TORONTO, ON — On Saturday, October 24, Ontario teachers and education workers will hold coordinated rallies in five cities across the province, united in the fight for Ontario’s publicly funded schools. 

Continuing a strong show of solidarity and coordinated action for collective bargaining in the education sector, five major education unions representing 255,000 workers are joining forces to organize rallies that bring together parents, families, and local community members in their respective city hubs with one common demand: invest in publicly funded education.

Alongside Toronto’s rally at Queen’s Park, large crowds will also be gathering at Waverley Park in Thunder Bay, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Victoria Park in London, and Bell Park in Sudbury. In addition to hearing from provincial and local leaders and education union representatives, parents and community members will share how underfunding and understaffing have affected our schools and how, together, we can fight for the publicly funded education system students deserve.

WHEN: Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: Queen’s Park, 111 Wellesley St. W., Toronto
 

WHO:  

• Martha Hradowy, President, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO)
• René Jansen in de Wal, President, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA)
• Gabrielle Lemieux, President, Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO)
• David Mastin, President, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)
• Joe Tigani, President, CUPE-Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU)
• Mark Hancock, National President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
• JP Hornick, President, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO)
• Kezia Motluk, Chair, Education Workers’ Alliance of Ontario (EWAO-ATEO)
• Larry Rousseau, Former Executive Vice President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) & Toronto Rally Emcee
• Alison Slack, Treasurer, COPE Local 527 / Ontario Council of Educational Workers (OCEW)
• Laura Walton, President, Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL)
• Julia Evangelisto, Co-founder, Ontario Parents for Education Support
• Elizabeth Garkowski, Co-Founder, Ontario Parents for Education Support
• Daunte Hillen, Candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Trustee for Wards 8 & 14
• Henri Lavergne, President, Fédération de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne
• Chris Simao, Parent 

INTERVIEWS: Media are invited to attend Saturday’s Toronto rally for on-site interviews with union leaders, teachers, education workers and other speakers. Local and provincial education leaders are also available for phone or virtual interviews in advance of October 24.

To book an advance interview, arrange on-site coverage, or request details on local rallies, contact: 

AEFO—Marianne Raina at 613-218-3702 or mraina@aefo.on.ca

CUPE-OSBCU—Shannon Carranco at 514-703-8358 or scarranco@cupe.ca

ETFO—Carla Pereira at 416-962-3836 ext. 2332 or cpereira@etfo.org

OECTA—Michelle Despault at 416-925-2493 ext. 509 or m.despault@catholicteachers.ca

OSSTF/FEESO—Caitlin Reid at 416-576-8346 or caitlin.reid@osstf.ca