Ontario's Education Shakeup: Bill 33 Becomes Law
The landscape of education in Ontario is set for a significant transformation following the passage of Bill 33. This contentious legislation grants Education Minister Paul Calandra extensive authority to appoint supervisors who can assume control over school boards across the province. The bill was rapidly introduced and passed in late 2024, a move that has left many political observers and education stakeholders speculating about the government's broader agenda.
Supervision and Speculation: The Path to Charter Schools?
The legislative action was triggered directly by Minister Calandra's announcement that five school boards, including Ottawa's largest school board, the OCDSB, were being placed under supervision due to cited financial mismanagement. The swift enactment of the law has fueled intense debate about what comes next.
According to Kathleen Wynne, the former Liberal premier and education minister, Minister Calandra has previously discussed eliminating the role of trustees and increasing parental control. Wynne interprets this as potential shorthand for introducing a system of charter schools to Ontario. She expressed concern, stating, "There are people who are fundamentally making decisions about public-funded education who don't seem to support publicly-funded education. They seem to be more interested in undermining the system."
The Alberta Precedent and Growing Support
While charter schools are a common feature in the United States, within Canada, Alberta stands alone as the only province to have legally established them. Since their introduction in 1994, approximately three dozen charter schools now operate in Alberta. These institutions are financed by the provincial government but are run by non-profit organizations. They teach the standard provincial curriculum but often do so through a specific philosophical lens, such as single-gender education, or with a specialized focus on gifted students, those with learning disabilities, or STEM disciplines.
This is not the first time Ontario has considered such a model. The Mike Harris Conservative government explored charter schools and voucher systems in the 1990s before ultimately deciding to focus on reforms within the public system, like implementing standardized testing.
Recently, conservative-leaning organizations have voiced strong support for bringing this choice to Ontario. Michael Zwaagstra, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, argued that limited options for parents outside of public and Catholic boards necessitate more choice to revitalize schools. Similarly, Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation highlighted in September 2024 that charter schools in Alberta cost 32 per cent less per child and that their students outperform peers in government-run schools by a full letter grade on standardized tests.
The passage of Bill 33 marks a pivotal moment for education policy in Ontario, setting the stage for a potentially fundamental restructuring of how schools are governed and what choices are available to parents and students in the years to come.
