FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2025
QUEEN’S PARK — John Fraser, Ontario Liberal Party Critic for Education and MPP for Ottawa South has issued the following statement following the Ford Government’s ramming through of Bill 33.
Bill 33 passed today. This bill does nothing to address the real challenge, which is that our schools are not a safe place to learn or work. That’s because of three things: class sizes are too big, special education is being starved of funding, and the government is ignoring the mental health crisis.
Instead of addressing these issues, the Minister of Education believes that he can run every school in the province from his office at Queen’s Park.
It won’t work.
Schools in Toronto are different from those in Timiskaming, Ottawa, Windsor, or Thunder Bay.
Schools belong to the families and communities they serve, and it’s been that way for almost 200 years. Local matters when it comes to education. Ontario Liberals will continue to fight Doug Ford’s government’s plan to take control of families’ schools away from them.
Fact Sheet:
- Ontario has nearly 5000 public schools and more than two million students.
- School boards are spending $850 million more annually on special education than the Ministry gives them.
- Ford has cut more than 3,400 teachers and 1,500 education staff since taking office.