SAGBC joined other student unions to oppose Bill 33
Their numbers were small, but their voices were loud as student unions joined together to oppose Bill 33.
Members of the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) were joined by students from other post-secondary institutions across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on Oct. 20, as MPPs returned to Queen’s Park. The rally, proposed by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario (CFS-O), was meant to put pressure on the current Ontario government.
“The rally was originally organized by Policing-Free Schools. While their focus is on how the Bill would force school boards to work directly with police, which research has shown to be detrimental to children development, both student unions, educators and school focused groups shared a similar understanding — the government is underfunding education. They try to divide us and make us believe our battles and concerns are isolated from one another, but the reality is, it’s a collective battle. Our fight stems from the same issue but manifest differently. Our fight cannot be solely on the problem but it needs to be on the root cause. So it was a no brainer that student unions needed to show solidarity with Policing-Free Schools,” said Toby Lew, director of education & equity with the SAGBC.
If put into effect, Bill 33 would not just affect post-secondary education, but elementary and high schools as well.
Deborah Williams, trustee with the Toronto District School Board says the bill will affect the education act and child care sector. She says that it should be examined carefully because things like making policing mandatory in schools has no benefits.
“What’s being proposed by this bill to make it mandatory to have police in our schools is really something that a lot of school boards, including the Toronto District School Board, have rejected based on like actual data and information back when consulting our students and our school communities,” said Williams. “Marginalized underserved students have expressed that they don’t feel safe, that they feel like they’re under surveillance. Our schools really need to be welcoming, safe places where students feel they belong, that they thrive and they can reach their full potential.”
Lew adds that putting up a fight is the reason many different student unions turned out to show their fight against the proposed legislation.
“Many fellow student unions were organising to get students aware and mobilized against Bill 33. Bill 33 would be a devastation to Ontario’s education system. As post-secondary students, we need to put up a fight and show the government that we see what they are doing to our education — and we are not okay with it… We were joined by other students’ unions from across the GTA including TMAPS, UTGSU, UTMSU, SCSU, and YFS. Folks from student groups were also able to join. I am particularly glad that we were able to get a few students from George Brown to join us.”
As of the end of October 2025, the bill had been debated in a second reading over the course of multiple days. Lew adds that because of the moving parts involved in the fight, pressure must continue to be applied on the government.
As things continue to progress, Lew wants the Ford government to understand one thing.
“Bill 33 is not the solution you claim it is. Students are not threats; we are the future. School Boards are poorly run, because you refuse to support them. Student Unions will continue to fight, even if you try to silence us. Bill 33 should have never been put forth, students, workers, children, and institutions deserve proper services, funding, and protection. We are not yours to control. Hands off our education.”
