Statement on the Passing of Bill 33

Today, the Ontario government passed Bill 33. The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is disappointed in the government’s decision to move this legislation forward without consulting students. While we recognize the government’s stated goal of enhancing oversight and accountability in the post-secondary sector, Bill 33 raises serious concerns about student autonomy, service delivery, and the right of students to make decisions independent of government interference. 

The government’s decision to rush Bill 33 through third reading without sending it to committee prevented students, post-secondary institutions, and other stakeholders from providing meaningful input. This lack of consultation directly contradicts the transparency and accountability the government claims Bill 33 aims to promote. 

Section 21.1 of Bill 33 proposes that student associations comply with government regulations on ancillary fees, which could change how we are allowed to collect fees, threatening our ability to offer key services that students themselves have deemed essential to their success at university.  

At Waterloo, students already have full transparency into how their fees are allocated and what services they support, without government interference. These fees are established through democratic, student-led processes and fund essential services and initiatives across campus. Opt-out mechanisms destabilize the entire financial base for the services we offer, putting campus life at risk and undermining the collective decision-making of students across the province.  

Bill 33 shifts power away from students and student-led governance, especially as the government has not yet consulted with students at all on this legislation. We are becoming passive recipients of decisions made by the government without consulting us.  

We call on the provincial government to:  

• Repeal Section 21.1 of Bill 33 to protect students’ right to decide, via referendum or other existing democratic processes, on the services they fund and the levels of support they provide. 
• Conduct transparent and inclusive consultation with students before the implementation of any regulations under the Bill. 

Student associations are central to building thriving, equitable, and engaged student communities. At Waterloo, WUSA represents 30,000 undergraduates who rely on our services, advocacy, and programming to succeed. We support accountability and transparency, but as written, Bill 33 undermines the services students themselves have deemed essential and erodes the democratic foundation of a healthy campus.  

WUSA remains committed to working with our members, our partners at the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), and the provincial government to protect student democracy and ensure students’ voices are heard. 

Learn more at wusa.ca/bill-33.