Campus groups fear funding collapse if ancillary fees become optional
Students and student leaders in Ottawa are bracing for the start of the academic year amid uncertainty about how Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act, will be applied to post-secondary ancillary fees. The law, which passed Ontario’s legislature in November 2025 and received royal assent, grants the province powers that student organisations fear could be used to make those fees optional.
At the centre of the debate is The Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa’s campus newspaper. Co-editor-in-chief Alexandrea Abungin said the paper gives students an outlet outside the classroom to debate campus issues and gain practical experience. The Fulcrum’s staff have already started meetings this summer to plan for scenarios in which a sizeable number of students choose to opt out of ancillary fees.
"It's that voice on campus where people feel that they can take back that agency,"
Abungin said the outlet provides both a platform and training ground for students who otherwise might not have opportunities to practise journalism, editing and production.
Coalition forms as Carleton student leaders sound alarm
Student associations in Ottawa are not alone in expressing concern. Five organisations at Carleton University have created a coalition representing roughly 30,000 students to highlight how the law could affect services beyond journalism — including student-run meal programs and clubs that provide practical training.
Nathan Harlan, a vice-president at the Carleton University Students' Association, told reporters that the law will make it more difficult for groups to sustain operations. He warned that reduced revenue could result in fewer services for students across Ontario.
- Main concern: Optional ancillary fees could reduce predictable funding for student groups.
- Potential effects: Closure or scaling-back of campus newspapers, clubs, meal programs and professional development groups.
- Local action: Student organisations in Ottawa are meeting and building coalitions to raise awareness before the fall term.
Voices from across campuses: training, services and cost pressures
Student leaders emphasise that many campus organisations do more than host events or publish articles. They argue these groups provide hands-on training, community supports and services that help students navigate living costs and post-secondary life. For example, Ryan Welsh, who runs a manufacturing and electronics club at Algonquin College, described student-run community resources as essential sites for practical learning.
"Things are expensive, and it's really hard for students," Welsh said, adding that reducing community resources could be a short-term way to lower visible costs without increasing government investment in colleges and universities.
Uncertainty remains over provincial intent
Although Bill 33 has become law, student groups say there is still no clear guidance from the provincial government on how it plans to implement the measure with respect to post-secondary ancillary fees. That ambiguity has prompted organising and advocacy across Ottawa campuses as groups prepare for possible financial shortfalls in the coming year.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legislation | Supporting Children and Students Act (Bill 33) |
| Legislative status | Passed Nov. 2025; received royal assent |
| Students represented by Carleton coalition | ~30,000 |
For many student groups, the path forward will be determined in the coming weeks and months as campuses reopen and administrators, student unions and provincial officials clarify how the law will be applied. In the meantime, organisers in Ottawa say they will continue to meet, build public awareness and plan contingency budgets in case ancillary fees become optional for incoming and returning students.
The debate raises broader questions about how post-secondary education is funded in Ontario and the role of student-run organisations in providing services that complement academic programs. For Ottawa students who rely on campus media, clubs and supports, the outcome of that debate could have immediate consequences for student life and professional development opportunities on campus.
