Official Statement on Bill 33
Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University
Official Statement on Bill 33
The Alma Mater Society (AMS), representing over 20,000 undergraduate students at Queen’s University, acknowledges the introduction of Bill 33 in the Ontario Legislature. We recognize the government’s stated intention to increase oversight and accountability within Ontario’s post-secondary sector. However, we are concerned about the potential impacts this legislation may have on students, particularly regarding ancillary fees, admissions, and institutional autonomy.
Ancillary fees are not optional add-ons; they fund the essential services, programs, and supports that form the foundation of the student experience. At Queen’s, these fees sustain critical services such as Walkhome, the Queen’s Food Bank, and the Peer Support Centre; they support over 300 student clubs; they provide hundreds of employment opportunities for students; and they enable equity-focused programming across campus. Any move to restrict or destabilize these fees risks undermining student well-being, inclusion, and community life. Our experience with the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) of 2019 demonstrated the dangers of such models. When opt-out mechanisms were introduced, Queen’s students saw widespread disruptions, including service reductions, delayed hiring, budget shortfalls, and program cancellations. Revenue losses of over $400,000 left student services vulnerable, with disproportionate impacts on smaller clubs, equity-deserving groups, and the students who rely on them most.
We are also mindful of other provisions within Bill 33, including those related to government-defined “merit-based” admissions and expanded provincial oversight of research and institutional governance. While the AMS supports measures that strengthen transparency and accountability, we caution that broad, centralized authority risks undermining institutional autonomy and limiting pathways that support equity-deserving students in accessing higher education.
The AMS remains committed to working constructively and collaboratively with the provincial government, Queen’s University, and sector partners to ensure that the implementation of Bill 33 reflects the realities of student life and protects essential services. We strongly encourage meaningful consultation with students, student associations, and equity-deserving communities as regulations are developed.
If Bill 33 is passed into law, the AMS will advocate for regulations that:
- Protect essential student services by ensuring stable, mandatory funding for core supports such as food security, mental health, safety programs, and equity initiatives.
- Guarantee transparency and accountability by requiring clear consultation with student associations before any changes to ancillary fee structures are made.
- Safeguard equity and access by ensuring that admissions policies continue to recognize and support equity-deserving students, rather than relying on narrow definitions of “merit.”
- Preserve student employment opportunities by protecting fee-funded positions that provide critical income and skill development for undergraduates.
- Respect institutional autonomy by balancing oversight with the ability of universities and student associations to design programs that meet local student needs.
We believe that legislation affecting students should never be made without student voices at the table. The AMS will continue to advocate on behalf of Queen’s undergraduates to ensure that our services are preserved, our opportunities are protected, and our community remains strong and supported.
Sincerely,
The AMS Executive Team
Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University