TDSB Trustee Deborah Williams Speaks Out on Provincial Takeover and Bill 33

At a time of rising concern for public education in Toronto, Regent Park TV sat down with TDSB Trustee Deborah Williams for an important conversation about what’s happening behind the scenes. The interview, recorded at the Focus Media Arts Centre in Regent Park, comes days after the Ontario government placed the Toronto District School Board—and three other major boards—under provincial supervision. Trustee Williams, who represents Ward 10 (University–Rosedale and Toronto Centre), explains what this decision means for students, families, and communities like Regent Park in Toronto’s Downtown East. Since June 27, elected trustees have been stripped of their ability to make decisions, hold meetings, or connect with constituents using board resources. Williams challenges the province’s justification of “financial mismanagement,” pointing instead to chronic underfunding and a growing political agenda that includes Bill 33—a proposed law that would bring police back into schools and further centralize provincial control. She also speaks about her involvement in the Fund Our Schools coalition and shares how local residents can stay informed and engaged, despite the limits placed on trustees. With $150 million in TDSB funding still unpaid, this conversation reminds us what’s at stake in the fight for accessible, equitable public education—right here in Regent Park and across the city.