On September 24, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) hosted its first Advocacy and Campaigns commission to educate students about Bill 33 — the Supporting Children and Students Act. Earlier this year, Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra introduced Bill 33, which, if passed, will significantly expand the provincial government’s oversight of public post-secondary education. 

The proposed bill would give the provincial government control over which ancillary student fees are optional. Many student services at UTM rely on mandatory ancillary fees — including the student unions, U-Pass, Food Centre services, and student media like The Medium, The Varsity, and CIUT 89.5 FM. 

As part of a coordinated effort with other unions, including SCSU and ASSU, the “Fight the Fees: Hands Off Our Education” campaign aims to stop governmental oversight of education, defend students’ right to organize, and advocate for increased government public funding for education.

During the event, UTMSU executives gave a short presentation on the origins of Bill 33, its proposed changes, and the union’s plans to mobilize against it. Afterward, students participated in a brainstorming session to develop actionable strategies for raising awareness about the bill. 

“Equality is not equity”

According to Miatah McCallum, VP Equity of the UTMSU, Bill 33 threatens many equity-based programs that support students, such as the UTMSU food centre.

“It is extremely crucial to fight against this bill, given that students across Ontario are experiencing food insecurity, underfunded mental health resources, and increased housing costs. Bill 33 is a threat to these very services which student unions fill the gaps for,” MacCallum wrote to The Varsity.

MacCallum added that the UTMSU allocates funds for needs-based bursaries that cover transit, childcare, and emergency costs. “With Bill 33 in mind, these supports will cease to exist, which ultimately will make post-secondary education only available for those who can afford it,” she wrote. 

Schedule 3 of the proposed bill would require post-secondary institutions to make admission decisions solely on the basis of “merit,” potentially eliminating other pathways to entrance. The bill does not define what constitutes merit. McCallum warned that this change could “reduce equity-led initiatives and ultimately remove pathways set for students from racialized and marginalized backgrounds.”

The UTMSU is collaborating with other unions to organize walk-outs, rallies, banner-drops, and protests during CFS’s Week of Action, scheduled for October 20–24.