Students Across Ontario Concerned About Bill 33 - Ask Government to be Heard
- Oct 16, 2025
- 2 min read
October 16th, 2025
TORONTO - Today, student leaders from colleges and universities across Ontario have come together at a press conference at Queen’s Park to share their concerns about the proposed Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act. Speakers from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), the College Student Alliance (CSA), and Ontario Student Voices (OSV) - three major organizations representing hundreds of thousands of postsecondary students across the province - urged the government to work alongside student unions to ensure no unintended harm comes to vital student services.
If passed in its current form, Section 21.1 of Bill 33 would give the provincial government authority to regulate student union fees, which fund critical supports that contribute to students’ health, well-being, and academic success. Student unions provide services such as campus food banks, emergency housing supports, mental health and peer support programs, student-run transit, athletic centres, legal aid, equity centres and more.
“These supports are run by students, for students, funded by the very fees Bill 33 Section 21.1 seeks to regulate,” said Logan Routhier, President of Centennial College Student Association. “Undermining those fees is not just a financial risk - it’s a direct threat to student agency, representation, and equity on our campuses.”
The three organizations are calling for formal government consultation with student unions before the bill proceeds further. Specifically, they urge:
A meeting with Minister Nolan Quinn to directly discuss student concerns
Referral of Bill 33 to the Standing Committee on Social Policy for a full review
Review of Section 21.1, which enables regulation of student fees without student consultation
“Students are ready to be constructive partners in this process - but we need to be at the table - after all, students are the users of the system.” - Bella Fischer, College Student Alliance
""Bill 33 arrives at a critical moment, posing potential risks to the stability of existing student support systems, the very ones they fund out of their own pockets to support themselves." - Rajveer Singh, Ontario Student Voices
Contact:
Media Contact:
Wasiimah Joomun
Executive Director, CASAPhone: (343)558-7189
Email: ed@casa.ca
It's alarming how Bill 33's Section 21.1 could directly threaten vital student services like food banks and mental health programs, which are entirely funded by student fees. Logan Routhier is right—this isn't just a financial risk but a direct assault on student agency. It's crucial that student unions and the government work constructively, as students' well-being is so clearly chained together with the stability of these essential supports.
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This is an important discussion about student representation and the services that many students rely on outside the classroom. The concerns around student union fees are especially significant because those funds can support food banks, housing assistance, legal aid, wellness programs, and other campus resources. When I get bored, for a joke I sometimes say, “pay for someone to take my online classes,” but this article highlights why students should have a real voice in decisions that directly affect their education and everyday campus experience.
The concerns raised in this article about Bill 33 and its potential impact on Ontario’s college students are worth serious consideration. The call for the government to listen to students before moving forward is especially important because students understand firsthand how changes to funding, fees, and campus services can affect their academic experience. When students are already balancing demanding coursework with work and other responsibilities, some may search for ways to manage their workload, including options to hire someone to take my online class. Regardless of the support students seek, policies affecting higher education should be shaped with meaningful student input. Giving students a genuine opportunity to share their concerns can help ensure that decisions reflect their actual needs and…
Student voices should be at the heart of decisions that affect campus life and essential services. Clear communication and thoughtful use of technology can also help organizations better understand and document student experiences. Video Annotation Services can support the analysis of recorded discussions, presentations, and interviews by organizing important visual information for further review and research. Great article highlighting why meaningful student consultation matters.