Ontario’s Bill 33 empowers minister to seize control of Catholic boards without safeguards, threatening constitutionally protected denominational rights, trustees warn.
Newsroom (15/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) Ontario’s newly passed “Supporting Children and Students Act”, known as Bill 33, has ignited profound unease among Catholic education leaders, who fear it represents a significant encroachment on the constitutionally guaranteed denominational rights of the province’s Catholic school system.
Even prior to the bill’s official passage on November 20, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) had raised alarms about its potential ramifications and the notable absence of consultation with its members. In the immediate aftermath, OCSTA president Michael Bellmore, who also chairs the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, articulated these concerns in stark terms during an interview with The Catholic Register.
At the heart of the trustees’ apprehension is the legislation’s provision allowing the Minister of Education to more readily assume control of a school board by appointing a supervisor. Bellmore described this as a departure from previously established, clear guidelines.
“This legislation permits the minister to more easily take over a school board, as opposed to the past’s very clear set of guidelines, and appoint a supervisor of their liking to have control over the board — that raises a huge flag for us,” Bellmore said.
Central to the worry is whether such a supervisor would possess the necessary understanding of Catholic education‘s unique character. “If you are putting a supervisor in charge of a Catholic school board, is that person a Catholic, and are they able to understand the unique needs of the Catholic system that they’re being put in charge of,” he asked. “If they’re not putting a Catholic supervisor in place at a Catholic school board, to us, that infringes on the denominational constitutional rights of that school board and its students and families.”
Originally framed as a measure to probe financial mismanagement in select boards, Bill 33 broadens the Minister of Education’s authority. It permits investigations into matters deemed of public interest and, upon identifying issues, allows directives to be issued—or, if unmet, for the minister to usurp board powers. This extends beyond finances and includes mandating School Resource Officer programs where offered by police.
On November 19, Education Minister Paul Calandra sought to reassure stakeholders by affirming that both French-language and Catholic boards would retain their constitutional protections, with trustees maintaining authority over “French- and Catholic-specific issues.” Yet for Bellmore, this assurance remains opaque and insufficient.
Denominational rights, protected under Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, extend far beyond narrowly defined “Catholic-specific issues,” he argued. “We view denominational rights as things that permeate our everyday operations, whether it’s in hiring, the way curriculum is developed, school culture or the way we deal with expulsions or suspensions,” Bellmore explained. “It’s a mystery to us what this minister or his staff are defining as Catholic issues.”
Compounding these fears is the current reality facing two major Catholic boards: the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, both among Ontario’s largest, are already under provincial supervision—one of six boards province-wide in such a position. Bellmore noted that, to his knowledge, no consultations regarding denominational rights have occurred with these supervisors, further clouding what aspects remain under trustee purview.
The OCSTA has long prided itself on collaborative relationships with ministers across political parties to advance publicly funded Catholic education. However, the current dynamic marks a stark contrast. “I’ve been involved with the board for 10 years now, and I can’t even think of a time when I wasn’t sitting as president where it would’ve been reported to the board that we’re having a failure to connect with this minister now,” Bellmore said. He attributed the silence not to the OCSTA’s standing but to a broader ministerial reluctance to engage with any trustee associations.
This perceived disregard has left Catholic trustees “deeply anxious and dejected,” Bellmore stated, fostering a sense that the ministry’s actions unfairly portray them as inept despite generations of dedicated service in expanding Catholic education.
In response, the OCSTA is intensifying its advocacy efforts—engaging opposition parties, teachers’ organizations, and producing policy documents—while pinning hopes on meaningful dialogue during the upcoming regulation-development phase.
Bellmore issued a resolute reminder of the political stakes, highlighting Ontario’s substantial Catholic electorate. “Catholics in this province have a long history of contributions to Catholic education, and I hope that this government understands that, when push comes to shove, Catholics will unite,” he said. “They will speak with their ability to mark an X at the ballot in the next election.”
While expressing a preference for collaboration, Bellmore underscored the association’s readiness to defend these rights vigorously. “I would hope as we begin the deep dive on regulations, that the minister will be open to dialogue with us around Bill 33… While we don’t want to go down a litigious path, we will defend the rights of the Catholic school system up to and including the Supreme Court in this country.”
As Bill 33 moves toward implementation, the tension between provincial oversight and constitutionally enshrined denominational autonomy remains unresolved, with Catholic leaders vigilant against any further erosion of their protected status.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Catholic Register
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