Toronto mayoral candidate proposes $100 million education program with $10,000 scholarships

A Toronto mayoral candidate is proposing a $100 million annual education program that would give 10,000 students $10,000 each, arguing that young people shouldn't have to choose between paying rent and pursuing their careers.

Cory Deville, 37, says that while Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is provincial, he has a plan to supplement it if elected mayor. Students who are Canadian citizens, from lower-income households, and attending a Toronto college or university would be eligible for the funding.

Deville framed the idea around a core belief: investing in students now will benefit Toronto and Ontario in the future. "If we fail to invest in our youth today, we will ultimately hurt ourselves in the future," he said, arguing that failing to support students could leave the province with fewer technical experts and force Ontario to "outsource our brilliance," which would cost more in the long run.

"You should not have to choose between paying your rent and becoming a doctor," Deville said, emphasizing that financial pressures force lower-income students to make choices between their basic needs and education. "If you exist within X and Y economic thresholds, uniquely on the bottom strata, you should not have to choose between paying your rent and becoming a doctor, or paying your rent and becoming a nurse."

Deville explained that the initial proposal would provide 10,000 students with $10,000 scholarships. He says the program could be funded within Toronto's existing operational budget. The 2026 approved budget is approximately $18.9 billion. He argued that allocating roughly $100 million annually toward education would be possible, representing about one per cent of that budget. "I would pose this question to the city: Is education worth at least one per cent of our time and energy?" Deville said, noting that one per cent of Toronto's budget amounts to around $190 million.

Deville's broader campaign priorities are cost of living, safety, and economic opportunity, with rental affordability positioned as central. He has been involved in provincial politics since 2022, when he began scaling Fair Equity Ontario, a newly founded provincial party. He argued that while many major issues affecting students—housing, employment, and education—involve provincial jurisdiction, a Toronto mayor can still advocate for residents and use city resources to address local challenges.