bail, la plupart des locataires auront jusqu'au 31 mars pour renouveler ou mettre fin à celui-ci. Si cela est ton cas, il ne te reste donc que quelques semaines avant de remettre ta décision.
Si tu habites présentement un appartement loué, sache qu'ils existent des lois au Québec afin de protéger les locataires. En effet, les propriétaires n'ont pas le droit de tout faire concernant leur logement. Pour t'aider à en savoir plus sur tes droits en tant que locataires, et ce, surtout en cette période de renouvellement de bail, voici quelques informations qui peuvent t'être bien utiles si tu penses rester dans ton appart.
Suis-je obligé.e d'accepter une augmentation du coût du loyer?
Tu n'es jamais obligé.e d'accepter une augmentation du coût de ton loyer, surtout si celle-ci n'est pas basée sur des motifs clairs ou est injustifiée. Si par exemple ton ou ta proprio explique l'augmentation par une rénovation chez ton ou ta voisin.e ou par la récente inflation, ces justifications sont considérées comme invalides et peuvent être contestées.
Selon Éducaloi, et contrairement à la pensée populaire, il n'y a pas de taux fixes obligatoires pour une augmentation de loyer, mais tu peux tout de même te fier aux calculs effectués par le Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) qui sort, chaque année, des pourcentages qui peuvent servir et guider les ajustements de loyer.
Qu'est-ce qui est considéré comme valide pour augmenter un loyer?
Plusieurs éléments peuvent venir justifier une augmentation de loyer. Ainsi, si ton ou ta propriétaire a effectué des rénovations majeures qui profitent à l'ensemble des locataires (par exemple, la réparation des fondations de l’immeuble, le sablage et le vernissage des planchers), si les frais d'énergie ou les taxes scolaires et municipales ont augmenté ou si les frais d'entretien (déneigement, entretien de la tuyauterie, peinture, etc.) ont grimpé.
« En ce qui concerne les réparations majeures, si ces dernières profitent à l’ensemble des locataires d’un immeuble à logement, l’augmentation sera alors divisée selon le nombre de logements », laisse savoir Éducaloi sur son site Internet.
Comment savoir si une augmentation est exagérée?
Si la hausse de ton logement te semble inexpliquée, tu peux utiliser le formulaire de calcul fournit par le TAL afin d'évaluer celle-ci et ainsi voir si oui ou non cela vaudra la peine de refuser l'augmentation et d'entrer dans des négociations avec ton ou ta propriétaire. Tu peux, bien sûr, aussi te fier aux critères nommés plus haut.
Comment refuser une augmentation de loyer?Â
Si ton bail est conforme à la loi, tu devrais pouvoir choisir entre trois options soit : j'accepte les modifications (le bail sera ainsi reconduit selon les nouvelles conditions), je désire quitter le logement (tu devras alors trouver un autre logement avant la fin du bail) ou je refuse les modifications proposées.
Si tu souhaites contester la hausse ou les modifications dans ton bail, tu peux alors t'embarquer dans des négociations à l'amiable avec ton ou ta propriétaire ou t'adresser au TAL pour qu’il décide du sort des modifications proposées. Sache que le ou la propriétaire peut lui aussi faire appel au TAL. Il ou elle aura alors un mois après avoir reçu ton refus pour le faire.
Est-ce que ton bail peut se renouveler automatiquement?Â
Oui, si tu n'informes pas ton ou ta propriétaire de tes intentions de quitter le logement ou que tu n'as pas indiqué que tu réfutes les modifications, ton bail sera renouvelé automatiquement sans que tu n'aies rien à faire. C'est pourquoi tu dois bien respecter les délais et envoyer ton avis avant la date limite (soit pour la majorité des baux au Québec, le 31 mars 2023).
Comment savoir les prix moyens pour un appartement dans mon quartier en 2023?
Quelques entreprises immobilières se sont amusées à récolter des données pour des quartiers précis ou des villes au Québec, et ce, pour diverses dimensions de logements. Cela peut te donner une idée du prix moyen des appartements dans ton secteur.
Le site Appartogo, par exemple, présente les prix moyens pour plusieurs villes au Québec. À Montréal, un trois et demi coûterait en moyenne 1 498 $ alors qu'à Québec, pour le même nombre de pièces, celui-ci coûterait 1 233 $.
Tu peux aussi consulter la plateforme liv.rent qui sort, chaque mois, les prix moyens des annonces de location de logements dans onze des quartiers les plus populaires de l'île de Montréal.
Ces chiffres ne sont pas Ă prendre au pied de la lettre, mais peuvent t'aider Ă savoir ce que tu devrais faire avec ton avis de renouvellement de bail.
Tu peux aussi regarder la section G de ton bail où ton ou ta propriétaire est obligé.e d'indiquer le loyer le plus bas douze mois avant ton arrivée.
Est-ce que mon proprio peut reprendre son logement?
Oui, mais à certaines conditions seulement. Selon le TAL, un.e propriétaire de l'immeuble peut reprendre le logement seulement s'il ou elle souhaite s'y loger ou pour un.e membre de sa famille nucléaire (parents ou enfants) ou une personne à charge dont iel est le soutien principal (matériel ou moral). Si c'est le cas, tu devras être averti.e six mois avant la fin de ton bail.
Sache aussi qu'un.e propriétaire n'a pas le droit de se servir de cette raison et par la suite de ne pas habiter le logement afin de le mettre sur le marché à un taux plus élevé.