role="main" class="main-container container js-quickedit-main-content" id="main-content">

Bill 101, Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026

Calandra, Hon. Paul Minister of Education

Current status:

Royal Assent received. Statutes of Ontario 2026,

chapter 4

Please select

View bill

Status

Debates

Acts affected

Votes

Royal Assent

As Amended by Standing Committee

Original

Bill 101 Royal Assent (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

This Explanatory Note was written as a reader’s

aid to Bill 101 and does not form part of the law.

Bill 101 has been enacted as

Chapter 4 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2026.

SCHEDULE 1

CHILD CARE AND EARLY YEARS ACT, 2014

The

Schedule makes the following amendments to the Child Care

and Early Years Act, 2014 :

1. The

Minister is given additional power to support operators of child care and early

years programs and services and service system managers.

2. The

Minister is given power to assign an Ontario education number to a child who

has not already been assigned one, if requested to do so by the child’s parent.

SCHEDULE 2

EDUCATION ACT

The

Schedule amends the Education Act . Among the

amendments are the following:

1. The

Minister is given power to establish policies and guidelines,

i. for

the assessment of student achievement,

ii. respecting

board expense policies,

iii. related

to the use of educational materials in instruction, and

iv. related

to boards’ public communications.

2. Paragraph

31 of subsection 8 (1) and subsections 169.1 (2.1) and (2.2) of the Act are

repealed, removing the Minister’s power to establish policies and guidelines

respecting school climate surveys and the related requirement that boards use

those surveys to collect information from pupils, staff, parents and guardians

to monitor and evaluate the policies.

3. The

existing regulation-making powers respecting school board controlled entities

is amended to require the Minister’s approval regarding such entities in

certain circumstances.

4. Currently,

the number of members on district school boards is determined under the Act,

subject to the regulations. The amendments provide that the number provided for

in the regulations shall be between 5 and 12.

5. Amendments

are also made respecting the regulation-making powers relating to honoraria for

members of boards.

6. The

Schedule amends

section 195 of the Act to require a board to obtain the

Minister’s approval before acquiring a school site or other land. A new process

is established under which a board must submit a request for the Minister’s

approval to acquire land or to apply for approval to expropriate land, and the

Minister must respond within a prescribed time period, if any.

7. Amendments

are made to subsections 195 (4), (5) and (6) of the Act to expand

the types of work to which the provisions apply, including additions,

alterations, improvements and repairs. New subsections 195 (7) to

(9) permit the Minister to establish policies respecting the use of school

sites, the requirements for obtaining Minister’s approvals and the addition to,

or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, buildings.

8. New

section 195.0.1 authorizes the Minister to give directions to a board, or

to select a person or body to take control of the management of an addition to,

or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, a building, if the Minister

is of the opinion that the board has not complied or is unlikely to comply with

policies or regulations. The powers and obligations of a selected person or

body, the board’s duty to co ‑ operate and the Minister’s authority to issue directions

are set out. The Minister may also require the board to pay fees and expenses

incurred in relation to an order made under the section.

9. Currently,

the Act provides that where a board is subject to a vesting order, the ability

of the board to enter into certain agreements or approve of the issuing of

certain instruments is subject to the approval of the Minister. The

Schedule

amends the Act to provide that only the Minister, exercising the powers of the

board, may enter into such agreements or require the issuing of such

instruments. Related amendments are made, including to regulation-making

powers. The Act is also amended to require certain procedural steps to be taken

when the Minister provisionally exercises the power to make a vesting order.

10. Provisions

are added respecting the situations where a board is required to obtain the

Minister’s approval of its estimates.

11. Divisions

C and F of

Part IX of the Act are repealed.

12. The

Minister is given power to assign an Ontario education number to a child who

has not already been assigned one, if requested to do so by the child’s parent

or guardian.

13. Various

district school boards. The director of education in such a board is the chief

executive officer of the board and shall be referred to by the board as the

chief executive officer of the board for all purposes. The director of

education is required to appoint a chief education officer. The director of

education is a member of the board but is not entitled to exercise a binding

vote.

14. Currently,

the Act sets out certain processes that apply when French-language rights

holders groups seek to develop proposals under

section 294 of the Act. The

Schedule amends the processes to provide for the Minister to perform the roles

currently assigned to the Languages of Instruction Commission of Ontario and to

make other related and consequential amendments. The

Schedule also repeals the

provisions in the Act that provide for the continuation of the Commission.

15. Provisions

are added respecting the personal liability of various persons, establishing

vicarious liability and extinguishing certain causes of action.

16. Various

related and consequential amendments are made.

SCHEDULE 3

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL OF ONTARIO ACT, 2005

The

Schedule amends the Higher Education Quality Council of

Ontario Act, 2005 . The board of the Council’s composition and

appointment requirements in

section 2 of the Act are amended and new subsection

2 (3.1) provides for certain members to have been deemed appointed by the

Minister. New

section 7.1 of the Act provides for the winding up of the Council

and new

section 8.6 of the Act provides for the dissolution of the Council. New

section 8.1.1 of the Act provides that the Minister is required to prepare the

final annual report of the Council. New sections 8.3 to 8.5 of the Act set out

the rules respecting liability and proceedings. The

Schedule also provides for

the repeal of the Act on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor

in Council.

SCHEDULE 4

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS ACT, 1996

The

Schedule amends

section 40 of the Ontario College of

Teachers Act, 1996 to separate the regulation-making authority

respecting accreditation of professional teacher education programs from the

authority respecting accreditation of ongoing education programs for teachers.

The amendments provide that regulations made in respect of accreditation of

professional teacher education programs may specify requirements such as

timing, areas of study, delivery and practical experience and set out that such

accreditation requirements apply despite any authority of post ‑ secondary educational

institutions over their academic programs and prevail over decisions of their

academic governing bodies.

SCHEDULE 5

SCHOOL BOARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT, 2014

The

Schedule amends the School Boards Collective Bargaining

Act, 2014 . Among the amendments are the following:

1. Currently,

Section 21 of the Act designates the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’

Association (or “OCSTA”) as the employer bargaining agency for every

units. It also designates the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (or

district school board and every board established under

section 68 of the Education Act with respect to all bargaining units.

Section 21 of the Act is amended to instead designate the Council of Ontario

Directors of Education (or “CODE”) as the employer bargaining agency for all of

these boards and with respect to all bargaining units.

2. A

new

section 52 provides for a committee within the CODE whose object is to

oversee and direct CODE’s activities as an employer bargaining agency. The

process by which CODE exercises any of its rights or privileges under the Act

or performs any of its duties under the Act may be specified by a regulation

made by the Minister or, in the absence of such regulation, by a by-law of the

committee. This process need not require voting and, even where voting is

required, need not comply with subsection 21 (4) of the Act. A new

section 53

provides for transitional matters related to the transfer of the role of

employer bargaining agency from the OCSTA to the CODE and from the OPSBA to the

CODE. In particular, the Minister is authorized to make orders to facilitate

the effective assumption by the CODE of the role of employer bargaining agency.

A new

section 54 provides the Minister with various regulation-making

authority, including the authority to make regulations governing the committee

within the CODE. New sections 55 to 57 limit personal liability in relation to

the exercise of powers, duties or functions under sections 52 and 53 or a

regulation made under

section 54.

3. A

new

section 22.1 authorizes the Minister to, by regulation, take certain

measures to enable a different person or body of persons to exercise the CODE’s

rights and privileges and perform its duties under the Act as an employer

bargaining agency or as the member of a council designated by or under

section

21 of the Act if the Minister is of the opinion that the CODE is unable or

unwilling to exercise those rights and privileges or perform those duties.

4. A

new

section 25.1 of the Act provides that the OCSTA is entitled to observe

central bargaining at a central table if the relevant employer bargaining

district school board. This new

section provides for a process by which

particular matters or proposals that are the subject of central bargaining may

be made the subject of local bargaining if the OCSTA gives notice that the

matter or proposal may prejudicially affect denominational rights and

privileges. Authority is vested in the Minister to, by regulation, require

relating to the OCSTA’s activities under the Act.

5. A

association” with the term “employers’ association”.

Bill 101 2026

Act to amend various Acts in respect of education and child care

CONTENTS

Contents

of this Act

Commencement

Short

title

Schedule 1

Child

Care and Early Years Act, 2014

Schedule 2

Education

Act

Schedule 3

Higher

Education Quality Council of Ontario Act, 2005

Schedule 4

Ontario

College of Teachers Act, 1996

Schedule 5

School

Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014

His

Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the

Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Contents

of this Act

1 This Act consists of this section, sections 2 and 3 and

the Schedules to this Act.

Commencement

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this

section, this Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

(2) The

Schedules to this Act come into force as provided in each Schedule.

(3) If

a

Schedule to this Act provides that any of its provisions are to come into

force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, an

order may apply to one or more of those provisions, and orders may be issued at

different times with respect to any of those provisions.

Short

title

3 The

short title of this Act is the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 .

SCHEDULE 1

CHILD CARE AND EARLY YEARS ACT, 2014

Subsection 54 (1) of the Child Care and Early Years Act,

2014 is amended by striking out “and” at the end of clause (b), by

adding “and” at the end of clause (

c) and by adding the following clause:

(

d) provide

services to support operators of child care and early years programs and

services and service system managers in carrying out their functions and duties

under this Act.

(1) Subsection 72 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following

substituted:

Assignment

of numbers

(1) The

Minister may assign an Ontario education number to a child who has not already

been assigned one under this or any other Act if,

(

a) the

child’s parent has requested the assignment of an Ontario education number for

the child; or

(

b) the

child is registered or seeks to be registered in,

(

i) a

program or service that includes the provision of licensed child care, or

(ii) an

early years program or service prescribed by the regulations.

(2) Subsection

72 (3) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Same

(3) Subsection

(2) applies to,

(

a) the

Minister; and

(

b) in

the case of a child described in clause (1) (b), persons who provide or operate

programs and services described in subclauses (1) (b) (

i) and (ii).

Commencement

This

Schedule comes into force on the day the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

SCHEDULE 2

EDUCATION ACT

Section 1 of the Education Act is amended by adding

the following subsection:

Digital

materials

(1.2) For

greater certainty, a reference in this Act or the regulations to educational

materials, such as textbooks and other learning materials, includes digital

textbooks and learning materials.

(1) Paragraph 3.3 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed and the

following substituted:

policies, guidelines: assessment of student achievement

3.3 establish

policies and guidelines for the assessment of student achievement with respect

to pupils attending schools under the jurisdiction of a board and require

boards to comply with the policies and guidelines;

(2) Paragraph

3.7 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

policies

and guidelines: school board expense policies

3.7 establish

and require boards to comply with policies and guidelines governing board

expense policies, including policies and guidelines that,

i. specify

key principles and other content that must be included in board expense

policies, and

ii. set

out requirements relating to discretionary spending, travel, meal and

hospitality expenses and membership fees, including defining those terms,

specifying the expenses that may be reimbursed and prohibiting the reimbursement

of expenses for specified persons or purposes;

(3) Subsection

8 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following paragraph:

policies and guidelines: educational materials

7.1 establish

and require boards to comply with policies and guidelines,

i. respecting

the use of educational materials approved under paragraph 6, such as textbooks

and other learning materials, in instruction, and

ii. respecting

the establishment, content and adoption of rules and procedures, by boards, to

govern the selection and use of educational materials for instructional

purposes;

(4) Subsection

8 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following paragraph:

board

communication, general

27.4 establish,

and require boards to comply with, policies and guidelines governing boards’

public communications, including policies and guidelines governing public

communications made by board officers and employees and by board members acting

as representatives of the board;

(5) Paragraph

31 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed.

(6) Section

8 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Expenses

(2.1) A

policy or guideline made under paragraph 3.7 of subsection (1) may provide

that, despite anything in this Act, a board shall not pay certain expenses of a

member or reimburse a member for certain expenses or that such payment or

reimbursement shall be restricted in accordance with the policy or guideline.

(1) Section 11 of the Act is amended by striking out “Subject to the

approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the Minister may” wherever it

appears and substituting in each case “The Lieutenant Governor in Council may”.

(2) Subsection

11 (6) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(a.1) requiring

boards to obtain the Minister’s approval or confirmation before establishing or

continuing to operate or maintain a school board controlled entity or making

any change to its purposes or objects, including requiring the dissolution of

an entity if the Minister does not give approval or confirmation;

Subsection 13 (7) of the Act is amended by striking out the portion before

clause (

a) and substituting the following:

Regulations

(7) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may, in addition to the powers under

section 11,

make regulations with respect to schools continued or established under this

section,

. . . .

Part I of the Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Crown

liability

personal liability

17.2

(1) No

cause of action arises against any current or former member of the Executive

Council, deputy minister or employee, officer or agent of the Crown for any act

done in good faith in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of the person’s powers, duties or functions under this Act or for

any alleged neglect, default or other omission in the exercise or performance

in good faith of those powers, duties or functions.

Crown

remains vicariously liable

(2) Despite

subsection 8 (3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings

Act, 2019 , subsection (1) does not relieve the Crown of liability to

which it would otherwise be subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a

person specified in subsection (1).

liability for acts or omissions of others

(3) No

cause of action arises against the Crown or any person specified in subsection

(1) for

an act or omission of a person other than the Crown or a person

specified in that subsection, if the act or omission is related, directly or

indirectly, to the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of a power, duty or function under this Act.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(4) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Proceedings

barred

17.3

(1) No

proceeding shall be commenced,

(

a) against

any person specified in subsection 17.2 (1) in respect of a matter referred to

in that subsection; or

(

b) against

the Crown or any person specified in subsection 17.2 (1) in respect of a matter

referred to in subsection 17.2 (3).

Same

(2) Subsection

(1) does not apply with respect to an application for judicial review, a claim

for a constitutional remedy, or any proceeding that is specifically provided

for under this Act, but does apply with respect to any other court,

administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming any remedy or relief, including

specific performance, an injunction, declaratory relief, a remedy in contract,

restitution, unjust enrichment or tort, a remedy for breach of trust or

fiduciary obligation or any equitable remedy, enforcement of a judgment, order

or award made outside Ontario or any form of compensation or damages, including

loss of revenue or profit.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

(1) Subclause 58.1 (2) (k) (

i) of the Act is repealed and the

following substituted:

(

i) the

number of members of each district school board or the determination of the

number,

(2) Subclause

58.1 (2) (k) (viii) of the Act is repealed.

(3) Subsections

58.1 (10) to (11) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Number

of members on a district school board

(10) A

regulation under subclause (2) (k) (

i) shall not provide for a number of

members of a district school board that is less than 5 or more than 12.

Same

(11) The

numbers referred to in subsection (10) do not include any person elected or

appointed to a district school board under

section 188, a student trustee or the

Subsections 169.1 (2.1) and (2.2) of the Act are repealed.

Section 191 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Honorarium

for members of boards

The

Minister may make regulations respecting honoraria for members of boards,

including regulations,

(

a) authorizing

or requiring boards to provide honoraria to members;

(

b) specifying

the amount of an honorarium to be provided to members or a method for

calculating the amount;

(

c) setting

limits on honoraria and providing a method for calculating those limits;

(

d) specifying

conditions that must be satisfied for the payment of honoraria by the board;

(

e) governing

board policies regarding the payment of honoraria and processes respecting the

adoption of such policies;

(

f) specifying

circumstances in which

section 191.3 does not apply.

(1) Subsection 195 (1) of the Act is amended by striking out “may

select and may acquire” and substituting “may select and may, with the approval

of the Minister, acquire”.

(2) Subsections

195 (1.1) to (1.4) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Request

for approval to acquire, etc.

(1.1) Before

a board acquires or applies for an approval to expropriate a school site or any

other land under subsection (1), the board shall submit a request, in the

manner and form specified by the Minister, for the Minister’s approval to

acquire or apply to expropriate the school site or land.

Minister’s

response

(1.2) The

Minister shall approve or refuse a request made under subsection (1.1) within

the prescribed time period, if any.

Regulations

(1.3) The

Minister may make regulations prescribing the time period referred to in

subsection (1.2).

(3) Subsection

195 (4) of the Act is amended by striking out “add to or alter” and

substituting “add to, alter, improve or repair”.

(4) Subsection

195 (5) of the Act is amended by,

(

a) striking

out “erect” and substituting “add to, erect, alter or improve”; and

(

b) striking

out “school building” wherever it appears and substituting in each case

“building”.

(5) Subsection

195 (6) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Additions,

alterations, etc.

(6) A

board may, with the approval of the Minister, make an addition, alteration or

improvement to a building that is acquired by the board under a lease.

Policies

(7) The

Minister may establish and require boards to comply with policies respecting,

(

a) the activities that constitute

additions, erections, alterations or improvements that require the Minister’s

approval under subsection (5) or (6) and any requirements that boards must

fulfil in order to obtain an approval;

(

b) the

use of a school site or other land acquired under subsection (1); and

(

c) the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or

repair of, buildings under subsection (4), (5) or (6).

Same

(8) For

greater certainty, a policy established under subsection (7) or a regulation

made under

section 195.0.5 may require a board to give notice to the Minister

or obtain the Minister’s approval in respect of an addition to, or erection, alteration,

improvement or repair of, a building or any step in such work.

Subject

to policies, regulation

(9) The

use of a school site or other land acquired under subsection (1) and the addition

to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, a building under

subsection (4), (5) or (6) shall be done in accordance with any policies

established under subsection (7) and any regulations made under

section 195.0.5.

The Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Direction

and order re non-compliance

195.0.1

(1) If,

in the opinion of the Minister, a board has not complied or is unlikely to

comply with a policy established under subsection 195 (7) or a regulation made

under

section 195.0.5 , the Minister

may ,

(

a) give

any direction to the board to do anything or refrain from doing anything that

the Minister considers advisable to address the non-compliance or likely

non-compliance, including directions to,

(

i) prepare,

submit and implement a plan for addressing the non-compliance, and

(ii) sell

or otherwise dispose of the building, the school site or other land, or any

part of the building, school site or other land in accordance with this Act and

the regulations; or

(

b) make an order selecting a person or body to take control

of the management of the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair.

Order

given to secretary

(2) The

Minister shall promptly give a copy of an order made under clause (1) (

b) to

the secretary of the board.

Powers

and obligations of person or body

(3) If

a person or body is selected under clause (1) (b),

(

a) the

person or body may exercise the powers of the board respecting the management

of the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, the

building, and anything done by the person in exercising such powers is deemed

to be done by and for the board and in its name; and

(

b) the

person or body shall comply with any policies established under subsection 195 (7) and

any regulations made under

section 195.0.5 that apply to the board unless the

Minister provides otherwise.

Same

(4) The

powers referred to in clause (3) (

a) that a selected person or body may

exercise include,

(

a) managing

the allocation of revenues and expenditures;

(

b) communicating

with the school community;

(

c) managing

contracts, including entering into and terminating contracts and selecting vendors;

(

d) altering

or cancelling any or all aspects of the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement

or repair of, the building, subject to the prior written consent of the

Minister; and

(

e) any

other power that may be prescribed.

Co-operation

of the board

(5) If

a person or body is selected under clause (1) (b), the board shall co-operate

with the selected person or body in the exercise of the person or body’s powers

described in clause (3) (a).

Direction

of Minister

(6) The

Minister may give any direction that the Minister considers advisable to a

board or to a person or body selected under clause (1) (

b) in respect of the

addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, the building,

including any of the following directions:

1. A

direction requiring the board to co-operate with the selected person or body.

2. A

direction requiring the board to take one or more steps in order to facilitate

the management of the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair by

the selected person or body.

3. A

direction establishing roles, responsibilities and timelines in respect of

managing the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair.

4. A

direction setting out steps to be taken in respect of the addition, erection,

alteration, improvement or repair.

5. A

direction requiring reporting to the Minister.

6. A

direction requiring the board to make funds available to the selected person or

body for the purpose of managing the addition, erection, alteration,

improvement or repair.

Direct

payment of fees and expenses

(7) The

Minister may direct the board to pay any fees and expenses reasonably incurred

in relation to an order made under clause (1) (

b) and may specify in the

direction that the payment shall be chargeable to such of the board’s accounts

as the Minister may direct.

Compliance

with directions

(8) A

board and a person or body selected under clause (1) (

b) shall comply with any

direction issued to the board, person or body by the Minister under this

section within the time specified in the direction.

Exception,

Crown

(9) If

the selected person or body is the Crown, the Minister may determine that

subsection (8) does not apply.

Directions

available to public

(10) The

Minister shall ensure that any direction given under this

section is made available

to the public.

Board

vicariously liable

195.0.2

(1) If

a board is subject to an order under clause 195.0.1 (1) (b), any current or

former member of the Executive Council, deputy minister, employee, officer or

agent of the Crown, or a current or former trustee, employee or officer of

another board selected for the purposes of clause 195.0.1 (1) (b), is deemed to

be an officer of the board and not an employee, officer or agent of the Crown

or of the selected board, for the purposes of any cause of action against the

person and any claim for vicarious liability in relation to the person’s acts

or omissions under

section 195.0.1 in managing or administering the addition

to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, the board’s buildings.

personal liability

(2) No

cause of action arises against any individual referred to in subsection (1) for

any act done in good faith in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise

or performance, of the person’s powers, duties or functions under

section

195.0.1 or for any alleged neglect, default or other omission in the exercise

or performance in good faith of those powers, duties or functions.

Board

vicariously liable

(3) Subsection

(2) does not relieve the board of liability to which it would otherwise be

subject as a result of the acts or omissions of an individual referred to in

subsection (1).

Proceedings

barred

(4) No

proceeding shall be commenced against any individual referred to in subsection

(1) in respect of a matter referred to in that subsection.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(5) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Extinguishment

of causes of action

195.0.3

(1) No cause

of action arises against the Crown or any current or former member of the

Executive Council, deputy minister, employee, officer or agent of or advisor to

the Crown, or another board selected for the purposes of clause 195.0.1 (1) (

b) or any current or former trustee, employee or

officer of the selected board, as a direct or indirect result of,

(

a) the

giving, amendment or revocation of any direction under clause 195.0.1 (1) (

a) or subsections 195.0.1 (6) or (7);

(

b) the

making, amendment or revocation of any order under clause 195.0.1 (1) (b); or

(

c) anything

done or not done in accordance with a direction or order referred to in clause

(

a) or (b).

remedy

(2) No

costs, compensation or damages, including for loss of revenue or profit or any

other alleged loss, whether direct or indirect, are owing or payable to any

person by a person referred to in subsection (1), and no remedy, including a

remedy in contract, restitution, tort, a remedy for misfeasance, bad faith or a

breach of trust or fiduciary obligation, any equitable remedy or any remedy

under any statute, is available to any person against any person referred to in

subsection (1) in connection with anything referred to in that subsection.

Proceedings

barred

(3) No

proceeding that is directly or indirectly based on or related to anything

referred to in subsection (1) may be brought or maintained against any person

referred to in that subsection.

Application

(4) Subsections

(2) and (3) do not apply with respect to an application for judicial review or

a claim for a constitutional remedy, but do apply with respect to any other

court, administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming any remedy or relief,

including specific performance, an injunction, declaratory relief or the

enforcement of a judgment, order or award made outside Ontario.

costs awarded

(5) No

costs shall be awarded against any person in respect of a proceeding that

cannot be brought or maintained under subsection (3).

expropriation or injurious affection

(6) Nothing

referred to in subsection (1) constitutes an expropriation or injurious

affection for the purposes of the Expropriations Act

or otherwise at law.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(7) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

establishment of private law right, duty

195.0.4 Nothing in

section

195.0.1 or any direction or order made under that

section establishes a private

law right or duty, including a private law duty of care or fiduciary duty,

owing to any person.

Regulations

re dealings with property

195.0.5 The Minister may make

regulations governing,

(

a) the use of a school site or other land acquired under

subsection 195 (1);

(

b) the

addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, buildings under

section 195 or 195.0.1, including,

(

i) prescribing

conditions and requirements for the addition, erection, alteration, improvement

or repair,

(ii) prescribing the

circumstances in which a board shall give notice to the Minister or obtain the

Minister’s approval in respect of an addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement

or repair of, a building or any step in such work ,

(iii) prescribing

powers of a selected person or body for the purposes of clause 195.0.1 (4) (e).

Subsection 230.1 (2) of the Act is amended by striking out “appoint” and

substituting “select”.

(1) Subsection 230.3 (3) of the Act is repealed and the following

substituted:

Notice

of order

(3) If the Minister makes an order under subsection

(1),

(

a) the

order shall be promptly given to the secretary of the board;

(

b) the

Minister shall publish notice of the order in The Ontario

Gazette ; and

(

c) the

persons directed by the Minister to do so shall give notice of the order to the

persons specified by the Minister, in the form specified by the Minister.

(2) Subsections

230.3 (5) and (6) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Notice

(5) At

the time the Minister provisionally exercises the power to make an order under

subsection (1), the Minister shall give written notice of the order to the

board setting out the Minister’s reasons for the order.

immediate threat

(6) If

the Minister provisionally exercised the power to make an order under

subsection (1) and is of the opinion that there is no longer an immediate

threat to a matter of public interest, the Minister shall,

(

a) revoke

the order; or

(

b) if

the Minister has concerns about any matter of public interest, the Minister

shall notify the board of the Minister’s reasons for the concerns and specify a

period for the board to respond to the reasons set out in the notice, which

shall be no less than 14 days.

Determination

to continue order

(7) If

the Minister provides notice to a board under clause (6) (b), the Minister

shall determine whether to continue the order after considering any response of

the board.

Notice

to secretary

(8) The

Minister shall promptly notify the secretary of the board of the Minister’s decision

under subsection (7).

further action

(9) If

the Minister decides to continue the order, no further action is required to

continue the order after the notice is provided to the secretary of the board

under subsection (8).

Revocation

of order

(10) If

the Minister decides not to continue the order, the Minister shall revoke it.

Regulations

(11) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing circumstances

for the purposes of paragraph 3 of subsection (1).

Section 230.4 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

proceedings against board without leave of Minister

230.4

(1) Subject

to the regulations, after notice has been published in The Ontario Gazette under

clause 230.3 (3) (b),

(

a) no

proceeding against the board shall be commenced or continued in any court

without leave of the Minister; and

(

b) no

order of any court shall be enforced against the board without leave of the

Minister.

Suspension

of limitation period

(2) Subject

to subsection (3), where the commencement or continuance of any proceeding or

the enforcement of a court order is prevented under this section,

(

a) the

running of any limitation period relating to the proceeding or enforcement is

suspended until the Minister gives leave to commence or continue the proceeding

or to enforce the court order, as the case may be; and

(

b) the

person having the right to commence or continue the proceeding or to enforce

the court order shall, immediately after the leave is given, have the same

length of time within which to commence or continue the proceeding or enforce

the court order, as the case may be, as the person had when the notice was

published in The Ontario Gazette under clause

230.3 (3) (b).

Same

(3) Subsection

(2) does not apply unless application is made to the Minister for leave to

commence or continue the proceeding or to enforce the order within the relevant

limitation period and the Minister refuses to give the leave.

Effect

of order

(4) Subsection

(1) does not apply in relation to a board that is subject to an order under

subsection 230.3 (1) after the Minister makes an order of a type described in

clause 230.5.1 (2) (

b) or (

i) with respect to the board.

Regulations

(5) The Lieutenant Governor in

Council may make regulations,

(

a) prescribing

circumstances in which leave of the Minister is not required under clause 230.4

(1) (

a) or (b);

(

b) providing

that clause (1) (

a) does not apply in respect of any proceeding against a board

or that clause (1) (

b) does not apply in respect of any order of a court

against a board.

Sections 230.5.3, 230.5.4 and 230.5.5 of the Act are repealed and the following

substituted:

Variation

or cancellation of subsisting agreements

230.5.3 Where a board is

subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), the Minister may exercise the

powers of the board to enter into an agreement with any person with whom the

board has previously entered into an agreement or obligation that, or some term

or obligation of which, remains in whole or in part or in any manner to be

carried out by the board, for the amendment or cancellation of the subsisting

agreement or obligation.

Minister

to direct instrument issues

230.5.4

(1) Where a

board is subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), the Minister may

exercise the powers of the board under this or any other Act to require money

to be provided by the issue of instruments prescribed under clause 247 (3) (

f) of the board.

Issue

of instruments

(2) Where

a board is subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), the Minister may

provide for the issue of instruments prescribed under clause 247 (3) (

f) or may

authorize the sale of such instruments or the offering of such instruments as

security.

Minister

to have control over money and its application

230.5.5 Where a board is

subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), the Minister has full charge

and control over all money belonging to the board and received by any person

for or on its behalf and the money shall be deposited in one of the following

institutions, to be designated by the Minister:

1. A

bank listed in

Schedule I or II to the Bank Act

(Canada).

2. A

loan or trust corporation registered under the Loan and

Trust Corporations Act .

3. A

credit union as defined in the Credit Unions and Caisses

Populaires Act, 2020 .

(1) Subsections 230.15 (2) and (3) of the Act are repealed and the

following substituted:

Appointment

of Minister

(2) Where

a board is subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), the Minister may

appoint a person, who may be an officer or employee of the board, to exercise

the powers and perform the duties of the board that the Minister may provide,

and the person so appointed shall be paid the salary and allowed the expenses

that the Minister may determine.

(2) Section

230.15 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Indemnification

(5) Where

a board has become subject to an order made under subsection 230.3 (1), the

board shall indemnify any person appointed under subsection (2) against all

costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or

satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by the individual in respect of any

civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding in which the

person is involved as a direct or indirect result of that order.

The Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Board

vicariously liable

230.15.1

(1) If

a board is subject to an order under subsection 230.3 (1), any current or former member of the Executive Council, deputy

minister or employee, officer or agent of the Crown and any person appointed under subsection 230.15 (2) , is

deemed to be an officer of the board and not an employee, officer or agent of

the Crown, for the purposes of any cause of action against the person and any

claim for vicarious liability in relation to the person’s acts or omissions

under this

Part in managing or administering the affairs of the board.

personal liability

(2) No

cause of action arises against any individual referred to in subsection (1) for

any act done in good faith in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise

or performance, of the person’s powers, duties or functions under this Part or

for any alleged neglect, default or other omission in the exercise or

performance in good faith of those powers, duties or functions.

Board

vicariously liable

(3) Subsection

(2) does not relieve the board of liability to which it would otherwise be

subject as a result of the acts or omissions of an individual specified in

subsection (1).

Proceedings

barred

(4) No

proceeding shall be commenced against any individual specified in subsection

(1) in respect of a matter referred to in that subsection.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(5) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Extinguishment

of causes of action

230.15.2

(1) No cause of action arises

against the Crown or any current or former member of the Executive Council, deputy

minister, employee, officer or agent of or advisor to the Crown or any person

appointed under subsection 230.15 (2) as a direct or indirect result of,

(

a) the

giving, amendment or revocation of any direction under subsection 230.2 (1);

(

b) the

making, amendment or revocation of an order under subsection 230.3 (1) or an

order or rule under

section 230.8;

(

c) the

making, amendment or revocation of any appointment under subsection 230.15 (2);

(

d) anything

done or not done in accordance with a direction, order, rule or appointment

referred to in clauses (

a) to (c).

remedy

(2) No

costs, compensation or damages, including for loss of revenue or profit or any

other alleged loss, whether direct or indirect, are owing or payable to any

person by a person referred to in subsection (1), and no remedy, including a

remedy in contract, restitution, tort, a remedy for misfeasance, bad faith or a

breach of trust or fiduciary obligation, any equitable remedy or any remedy

under any statute, is available to any person against any person referred to in

subsection (1) in connection with anything referred to in that subsection.

Proceedings

barred

(3) No

proceeding that is directly or indirectly based on or related to anything

referred to in subsection (1) may be brought or maintained against any person

referred to in that subsection.

Application

(4) Subsections

(2) and (3) do not apply with respect to an application for judicial review or

a claim for a constitutional remedy, but do apply with respect to any other

court, administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming any remedy or relief,

including specific performance, an injunction, declaratory relief or the

enforcement of a judgment, order or award made outside Ontario.

costs awarded

(5) No

costs shall be awarded against any person in respect of a proceeding that

cannot be brought or maintained under subsection (3).

expropriation or injurious affection

(6) Nothing

referred to in subsection (1) constitutes an expropriation or injurious

affection for the purposes of the Expropriations Act

or otherwise at law.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(7) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

establishment of private law right, duty

230.15.3 Nothing in

this Part or any regulation, direction, order, rule or appointment made under

this Part establishes a private law right or duty, including a private law duty

of care or fiduciary duty, owing to any person.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Regulations

230.19.0.1

(1) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations respecting the application

of this Act in respect of a board that is subject to a vesting order under

subsection 230.3 (1), including regulations,

(

a) varying

the application or operation of any provision of this Act in respect of the

board;

(

b) providing

that one or more provisions of this Act do not apply in respect of the board.

Conflict

(2) If

there is a conflict between a regulation made under subsection (1) and a

provision of this Act or of any other Act or regulation, the regulation made

under subsection (1) prevails.

Retroactive

regulations

(3) A

regulation made under subsection (1) is, if it so provides, effective with

reference to a period before it is filed.

(1) Subsection 232 (1) of the Act is amended by adding “Subject to

the regulations” at the beginning.

(2) Section

232 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Same

Minister’s approval of estimates

(5.1) A

board is required to obtain the Minister’s approval of its estimates in the

prescribed circumstances and, if such approval is required, the estimates

approved by the Minister are deemed to have been approved by the board for the

purposes of this

section unless otherwise specified by regulation.

Same

(5.2) The

Minister’s approval of a board’s estimates may be subject to any conditions

that, in the Minister’s opinion, are necessary or desirable, and the Minister

may require the board to comply with the conditions.

Same

(5.3) The

Minister may approve a board’s estimate under subsection (5.1) only if it would

result in the board being in compliance with subsections (3) and (4).

Same

(5.4) For

greater certainty, an approval of a board’s estimates under subsection

(5.1) does not constitute an approval of an in-year deficit as described in

subsection (5) or vice versa.

(3) Subsection

232 (6) of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of clause (

b) and by adding the following clause:

(b.1) require boards to

submit any information specified by the Minister respecting the board’s

preparation and adoption of the estimates; and

(4) Section

232 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Regulations

(8) The

Minister may make regulations governing the preparation and adoption of the

estimates of boards’ revenues and expenses, including,

(

a) governing

the process for preparing and adopting the estimates, including the

responsibilities of the chief executive officer and the timelines to be

followed;

(

b) prescribing

requirements that must be satisfied before the estimates may be adopted;

(

c) prescribing

the circumstances in which the Minister’s approval of the estimates is

required;

(

d) prescribing

the circumstances in which the Minister is deemed to approve of the estimates.

Subsection 233 (3) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(

d) prohibiting

a board from using revenue for the purposes specified in the regulations.

Section 233.1 of the Act is amended by striking out “The Minister, subject to

the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, may” at the beginning and

substituting “The Lieutenant Governor in Council may”.

Divisions C and F of

Part IX of the Act are repealed.

(1) Subsection 266.2 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following

substituted:

Assignment

of numbers

(1) The

Minister may assign an Ontario education number to a person who has not already

been assigned one under this or any other Act if,

(

a) the

person or their parent or guardian has requested the assignment of an Ontario

education number for the person; or

(

b) the

person is enrolled in or seeks admission to be enrolled in a prescribed

educational or training institution.

(2) Paragraph

2 of subsection 266.2 (3) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

2. In

the case of a person described in clause (1) (b), prescribed educational and

training institutions.

(3) Paragraph 4 of subsection 266.2

(3) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

4. In

the case of a person described in clause (1) (b), prescribed entities that

co-ordinate a person’s enrolment in or admission to a prescribed educational or

training institution.

Section 280 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Dismissal

of director of education

(2) An

education unless the board has obtained the prior written approval of the

Minister.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Same,

283.0.1

(1) Despite

director of education is the chief executive officer of the board but is not

the chief education officer of the board.

Same

(2) The

board shall refer to the director of education as the chief executive officer

of the board for all purposes, including public communications.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Chief

education officer

283.0.1.1

(1) The

appoint an employee of the board as the chief education officer of the board.

Same

(2) The

director of education may be appointed under subsection (1) as the chief

education officer of a board.

Qualifications

(3) A

person shall not be appointed as the chief education officer under subsection

(1) unless the person is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers or has

equivalent qualifications as may be prescribed by regulation, and meets any

other qualifications as may be prescribed by regulation.

Regulations

(4) The

Minister may make regulations,

(

a) prescribing

the powers, duties, responsibilities and qualifications of chief education

(

b) governing

performance appraisals of chief education officers, including the frequency and

timing of appraisals and the standards, methods, processes, timelines and steps

to be followed and the input and material to be taken into account when

conducting the appraisals.

The Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Director

283.0.2

(1) The

of the board by virtue of office but is not entitled to exercise a binding vote

on any matter before the board or one of its committees.

Same

(2) Despite

school board shall not be considered to be a member of the board for the

purposes of clause 169.1 (1) (

h) and sections 218.1 and 218.2 or any other

provision that may be prescribed by regulation.

Regulations

(3) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing provisions

under this or any other Act for which the director of education of an

board.

Confirmation

283.0.3

(1) The Minister

may make regulations prescribing,

(

a) the

district school board is required to be confirmed by the chair of the board,

director of education or any other prescribed board official, and the

circumstances in which such confirmation shall not be given;

(

b) the

rules and procedures for the confirmation of a resolution or motion;

(

c) the

form and manner of the confirmation of a resolution or motion and the records

to be kept of the resolution or motion in the minute books of the board.

Same

(2) If

a regulation is made under subsection (1) requiring the confirmation of a

board resolution or motion is not effective unless the confirmation has been made

in accordance with the regulation.

(1) The definition of “Commission” in subsection 294 (1) of the Act

is repealed.

(2) Subsection

294 (8) of the Act is amended by adding “and to the Minister” after “to the

group”.

(3) Subsection

294 (9) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Referral

by group to the Minister

(9) On

receipt of a refusal and the reasons for it under subsection (8), the

French-language rights holder group may refer the matter to the Minister by

sending the Minister,

(

a) a

written request for consideration of the matter; and

(

b) the

written proposal of the group.

(4) Subsection

294 (10) of the Act is amended by striking out “the Commission” and

substituting “the Minister”.

The heading before

section 295 and

section 295 of the Act are repealed and the

following substituted:

Languages of

Instruction – Dispute Resolution

Duties

of the Minister

(1) The

Minister shall consider matters referred by a French-language rights holders

group under

section 294.

Person

to speak for group

(2) The

group shall name one of its members to act as its spokesperson.

Minister

response to referral under s. 294

(3) When

a matter is referred to the Minister by a French-language rights holders group,

the Minister shall,

(

a) promptly

select one or more mediators if the Minister considers that the furtherance of

the matter may be conducive to meeting the educational and cultural needs of

the French-speaking community; or

(

b) take

no further action if the Minister considers that the furtherance of the matter

is not conducive to meeting the educational and cultural needs of the

French-speaking community.

Notice

where no further action by Minister

(4) Where

the Minister takes no further action on a referral from a French-language

rights holder group, the Minister shall promptly send notice in writing of the decision,

with written reasons, to the school authority and the person named under

subsection (2).

Notice

where mediator selected

(5) Where

the Minister makes a selection under clause (3) (a), the Minister shall give to

each party the name and address of each mediator and of each party.

Parties

(6) The

following are the parties to the mediation:

1. The

school authority.

2. Where

the referral was from a French-language rights holder group, the person named

under subsection (3).

3. Any

other person specified by the Minister.

Section 296 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Mediators

Duties

(1) The

mediator or mediators shall, after inquiring into the matter referred for

mediation and conferring with the parties, endeavour to bring about an

agreement and shall, within 21 days of being selected, report to the Minister

the agreement that has been reached, or the failure to bring about an

agreement.

Extension

of period of mediation

(2) The

period referred to in subsection (1) may be extended by the Minister or by

agreement of the parties to the mediation.

(1) Subsection 297 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following

substituted:

Duties

of Minister and of school authority

(1) Where the report of the mediator or

mediators to the Minister indicates failure to bring about an agreement, the

Minister shall consider and inquire into all pertinent aspects of the matter

referred to mediation and shall, within 21 days of the Minister’s receipt of

the report, recommend in writing a course of action that the Minister considers

appropriate to settle the matter and send copies of the recommendation to each

party to the mediation.

(2) Subsection

297 (2) of the Act is amended by striking out “the Commission” and substituting

“the Minister”.

Subsection 298 (1) of the Act is amended by striking out “the Commission” and

substituting “the Minister”.

(1) Subsection 299 (1) of the Act is repealed.

(2) Subsections

299 (2) and (3) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Order

by Minister

(2) Where

a school authority does not resolve to implement the recommendation of the

Minister within the period of time mentioned in

section 297 or 298, as the case

requires, the Minister shall consider the report of the mediator and shall make

such order to the school authority or take such other action to deal with the

matter as the Minister considers appropriate in the circumstances.

Report

not binding on Minister

(3) The

report of the mediator is not binding on the Minister, and the Minister is not

required to give to any person an opportunity to make submissions or to be

heard before making an order under subsection (2).

(3) Subsection

299 (6) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Service

of order

(6) An

order by the Minister under subsection (2) to a school authority is effective

according to its terms when a copy is served on the secretary of the school

authority.

Ottawa-Carleton

French-Language School Board Transferred Employees Act

The definition of “Commission” in subsection 1 (1) of the Ottawa-Carleton

French-Language School Board Transferred Employees Act is repealed.

Commencement

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this

Schedule

comes into force on the day the Putting Student

Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

(2) Section

8, subsections 9 (1) and (2) and sections 25 and 27 to 33 come into force on a

day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

SCHEDULE 3

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL OF ONTARIO ACT, 2005

(1) Subsection 2 (3) of the Higher Education

Quality Council of Ontario Act, 2005 is repealed and the following

substituted:

Appointment

of members

(3) The

Council’s board of directors shall consist of not fewer than one and not more

than seven members all of whom shall be appointed by the Minister.

Deemed

appointment

(3.1) A

person who was a member of the board immediately before the day subsection 1

(1) of

Schedule 3 to the Putting Student Achievement First

Act, 2026 came into force is deemed to have been appointed by the

Minister.

(2) Subsections

2 (5) and (6) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Ministry

representative

(5) The

board of directors may include one or more employees of the Government of

Ontario.

Section 3 of the Act is repealed.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Winding

7.1

(1) The

Council’s board shall prepare and adopt a plan, in accordance with any

directives issued under this section, for winding up the Council and

transferring its assets, liabilities, rights and obligations to the Crown in

right of Ontario or to an agency of the Crown.

Minister’s

directives

(2) The

minister may issue written directives to the Council’s board setting out,

(

a) matters

the Council’s board is required to address in the plan before it is adopted;

(

b) processes

the Council’s board must follow in preparing and adopting the plan;

(

c) specified

amendments to the plan once adopted; and

(

d) processes

the Council must follow in implementing the plan.

Board

to amend plan

(3) If

the Minister issues a directive under clause (2) (c), the Council’s board shall

update the plan as required by the directive.

Implementation

(4) The

Council shall wind up the affairs of the Council, and transfer its assets,

liabilities, rights and obligations, in accordance with,

(

a) the

plan, or if amendments are made to the plan, the amended plan; and

(

b) any

directives issued by the Minister under clause (2) (d).

Power

to transfer assets, etc.

(5) The

following provisions apply for the purposes of implementing a plan adopted or

amended under this section:

1. The

Council may transfer to the Crown in right of Ontario or to an agency of the

Crown any of its assets, liabilities, rights and obligations, without

consideration.

2. If

an agreement is the subject of a transfer under this section, it is deemed to

be assignable by the Council without consent of any party to the agreement.

3. The

Council may enter into such other agreements, execute such documents and

instruments, and do such other acts and things as the Council considers

necessary or advisable to effect a transfer referred to in this section.

Provisions

regarding a transfer of assets, etc.

(6) The

following provisions apply to transfers of assets, liabilities, rights and

obligations of the Council that are made pursuant to a plan adopted or amended

under this section:

1. The

transferred asset, liability, right or obligation of the Council continues as

the asset, liability, right or obligation of the recipient of the transfer.

2. A

transfer of an asset, liability, right or obligation of the Council to the

recipient of the transfer shall not constitute a change of control of the

Council in respect of the asset, liability, right or obligation.

3. A

transfer is deemed not to,

i. constitute

a breach, termination, repudiation or frustration of any agreement,

ii. constitute

a breach of any Act, regulation or municipal by-law,

iii. constitute

an event of default or force majeure,

iv. give

rise to a breach, termination, repudiation or frustration of any licence,

permit or other right,

v. give

rise to any right to terminate or repudiate an agreement, licence, permit or

other right, or

vi. give

rise to any estoppel.

4. Despite

any other Act that requires notice or registration of a transfer, a transfer is

binding on the recipient of the transfer and all other persons.

5. A

conviction against, or ruling, order or judgment in favour of or against the

Council may be enforced by or against the recipient of the transferred

conviction, ruling, order or judgment.

6. The

recipient of a transferred action is deemed to be the party plaintiff or the

party defendant, as the case may be, in any civil action commenced by or

against the Council before the date of the transfer.

Notices

(7) The

Council’s board shall provide such reports as the Minister may require from

time to time and shall notify the Minister, in writing, as soon as possible

after it has finished implementing the plan.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Final

annual report

8.1.1

(1) The

Minister shall prepare, and make available to the public, a final annual report

of the Council for the period that begins immediately after the period covered

by the last annual report made under

section 8 and ends on the day the Council

is dissolved.

Tabling

(2) The

Minister shall table the Council’s final annual report in the Assembly and

shall comply with such directives as may be issued by the Management Board of

Cabinet with respect to when to table it.

The Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Crown

liability

personal liability

8.3

(1) No cause

of action arises against any current or former member of the Executive Council

or employee or agent of the Crown for any act done in good faith in the

exercise or performance, or intended exercise or performance, of the person’s

powers, duties or functions under this Act or for any alleged neglect, default

or other omission in the exercise or performance in good faith of those powers,

duties or functions.

Crown

remains vicariously liable

(2) Despite

subsection 8 (3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings

Act, 2019 , subsection (1) does not relieve the Crown of liability to

which it would otherwise be subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a

person specified in subsection (1).

liability for acts or omissions of others

(3) No

cause of action arises against the Crown or any person specified in subsection

(1) for

an act or omission of a person other than the Crown or a person

specified in that subsection, if the act or omission is related, directly or

indirectly, to the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of a power, duty or function under this Act.

Employment,

etc. with the Council

(4) If

a person who is an employee or agent of the Crown is employed in or assigned to

or otherwise performs duties directly for the Council, the person is deemed to

be an employee of the Council and not an employee or agent of the Crown

specified in subsection (1) in relation to the person’s acts or omissions

arising from the employment, assignment or performance for the purposes of this

section and sections 8.4 and 8.5 as well as any claim for vicarious liability.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(5) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Council

liability

personal liability

8.4

(1) No cause

of action arises against any current or former member or employee of the

Council for any act done in good faith in the exercise or performance, or

intended exercise or performance, of the person’s powers, duties or functions

under this Act or for any alleged neglect, default or other omission in the

exercise or performance in good faith of those powers, duties or functions.

Council

vicariously liable

(2) Subsection

(1) does not relieve the Council of liability to which it would otherwise be

subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a person specified in

subsection (1).

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Proceedings

barred

8.5

(1) No

proceeding shall be commenced,

(

a) against

any person specified in subsection 8.3 (1) in respect of a matter referred to

in that subsection;

(

b) against

the Crown or any person specified in subsection 8.3 (1) in respect of a matter

referred to in subsection 8.3 (3); or

(

c) against

any person specified in subsection 8.4 (1) in respect of a matter referred to

in that subsection.

Same

(2) Subsection

(1) does not apply with respect to an application for judicial review or any

proceeding that is specifically provided for under this Act, but does apply

with respect to any other court, administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming

any remedy or relief, including specific performance, an injunction,

declaratory relief, a remedy in contract, restitution, unjust enrichment or

tort, a remedy for breach of trust or fiduciary obligation or any equitable

remedy, enforcement of a judgment, order or award made outside Ontario or any

form of compensation or damages including loss of revenue or profit.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Dissolution

8.6 The Council is

dissolved and all of its assets, liabilities, rights and obligations are

transferred to and vested in the Crown in right of Ontario.

Section 9 of the Act is repealed.

Repeals

The Act is repealed.

Commencement

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this

Schedule

comes into force on the day the Putting Student

Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

(2) Sections

6 to 8 come into force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor

in Council.

SCHEDULE 4

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS ACT, 1996

(1) Paragraph 19 of subsection 40 (1) of the Ontario

College of Teachers Act, 1996 is repealed and the following substituted:

19. respecting

accreditation of professional teacher education programs offered by

post-secondary educational institutions;

19.1 respecting

accreditation of ongoing education programs for teachers offered by

post-secondary educational institutions and other bodies;

(2) Section

40 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Accreditation

of programs offered by post-secondary educational institutions

(1.1) Without

limiting the generality of paragraph 19 of subsection (1), a regulation made

under that paragraph may,

(

a) specify

the timing and duration of professional teacher education programs;

(

b) require

areas of study to be included in professional teacher education programs,

including the manner of delivery of such areas of study;

(

c) establish

criteria respecting any practical experience that is to be included in

professional teacher education programs, including its duration;

(

d) provide

for any transitional matters in connection with the implementation of changes

to accreditation of professional teacher education programs; and

(

e) address

any other matter relating to the design, delivery or learning outcomes of

professional teacher education programs.

Application

of accreditation requirements

(1.2) A

regulation made under paragraph 19 of subsection (1) applies in respect of a

post‑secondary educational institution despite any provision of any other

Act that grants the institution authority to determine, regulate or govern its

own programs,

curricula, academic standards or related educational matters.

Same

(1.3) For

greater certainty, the accreditation requirements set out in a regulation made

under paragraph 19 of subsection (1) prevail in the event of a conflict with

any decision, by‑law or policy of a senate or other academic governing

body of a post‑secondary educational institution.

Commencement

This

Schedule comes into force on the day the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

SCHEDULE 5

SCHOOL BOARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT, 2014

(1) The definition of “association

d’employeurs” in the French version of subsection 2 (1) of the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 is amended

by striking out “, l’Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association ou l’Ontario

Public School Boards’ Association” and substituting “ou le CODE”.

(2) Subsection

2 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following definition:

“CODE”

means the corporation named, or previously named, the Council of Ontario

Directors of Education; (“CODE”)

(3) The

following definition:

“employers’

association” means l’Association des

conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario, l’Association

franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques or the CODE; (“association

d’employeurs”)

(4) The

(1) of the Act is repealed.

(5) Subsection

2 (4) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

School

board as employer

(4) Nothing

in this Act nor anything done under this Act has the effect of,

(

a) changing

the status of a school board as the employer of its employees; or

(

b) making

any other person, including an employer bargaining agency or the Crown, an

employer of an employee of a school board for any purpose, including for the

purposes of this Act, the Labour Relations Act, 1995 ,

the Occupational Health and Safety Act , the Employment Standards Act, 2000 or any other Act, or at

common law or in equity.

“a trustees’ association” at the end and substituting “an employers’

association”.

striking out “trustees’ associations” wherever it appears and substituting in

each case “employers’ associations”.

(1) Paragraphs 3 and 4 of subsection 21 (1) of the Act are repealed

and the following substituted:

3. The

CODE is, with respect to all bargaining units, the employer bargaining agency

for,

i. every

ii. every

iii. every

board established under

section 68 of the Education Act .

(2) The

striking out “trustees’ associations” and substituting “employers’

associations”.

(3) The

out “a trustees’ association” wherever it appears and substituting in each case

“an employers’ association” and by striking out “trustees’ associations” and

substituting “employers’ associations”.

(4) Subsection

21 (4) of the Act is amended by adding “subject to, in the case of the CODE, a

by-law referred to in subsection 52 (3) or a regulation made under clause 54

(1) (b)” at the end.

(5) The

trustees’ association” at the beginning and substituting “An employers’

association”.

(6) The

striking out “trustees’ associations” wherever it appears and substituting in

each case “employers’ associations”.

(7) The

“trustees’ association” and substituting “employers’ association”.

(8) The

“trustees’ associations” wherever it appears and substituting in each case

“employers’ associations”.

(9) The

trustees’ association” and substituting “an employers’ association” and by

striking out “the trustees’ association” and substituting “the employers’

association”.

(10) Section

21 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Same

(10.1) The

school board to pay fees to the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association,

relating to the association’s activities under this Act, and the regulation may

provide for the matters referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection (10).

(11) Subsection

21 (11) of the Act is amended by adding “subject to, in the case of the CODE, a

by-law referred to in subsection 52 (3) or a regulation made under clause 54

(1) (b)” at the end.

(12) Subsection

21 (12) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Information

re use of funds

(12) The

Minister may require an employers’ association or the Ontario Catholic School

Trustees’ Association to provide to the Minister, in the form and manner

specified, such information as he or she requests regarding the use of the

following funds:

1. Funds

granted to the employers’ association pursuant to a regulation made under

section 234 of the Education Act .

2. Fees

paid to the employers’ association pursuant to a regulation made under

subsection (10) or to the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association

pursuant to a regulation made under subsection (10.1).

3. Direct

payments made under transfer payment agreements with the Crown, as represented

by the Minister.

(13) Section

21 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Transition

(13) The

Ontario Public School Boards Association and the Ontario Catholic School

Trustees’ Association are deemed to be employers’ associations for the purposes

of subsection (12) with respect to funds granted or paid to them before the day

on which subsection 4 (12) of

Schedule 5 to the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 came into force.

(1) Section 22 of the Act is amended by adding the following

subsection:

Substitution

if employer bargaining agency unable, etc., to act

Application

(0.1) In

this section, reference to an employers’ association only includes reference to

l’Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario and l’Association

franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques.

(2) The

trustees’ association” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “an

employers’ association” and by striking out “the trustees’ association”

wherever it appears and substituting “the employers’ association”.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Substitution

if CODE unable, etc., to act

22.1

(1) If, in

the Minister’s opinion, the CODE is unable or unwilling to exercise its rights

and privileges or perform its duties as an employer bargaining agency under

this Act, the Minister may, by regulation, designate a person or a body of

persons or establish a body of persons to exercise the rights and privileges

and perform the duties on its behalf until central bargaining is completed.

Same

(2) If

the CODE is a member of a council designated by or under

section 21 and, in the

Minister’s opinion, is unable or unwilling to exercise its rights and

privileges or perform its duties as a member of the council, the Minister may,

by regulation, designate a person or a body of persons or establish a body of

persons to exercise the rights and privileges and perform the duties on its

behalf until central bargaining is completed.

Regulations

(3) The

regulation under subsection (1) or (2) may also,

(

a) if

it establishes a body of persons, provide for the composition of the body;

(

b) if

it designates a corporation or a body of persons or establishes a body of

persons, provide for the establishment, composition and election of a

negotiating committee by members of the corporation or body;

(

c) establish

policies and procedures for the effective exercise of the person’s or body’s

rights and privileges and performance of the person’s or body’s duties as an

employer bargaining agency under this Act;

(

d) if

it designates or establishes a body of persons, establish any voting process to

be used by the body in respect of central bargaining, which process need not be

consistent with subsection 21 (4);

(

e) authorize

or require the CODE, or a school board represented by the CODE, or both, to

provide services to the person or body of persons;

(

f) authorize

or require the payment of fees to the person or body by the CODE or by a school

board represented by the CODE, or by both;

(

g) specify

the manner of determining the amount of the fees, if any, payable to the person

or body and specifying other matters respecting the payment of the fees.

(1) Subsection 25 (1) of the Act is amended by striking out “or the

Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association”.

(2) Subsection

25 (2) of the Act is amended by striking out “A council member referred to in

subsection (1)” at the beginning and substituting “L’Association

franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques” .

(3) Subsection

25 (4) of the Act is amended by striking out “the council member that gave the

notice” and substituting “l’Association franco-ontarienne des conseils

scolaires catholiques”.

The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Denominational

25.1

(1) This

section applies to central bargaining at a particular central table if the

employee bargaining agency represents one or more bargaining units at an

Role

of the OCSTA

(2) The

Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association is entitled to observe central

bargaining at the central table but when doing so shall comply with any

conditions imposed collectively by the employer bargaining agency and the

Crown, which may include,

(

a) a

restriction on the number of persons who may attend bargaining sessions; or

(

b) requirements

to maintain the confidentiality of bargaining discussions.

Notice

re prejudicial effect

(3) The

Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association may give written notice to the

parties at the central table and to the Crown that a particular matter or

proposal that is the subject of central bargaining may prejudicially affect the

denominational rights and privileges referred to in subsection 1 (3).

Agreement

re: central, local bargaining

(4) Upon

receiving the notice, the parties and the Crown may agree to exclude the matter

or proposal from central bargaining and may agree to make the matter or

proposal the subject of local bargaining.

Application

to Ontario Labour Relations Board

(5) If

the matter or proposal is not excluded from central bargaining, the Ontario

Catholic School Trustees’ Association may apply to the Ontario Labour Relations

Board to decide the issue.

Parties

(6) The

Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, the Crown, the employer

bargaining agency, the employee bargaining agency and such other persons and

entities as the Board considers appropriate may participate in a proceeding

under subsection (5).

Proceeding

(7) Subsections

25 (6) to (9) apply with respect to proceedings relating to an application

under this section.

Dismissal

(8) The

Board may dismiss an application brought under subsection (5) if, in the

opinion of the Board, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association failed

to give a timely notice under subsection (3) or make a timely application under

subsection (5).

“a trustees’ association” and substituting “an employers’ association” and by

striking out “trustees’ associations” and substituting “employers’

associations”.

(1) Section 39 of the Act is amended by adding the following

subsection:

Ratification,

(2.1.1) A

memorandum of settlement of local terms shall only be considered to have been

by the board’s director of education as well as, in the case of an

trustees.

(2) Subsection

39 (4) of the Act is amended by adding “subject to, in the case of the CODE, a

by-law referred to in subsection 52 (3) or a regulation made under clause 54

(1) (b)” at the end.

(1) Section 43.1 of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the

end of clause (

a) and by adding the following clause:

(a.1) govern

any transitional matters that may arise out of amendments that are made to any

other Act and that could affect collective bargaining or collective agreements

under this Act; and

(2) Clause

43.1 (

b) of the Act is amended by striking out “central”.

Sections 51 to 56 of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

The CODE as Employer

Bargaining Agency

Interpretation,

sections 52 to 57

(1) In

sections 52 to 57,

“committee”

means the committee established under subsection 52 (1); (“comité”)

“OCSTA”

means the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association; (“OCSTA”)

“OPSBA”

means the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. (“OPSBA”)

Same

(2) For

the purposes of sections 52 to 57, the role, including any privileges, rights

or duties, of an employer bargaining agency is deemed to include the role,

including any privileges, rights or duties, of a member of a council of

employers’ associations that is designated as an employer bargaining agency.

CODE

bargaining committee

(1) There

shall be a committee within the CODE whose object is to oversee and direct the

CODE’s activities as an employer bargaining agency.

By-laws

(2) The

committee may make by-laws necessary or incidental to carrying out its object.

Copy

to minister

(3) The

committee shall provide a copy of any new or amended by-law to the Minister as

soon as possible after the by-law is made or amended.

Same

(4) The

committee shall provide to the Minister a copy of any of its by-laws at the

request of the Minister.

By-laws

respecting process

(5) Subject

to any process established by the regulations and without limiting the

generality of subsection (2), a by-law of the committee may specify the process

by which the CODE exercises any of its rights or privileges under this Act or

performs any of its duties under this Act, which need not require voting and,

even where voting is required, need not comply with subsection 21 (4).

Conflict

(6) In

the event of a conflict between a by-law of the committee and one of the CODE’s

by-laws or its articles, the by-law of the committee prevails.

By-laws

(7) The

Minister may, by order, establish the committee’s by-laws or amend or replace

the committee’s by-laws.

Not

a crown agent

(8) The

CODE and, for greater certainty, the committee is not an agent of the Crown and

shall not hold itself out as such.

Same

(9) Subsection

(8) applies regardless of the manner in which the members of the committee were

elected or appointed.

Order

not regulation

(10) Part

III of the Legislation Act, 2006 does not apply to

an order of the Minister under subsection (7).

Transition

between associations

Duty

to cooperate

(1) The

CODE and the OPSBA and the CODE and the OCSTA shall co-operate in good faith

and do anything necessary to ensure that the CODE may effectively assume its

role as employer bargaining agency under

section 21.

Order

to facilitate transfer

(2) The

Minister may, by order, require the OPSBA or the OCSTA to do anything that, in

the opinion of the Minister, would facilitate the effective assumption by the

CODE of the role of employer bargaining agency under

section 21.

Same,

other functions

(3) The

Minister may, by order, require the OPSBA or the OCSTA to do anything that, in

the opinion of the Minister, would facilitate the effective assumption by the

CODE of any other function that may have been carried out by the OPSBA or the OCSTA

school board, including, despite subsection 3 (1), employees who are not

represented by a bargaining agent and employees to whom this Act does not

otherwise apply.

Scope

of orders

(4) Without

limiting the generality of subsections (2) and (3), the Minister may order

under those subsections the transfer of rights, powers, duties, property,

contracts, employees, money, information or records of the OPSBA or the OCSTA

to the CODE.

breach

(5) Disclosure

of any information as required under a Minister’s order under subsection (2) or

(3) does not constitute a breach of any agreement to which the OPSBA or the

OCSTA is a party.

Provision

of information despite privilege

(6) The

OPSBA or the OCSTA shall comply with any requirement to provide information

under a Minister’s order under subsection (2) or (3) even if the information

required to be provided is privileged or confidential.

waiver of privilege

(7) A

disclosure under subsection (6) does not constitute a waiver of privilege.

Notices

of desire to bargain

(8) Subject

to subsection (12), a notice of desire to bargain given to or by the OPSBA or

the OCSTA under

section 16 or 59 of the Labour Relations

Act, 1995 is, if the bargaining in respect of which the notice was given

has not yet concluded on the transition day, deemed to have been given to or by

the CODE.

Ongoing

proceedings

(9) The

OPSBA’s or the OCSTA’s status as a party or an intervenor in any proceeding

referred to in subsection (10) is transferred to the CODE if the proceeding is

ongoing on the transition day and the OPSBA or the OCSTA, as the case may be,

was participating in the proceeding in its former role as an employer

bargaining agency.

Same

(10) Subsection

(9) applies with respect to,

(

a) any

proceeding under this Act or the Labour Relations Act,

1995 , other than a proceeding excluded from the application of

subsection (9) by the regulations; and

(

b) any

prescribed proceeding.

Orders,

etc.

(11) An

order, judgment, or other adjudication that, on transition day, is binding on

the OPSBA or the OCSTA in its former role as an employer bargaining agency is

binding on the CODE.

Actions

taken by former association

(12) The

CODE may cancel any decision made or measure taken by the OPSBA or the OCSTA on

or after April 13, 2026 and shall do so if the committee, after having

determined that the decision or measure could frustrate the purposes of the

amendments made to this Act by

Schedule 5 to the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 , directs the CODE to do so.

Definition

(13) In

this section,

“transition

day” means the day on which

section 12 of

Schedule 5 to the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026 comes into

force.

Regulations

re CODE

(1) The

Minister may make regulations,

(

a) governing

the committee, including its composition and its role and authority within the

CODE;

(

b) specifying

the process by which the CODE exercises any of its rights or privileges under

this Act or performs any of its duties under this Act, which need not require

voting and, even where voting is required, need not comply with subsection 21

(4);

(

c) requiring

the CODE to provide information or reports to specified persons;

(

d) excluding

proceedings from the application of subsection 53 (9) or prescribing

proceedings for the purposes of clause 53 (10) (b);

(

e) governing

the use of any funds provided to the CODE pursuant to a regulation made under

subsection 21 (10).

Same

(2) Without

limiting the generality of clause (1) (a), a regulation made under that clause

may permit persons who are not members of the CODE to be a member of the

committee.

Conflict

(3) In

case of a conflict or an inconsistency between a regulation made under

subsection (1) and the CODE’s by-laws or articles or the committee’s by-laws,

the regulation prevails.

Crown

liability

personal liability

(1) No

cause of action arises against any current or former member of the Executive

Council, deputy minister or employee or agent of the Crown for any act done in

good faith in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or performance,

of the person’s powers, duties or functions under sections 52 and 53 or a

regulation made under subsection 54 (1) or for any alleged neglect, default or

other omission in the exercise or performance in good faith of those powers,

duties or functions.

Crown

remains vicariously liable

(2) Despite

subsection 8 (3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings

Act, 2019 , subsection (1) does not relieve the Crown of liability to

which it would otherwise be subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a

person specified in subsection (1).

liability for acts or omissions of others

(3) No

cause of action arises against the Crown or any person specified in subsection

(1) for

an act or omission of a person other than the Crown or a person

specified in that subsection, if the act or omission is related, directly or

indirectly, to the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of a power, duty or function under sections 52 and 53 or a

regulation made under subsection 54 (1).

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(4) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Trustees’

associations’ liability

personal liability

(1) No

cause of action arises against any current or former director, officer, member

or employee of the CODE, the OPSBA or the OCSTA for any act done in good faith

in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or performance, of the

person’s powers, duties or functions under sections 52 and 53 or a regulation

made under subsection 54 (1) or for any alleged neglect, default or other

omission in the exercise or performance in good faith of those powers, duties

or functions.

Trustees’

association vicariously liable

(2) Subsection

(1) does not relieve the CODE, the OPSBA or the OCSTA of liability to which it

would otherwise be subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a person

specified in subsection (1).

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Proceedings

barred

(1) No

proceeding shall be commenced,

(

a) against

any person specified in subsection 55 (1) in respect of a matter referred to in

that subsection;

(

b) against

the Crown or any person specified in subsection 55 (1) in respect of a matter

referred to in subsection 55 (3); or

(

c) against

any person specified in subsection 56 (1) in respect of a matter referred to in

that subsection.

Same

(2) Subsection

(1) does not apply with respect to an application for judicial review or any

proceeding that is specifically provided for under this Act, but does apply

with respect to any other court, administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming

any remedy or relief, including specific performance, an injunction,

declaratory relief, a remedy in contract, restitution, unjust enrichment or

tort, a remedy for breach of trust or fiduciary obligation or any equitable

remedy, enforcement of a judgment, order or award made outside Ontario or any

form of compensation or damages including loss of revenue or profit.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Consequential

Amendments

Education Act

(1) Subsection 218.3 (4) of the Education Act

is amended by striking out “following consultation with each trustees’

association identified in the definition of that term in subsection 2 (1) of

the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 ”

at the end and substituting “following any consultation required by the

regulations”.

(2) Section

218.3.3 of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(d.1) prescribing

any consultation required for the purposes of subsection 218.3 (4);

Public

Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996

subsection 2 (1) of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure

Act, 1996 is amended by striking out “trustees’ association” and

substituting “employers’ association”.

Commencement

This

Schedule comes into force on the day the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

Bill 101 As Amended by Standing Committee (PDF)

This

reprint of the Bill is marked to indicate the changes that were made in

Committee.

The

changes are indicated by underlines for

new text and a strikethrough for deleted text.

______________

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

SCHEDULE 1

CHILD CARE AND EARLY YEARS ACT, 2014

The

Schedule makes the following amendments to the Child Care

and Early Years Act, 2014 :

1. The

Minister is given additional power to support operators of child care and early

years programs and services and service system managers.

2. The

Minister is given power to assign an Ontario education number to a child who

has not already been assigned one, if requested to do so by the child’s parent.

SCHEDULE 2

EDUCATION ACT

The

Schedule amends the Education Act . Among the

amendments are the following:

1. The

Minister is given power to establish policies and guidelines,

i. for

the assessment of student achievement,

ii. respecting

board expense policies,

iii. related

to the use of educational materials in instruction, and

iv. related

to boards’ public communications.

2. Paragraph

31 of subsection 8 (1) and subsections 169.1 (2.1) and (2.2) of the Act are

repealed, removing the Minister’s power to establish policies and guidelines

respecting school climate surveys and the related requirement that boards use

those surveys to collect information from pupils, staff, parents and guardians

to monitor and evaluate the policies.

3. The

existing regulation-making powers respecting school board controlled entities

is amended to require the Minister’s approval regarding such entities in

certain circumstances.

4. Currently,

the number of members on district school boards is determined under the Act,

subject to the regulations. The amendments provide that the number provided for

in the regulations shall be between 5 and 12.

5. Amendments

are also made respecting the regulation-making powers relating to honoraria for

members of boards.

6. The

Schedule amends

section 195 of the Act to require a board to obtain the

Minister’s approval before acquiring a school site or other land. A new process

is established under which a board must submit a request for the Minister’s

approval to acquire land or to apply for approval to expropriate land, and the

Minister must respond within a prescribed time period, if any.

7. Amendments

are made to subsections 195 (4), (5) and (6) of the Act to expand

the types of work to which the provisions apply, including additions,

alterations, improvements and repairs. New subsections 195 (7) to

(9) permit the Minister to establish policies respecting the use of school

sites , the requirements for

obtaining Minister’s approvals and the addition to, or erection,

alteration, improvement or repair of, buildings.

8. New

section 195.0.1 authorizes the Minister to give directions to a board, or

to select a person or body to take control of the management of an addition to,

or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, a building, if the Minister

is of the opinion that the board has not complied or is unlikely to comply with

policies or regulations. The powers and obligations of a selected person or

body, the board’s duty to co ‑ operate and the Minister’s authority to issue directions

are set out. The Minister may also require the board to pay fees and expenses

incurred in relation to an order made under the section.

9. Currently,

the Act provides that where a board is subject to a vesting order, the ability

of the board to enter into certain agreements or approve of the issuing of

certain instruments is subject to the approval of the Minister. The

Schedule

amends the Act to provide that only the Minister, exercising the powers of the

board, may enter into such agreements or require the issuing of such

instruments. Related amendments are made, including to regulation-making

powers. The Act is also amended to require certain procedural steps to be taken

when the Minister provisionally exercises the power to make a vesting order.

10. Provisions

are added respecting the situations where a board is required to obtain the

Minister’s approval of its estimates.

11. Divisions

C and F of

Part IX of the Act are repealed.

12. The

Minister is given power to assign an Ontario education number to a child who

has not already been assigned one, if requested to do so by the child’s parent

or guardian.

13. Various

district school boards. The director of education in such a board is the chief

executive officer of the board and shall be referred to by the board as the

chief executive officer of the board for all purposes. The director of

education is required to appoint a chief education officer. The director of

education is a member of the board but is not entitled to exercise a binding

vote.

14. Currently,

the Act sets out certain processes that apply when French-language rights

holders groups seek to develop proposals under

section 294 of the Act. The

Schedule amends the processes to provide for the Minister to perform the roles

currently assigned to the Languages of Instruction Commission of Ontario and to

make other related and consequential amendments. The

Schedule also repeals the

provisions in the Act that provide for the continuation of the Commission.

15. Provisions

are added respecting the personal liability of various persons, establishing

vicarious liability and extinguishing certain causes of action.

16. Various

related and consequential amendments are made.

SCHEDULE 3

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY COUNCIL OF ONTARIO ACT, 2005

The

Schedule amends the Higher Education Quality Council of

Ontario Act, 2005 . The board of the Council’s composition and

appointment requirements in

section 2 of the Act are amended and new subsection

2 (3.1) provides for certain members to have been deemed appointed by the

Minister. New

section 7.1 of the Act provides for the winding up of the Council

and new

section 8.6 of the Act provides for the dissolution of the Council. New

section 8.1.1 of the Act provides that the Minister is required to prepare the

final annual report of the Council. New sections 8.3 to 8.5 of the Act set out

the rules respecting liability and proceedings. The

Schedule also provides for

the repeal of the Act on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor

in Council.

SCHEDULE 4

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS ACT, 1996

The

Schedule amends

section 40 of the Ontario College of

Teachers Act, 1996 to separate the regulation-making authority

respecting accreditation of professional teacher education programs from the

authority respecting accreditation of ongoing education programs for teachers.

The amendments provide that regulations made in respect of accreditation of

professional teacher education programs may specify requirements such as

timing, areas of study, delivery and practical experience and set out that such

accreditation requirements apply despite any authority of post ‑ secondary educational

institutions over their academic programs and prevail over decisions of their

academic governing bodies.

SCHEDULE 5

SCHOOL BOARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT, 2014

The

Schedule amends the School Boards Collective Bargaining

Act, 2014 . Among the amendments are the following:

1. Currently,

Section 21 of the Act designates the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’

Association (or “OCSTA”) as the employer bargaining agency for every

units. It also designates the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (or

district school board and every board established under

section 68 of the Education Act with respect to all bargaining units.

Section 21 of the Act is amended to instead designate the Council of Ontario

Directors of Education (or “CODE”) as the employer bargaining agency for all of

these boards and with respect to all bargaining units.

2. A

new

section 52 provides for a committee within the CODE whose object is to

oversee and direct CODE’s activities as an employer bargaining agency. The

process by which CODE exercises any of its rights or privileges under the Act

or performs any of its duties under the Act may be specified by a regulation

made by the Minister or, in the absence of such regulation, by a by-law of the

committee. This process need not require voting and, even where voting is

required, need not comply with subsection 21 (4) of the Act. A new

section 53

provides for transitional matters related to the transfer of the role of

employer bargaining agency from the OCSTA to the CODE and from the OPSBA to the

CODE. In particular, the Minister is authorized to make orders to facilitate

the effective assumption by the CODE of the role of employer bargaining agency.

A new

section 54 provides the Minister with various regulation-making

authority, including the authority to make regulations governing the committee

within the CODE. New sections 55 to 57 limit personal liability in relation to

the exercise of powers, duties or functions under sections 52 and 53 or a

regulation made under

section 54.

3. A

new

section 22.1 authorizes the Minister to, by regulation, take certain

measures to enable a different person or body of persons to exercise the CODE’s

rights and privileges and perform its duties under the Act as an employer

bargaining agency or as the member of a council designated by or under

section

21 of the Act if the Minister is of the opinion that the CODE is unable or

unwilling to exercise those rights and privileges or perform those duties.

4. A

new

section 25.1 of the Act provides that the OCSTA is entitled to observe

central bargaining at a central table if the relevant employer bargaining

district school board. This new

section provides for a process by which

particular matters or proposals that are the subject of central bargaining may

be made the subject of local bargaining if the OCSTA gives notice that the

matter or proposal may prejudicially affect denominational rights and

privileges. Authority is vested in the Minister to, by regulation, require

relating to the OCSTA’s activities under the Act.

5. A

association” with the term “employers’ association”.

Bill 101 2026

Act to amend various Acts in respect of education and child care

CONTENTS

Contents

of this Act

Commencement

Short

title

Schedule 1

Child

Care and Early Years Act, 2014

Schedule 2

Education

Act

Schedule 3

Higher

Education Quality Council of Ontario Act, 2005

Schedule 4

Ontario

College of Teachers Act, 1996

Schedule 5

School

Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014

His

Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the

Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Contents

of this Act

1 This Act consists of this section, sections 2 and 3 and

the Schedules to this Act.

Commencement

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this

section, this Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

(2) The

Schedules to this Act come into force as provided in each Schedule.

(3) If

a

Schedule to this Act provides that any of its provisions are to come into

force on a day to be named by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, an

order may apply to one or more of those provisions, and orders may be issued at

different times with respect to any of those provisions.

Short

title

3 The

short title of this Act is the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 .

SCHEDULE 1

CHILD CARE AND EARLY YEARS ACT, 2014

Subsection 54 (1) of the Child Care and Early Years Act,

2014 is amended by striking out “and” at the end of clause (b), by

adding “and” at the end of clause (

c) and by adding the following clause:

(

d) provide

services to support operators of child care and early years programs and

services and service system managers in carrying out their functions and duties

under this Act.

(1) Subsection 72 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following

substituted:

Assignment

of numbers

(1) The

Minister may assign an Ontario education number to a child who has not already

been assigned one under this or any other Act if,

(

a) the

child’s parent has requested the assignment of an Ontario education number for

the child; or

(

b) the

child is registered or seeks to be registered in,

(

i) a

program or service that includes the provision of licensed child care, or

(ii) an

early years program or service prescribed by the regulations.

(2) Subsection

72 (3) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Same

(3) Subsection

(2) applies to,

(

a) the

Minister; and

(

b) in

the case of a child described in clause (1) (b), persons who provide or operate

programs and services described in subclauses (1) (b) (

i) and (ii).

Commencement

This

Schedule comes into force on the day the Putting

Student Achievement First Act, 2026 receives Royal Assent.

SCHEDULE 2

EDUCATION ACT

Section 1 of the Education Act is amended by adding

the following subsection:

Digital

materials

(1.2) For

greater certainty, a reference in this Act or the regulations to educational

materials, such as textbooks and other learning materials, includes digital

textbooks and learning materials.

(1) Paragraph 3.3 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed and the

following substituted:

policies, guidelines: assessment of student achievement

3.3 establish

policies and guidelines for the assessment of student achievement with respect

to pupils attending schools under the jurisdiction of a board and require

boards to comply with the policies and guidelines;

(2) Paragraph

3.7 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

policies

and guidelines: school board expense policies

3.7 establish

and require boards to comply with policies and guidelines governing board

expense policies, including policies and guidelines that,

i. specify

key principles and other content that must be included in board expense

policies, and

ii. set

out requirements relating to discretionary spending, travel, meal and

hospitality expenses and membership fees, including defining those terms,

specifying the expenses that may be reimbursed and prohibiting the reimbursement

of expenses for specified persons or purposes;

(3) Subsection

8 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following paragraph:

policies and guidelines: educational materials

7.1 establish

and require boards to comply with policies and guidelines,

i. respecting

the use of educational materials approved under paragraph 6, such as textbooks

and other learning materials, in instruction, and

ii. respecting

the establishment, content and adoption of rules and procedures, by boards, to

govern the selection and use of educational materials for instructional

purposes;

(4) Subsection

8 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following paragraph:

board

communication, general

27.4 establish,

and require boards to comply with, policies and guidelines governing boards’

public communications, including policies and guidelines governing public

communications made by board officers and employees and by board members acting

as representatives of the board;

(5) Paragraph

31 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act is repealed.

(6) Section 8 of the Act is

amended by adding the following subsection:

Expenses

(2.1) A policy or guideline

made under paragraph 3.7 of subsection (1) may provide that, despite anything

in this Act, a board shall not pay certain expenses of a member or reimburse a

member for certain expenses or that such payment or reimbursement shall be

restricted in accordance with the policy or guideline.

(1) Section 11 of the Act is amended by striking out “Subject to the

approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the Minister may” wherever it

appears and substituting in each case “The Lieutenant Governor in Council may”.

(2) Subsection

11 (6) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(a.1) requiring

boards to obtain the Minister’s approval or confirmation before establishing or

continuing to operate or maintain a school board controlled entity or making

any change to its purposes or objects, including requiring the dissolution of

an entity if the Minister does not give approval or confirmation;

Subsection 13 (7) of the Act is amended by striking out the portion before

clause (

a) and substituting the following:

Regulations

(7) The

Lieutenant Governor in Council may, in addition to the powers under

section 11,

make regulations with respect to schools continued or established under this

section,

. . . .

Part I of the Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Crown

liability

personal liability

17.2

(1) No

cause of action arises against any current or former member of the Executive

Council, deputy minister or employee, officer or agent of the Crown for any act

done in good faith in the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of the person’s powers, duties or functions under this Act or for

any alleged neglect, default or other omission in the exercise or performance

in good faith of those powers, duties or functions.

Crown

remains vicariously liable

(2) Despite

subsection 8 (3) of the Crown Liability and Proceedings

Act, 2019 , subsection (1) does not relieve the Crown of liability to

which it would otherwise be subject as a result of the acts or omissions of a

person specified in subsection (1).

liability for acts or omissions of others

(3) No

cause of action arises against the Crown or any person specified in subsection

(1) for

an act or omission of a person other than the Crown or a person

specified in that subsection, if the act or omission is related, directly or

indirectly, to the exercise or performance, or intended exercise or

performance, of a power, duty or function under this Act.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(4) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

Proceedings

barred

17.3

(1) No

proceeding shall be commenced,

(

a) against

any person specified in subsection 17.2 (1) in respect of a matter referred to

in that subsection; or

(

b) against

the Crown or any person specified in subsection 17.2 (1) in respect of a matter

referred to in subsection 17.2 (3).

Same

(2) Subsection

(1) does not apply with respect to an application for judicial review, a claim

for a constitutional remedy, or any proceeding that is specifically provided

for under this Act, but does apply with respect to any other court,

administrative or arbitral proceeding claiming any remedy or relief, including

specific performance, an injunction, declaratory relief, a remedy in contract,

restitution, unjust enrichment or tort, a remedy for breach of trust or

fiduciary obligation or any equitable remedy, enforcement of a judgment, order

or award made outside Ontario or any form of compensation or damages, including

loss of revenue or profit.

Proceedings

by Crown not prevented

(3) This

section does not apply with respect to proceedings brought by the Crown.

(1) Subclause 58.1 (2) (k) (

i) of the Act is repealed and the

following substituted:

(

i) the

number of members of each district school board or the determination of the

number,

(2) Subclause

58.1 (2) (k) (viii) of the Act is repealed.

(3) Subsections

58.1 (10) to (11) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Number

of members on a district school board

(10) A

regulation under subclause (2) (k) (

i) shall not provide for a number of

members of a district school board that is less than 5 or more than 12.

Same

(11) The

numbers referred to in subsection (10) do not include any person elected or

appointed to a district school board under

section 188, a student trustee or the

Subsections 169.1 (2.1) and (2.2) of the Act are repealed.

Section 191 of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Honorarium

for members of boards

The

Minister may make regulations respecting honoraria for members of boards,

including regulations,

(

a) authorizing

or requiring boards to provide honoraria to members;

(

b) specifying

the amount of an honorarium to be provided to members or a method for

calculating the amount;

(

c) setting

limits on honoraria and providing a method for calculating those limits;

(

d) specifying

conditions that must be satisfied for the payment of honoraria by the board;

(

e) governing

board policies regarding the payment of honoraria and processes respecting the

adoption of such policies;

(

f) specifying circumstances in

which

section 191.3 does not apply.

(1) Subsection 195 (1) of the Act is amended by striking out “may

select and may acquire” and substituting “may select and may, with the approval

of the Minister, acquire”.

(2) Subsections

195 (1.1) to (1.4) of the Act are repealed and the following substituted:

Request

for approval to acquire, etc.

(1.1) Before

a board acquires or applies for an approval to expropriate a school site or any

other land under subsection (1), the board shall submit a request, in the

manner and form specified by the Minister, for the Minister’s approval to

acquire or apply to expropriate the school site or land.

Minister’s

response

(1.2) The

Minister shall approve or refuse a request made under subsection (1.1) within

the prescribed time period, if any.

Regulations

(1.3) The

Minister may make regulations prescribing the time period referred to in

subsection (1.2).

(3) Subsection

195 (4) of the Act is amended by striking out “add to or alter” and

substituting “add to, alter, improve or repair”.

(4) Subsection

195 (5) of the Act is amended by,

(

a) striking

out “erect” and substituting “add to, erect, alter or improve”; and

(

b) striking

out “school building” wherever it appears and substituting in each case

“building”.

(5) Subsection

195 (6) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Additions,

alterations, etc.

(6) A

board may, with the approval of the Minister, make an addition, alteration or

improvement to a building that is acquired by the board under a lease.

Policies

(7) The

Minister may establish and require boards to comply with policies respecting,

(0.

a) the

activities that constitute additions, erections, alterations or improvements

that require the Minister’s approval under subsection (5) or (6) and any

requirements that boards must fulfil in order to obtain an approval;

(

a) the

use of a school site or other land acquired under subsection (1); and

(

b) the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or

repair of, buildings under subsection (4), (5) or (6).

Same

(8) For

greater certainty, a policy established under subsection (7) or a regulation

made under

section 195.0.5 may require a board to give notice to the Minister

or obtain the Minister’s approval in respect of an addition to, or erection, alteration,

improvement or repair of, a building or any step in such work.

Subject

to policies, regulation

(9) The

use of a school site or other land acquired under subsection (1) and the addition

to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, a building under

subsection (4), (5) or (6) shall be done in accordance with any policies

established under subsection (7) and any regulations made under

section 195.0.5.

The Act is amended by adding the following sections:

Direction

and order re non-compliance

195.0.1

(1) If,

in the opinion of the Minister, a board has not complied or is unlikely to

comply with a policy established under subsection 195 (7) or a regulation made

under

section 195.0.5 , the Minister

may ,

(

a) give

any direction to the board to do anything or refrain from doing anything that

the Minister considers advisable to address the non-compliance or likely

non-compliance, including directions to,

(

i) prepare,

submit and implement a plan for addressing the non-compliance, and

(ii) sell

or otherwise dispose of the building, the school site or other land, or any

part of the building, school site or other land in accordance with this Act and

the regulations; or

(

b) make an order selecting a person or body to take control

of the management of the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair.

Order

given to secretary

(2) The

Minister shall promptly give a copy of an order made under clause (1) (

b) to

the secretary of the board.

Powers

and obligations of person or body

(3) If

a person or body is selected under clause (1) (b),

(

a) the

person or body may exercise the powers of the board respecting the management

of the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, the

building, and anything done by the person in exercising such powers is deemed

to be done by and for the board and in its name; and

(

b) the

person or body shall comply with any policies established under subsection 195 (7) and

any regulations made under

section 195.0.5 that apply to the board unless the

Minister provides otherwise.

Same

(4) The

powers referred to in clause (3) (

a) that a selected person or body may

exercise include,

(

a) managing

the allocation of revenues and expenditures;

(

b) communicating

with the school community;

(

c) managing

contracts, including entering into and terminating contracts and selecting vendors;

(

d) altering

or cancelling any or all aspects of the addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement

or repair of, the building, subject to the prior written consent of the

Minister; and

(

e) any

other power that may be prescribed.

Co-operation

of the board

(5) If

a person or body is selected under clause (1) (b), the board shall co-operate

with the selected person or body in the exercise of the person or body’s powers

described in clause (3) (a).

Direction

of Minister

(6) The

Minister may give any direction that the Minister considers advisable to a

board or to a person or body selected under clause (1) (

b) in respect of the

addition to, or erection, alteration, improvement or repair of, the building,

including any of the following directions:

1. A

direction requiring the board to co-operate with the selected person or body.

2. A

direction requiring the board to take one or more steps in order to facilitate

the management of the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair by

the selected person or body.

3. A

direction establishing roles, responsibilities and timelines in respect of

managing the addition, erection, alteration, improvement or repair.

4. A

direction setting out steps to be taken in respect of the addition, erection,

alteration, improvement or repair.

5. A

direction requiring reporting to the Minister.

6. A

direction requiring the board to make funds available to the selected person or

body for the purpose of managing the addition, erection, alteration,

improvement or repair.

Direct

payment of fees and expenses

(7) The

Minister may direct the board to pay any fees and expenses reasonably incurred

in relation to an order made under clause (1) (

b) and may specify in the

direction that the payment shall be chargeable to such of the board’s accounts

as the Minister may direct.

Compliance

with directions

(8) A

board and a person or body selected under clause (1) (

b) shall comply with any

direction issued to the board, person or body by the Minister under this

section within the time specified in the direction.

Exception,

Crown

(9) If

the selected person or body is the Crown, the Minister may determine that

subsection (8) does not apply.

Directions

available to public

(10) The

Minister shall ensure that any direction given under this

section is made available

to the public.

Board vicariously liable

195.0.2

(1) If a board is subject to an order under

clause 195.0.1 (1) (b), a person who is a current or former Minister, Deputy

Minister, employee, officer or agent of the Crown is deemed to be an officer of

the board an