Ottawa Daily Digest — 2026-02-16

Tough news for students: Ontario says it will cut OSAP grants from about 85% of funding to a maximum of 25% this fall and lift a seven-year tuition freeze so colleges and universities can raise fees by up to 2% a year for the next three years. Alex Stratas (U of Ottawa student union) and Husam Morra (University of Windsor Students’ Alliance) warn this will push already-struggling students into more debt, even though the government promised $6.4 billion more for post-secondary schools over four years.

Building bounce: Ontario saw a 12% increase in housing starts in January 2026 versus Jan 2025, with 550 single‑detached homes and 3,905 multi‑residential units beginning construction. The government points to measures like Bill 17/60 and development charge deferrals to spur building, but it’s still far from the 1.5 million‑home goal by 2031 (the province hit about 80% of its 125,000 target in 2024; targets are 150,000 for 2025 and 175,000 for 2026).

Tragic loss: A 13‑year‑old girl from Ottawa injured on a chairlift at Centre Vorlage in Wakefield on Feb. 11 has died, her family told CHEO on Sunday; they thanked rescuers and noted she was a Trillium Gift of Life organ donor. The MRC‑des‑Collines police are investigating, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) ordered the lift closed, and the Ottawa‑Carleton District School Board has suspended school chairlift trips while officials look into what happened.

LCBO as leverage: After a public fight over Crown Royal, the Ford government reached a $23‑million deal with Diageo that includes a $1M investment in Windsor/Amherstburg and $5M for Ontario marketing; Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said the province will keep using LCBO buying power when it feels companies are mistreating Ontario. Critics call the tactic “economic blackmail,” note the government’s 2025 ban on U.S. wines/liquors, and say the move didn’t save about 200 local plant jobs that were lost.

Flood watch: Warmer weather is melting weeks of heavy snow and raising flood and ice‑jam risks — the Grand River Conservation Authority has a flood warning until Thursday for Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph and Brantford, while Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Milton) and Catfish Creek authorities warn of high flows. Officials urge extreme caution near rivers and creeks; insurers say a similar late‑winter thaw last year caused over $160 million in insured damage.