From skyrocketing tuition to food insecurity, Bill 33 does nothing but distract from concrete solutions while worsening chronic underfunding in education.
Bill 33, or, as Doug Ford deceivingly calls it, the Supporting Children and Students Act, was introduced into the Ontario legislature in May to implement major reform in postsecondary institutions (among other institutions such as school boards). It was brought forth by the Ford government in the name of “supporting” students, but conveniently ignores the biggest hardships faced by postsecondary students in Ontario, such as economic hardship, high cost-of-living and food insecurity, while making life for students on campus worse. During a cost-of-living crisis, many students are struggling to make ends meet. From skyrocketing tuition to food insecurity, Bill 33 does nothing but distract from concrete solutions while worsening chronic underfunding in education.
This omnibus Bill has many problematic aspects, from limiting DEI initiatives in postsecondary admissions to requiring increased police presence in schools, that have been met with criticism from organizations such as school boards, student unions, the Canadian Federation of Students, and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. At the University of Ottawa though, this Bill is particularly troubling for students who rely on student union services like the food bank, Feminist Resource Centre, or the Bike co-op. to get their basic needs met and enrich their university experience.
Bill 33 targets ancillary and student union fees, shifting from an opt-in system to an opt-out system, effectively killing student life.
Student union fees are typically only a few dollars per fee, with the highest amount ($23.50) going to student life initiatives that support the uOttawa community and foster social and professional development on campus. Enjoy 101 week? That is a student union fee, enjoy PiViK, or the health and wellness services, the Emergency Hardship Fund? Student union fee. If you read The Fulcrum, say goodbye to their coverage of Panda, and their coverage of student life, because that is a student union fee.
At a time of high unemployment, worsening food insecurity on campus, and high tuition, it’s no wonder postsecondary students are relying on services. Undergraduate uOttawa students have seen significant tuition increases for the 2025-2026 academic year. For students in dual fast-track degrees in the faculties of engineering and science, as well as for Telfer students of all programs, tuition has increased by 7.5%, while Common Law students saw an increase of 7.28% and students pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Sciences saw an increase of 3.04%. These increases can cost students hundreds of dollars, which pales in comparison to the student union fees the Ford government is targeting.
These figures make clear the real purpose of Bill 33: to distract from the defunding of the already struggling education system at the hands of the Ford government. In gutting student union services, Bill 33 neglects students’ health, wellness, safety, and community needs in the name of protecting them from the very economic hardship the government has created. While the student-run food bank sees usage increases of over 200 per cent, Doug Ford is hoping to defund it.
What can students do to prevent Bill 33 from passing? Other Ontario student groups have already started taking action, including petitioning to stop the Bill, hosting student roundtables with local politicians, and bringing awareness about the Bill to the public and student community. However, postsecondary institutions across Ontario must make a coordinated effort to prevent Bill 33 from wreaking havoc on our communities. Students can combat Bill 33 by educating others, sharing petitions in opposition to Bill 33, writing to government officials and organizations, and coordinating with local MPPs (such as Ottawa Centre’s Catherine McKenney, who has already spoken out against Bill 33).
For postsecondary students across the province, Bill 33 has been a source of uncertainty on many levels. Economic hardship is rampant in student communities, and student services can be a saving grace for many struggling students. To successfully mobilize, students must band together across political and social divides against this Bill that sets out to make all of our lives harder. From signing a petition to writing your local MPP, individual students have the power to change the tides against this problematic omnibus Bill and protect our communities from the devastation proposed by this government.
