The OPIRG Provincial Network is a decentralized body that provides support for, and facilitates collaboration between individual PIRGs in Ontario. We are comprised of a series Public Interest Research Groups based in communities across the Province. These PIRGs share similar mandates and policies, but function autonomously in their everyday workings.
Below are testimonials from various PIRG chapters – board, staff and volunteers! If you were or are a current memeber of any PIRG chapter, feel free to send us your testimonials asnd we’re happy to ad them here with your consent. You can contact: opirgprovcoordinator@gmail.com to share your testimonial!
“Board Training School by OPIRG Provincial allowed me to be a better employer and a better member of a PIRG through the trainings. So many amazing experts in anti-oppression, employer training, the collective agreement, and more, were present to guide everyone in engaging and applicable sessions!”
– Chavi, LSPIRG Board of Directors, Student member 2023-2025 (Current)
“It was an honour to sit on the OPIRG Provincial Board of Directors with some of the most rad and caring folks I have had the privilege of knowing. They make OPIRG Provincial what it is and show up to support all the chapters in the network – whether that’s through developing policy, support with funds, or dealing with specific issues at chapters.“
– Sadiyah J, Previous Director on OPIRG Toronto and OPIRG McMaster Boards, Previous Director on OPIRG Provincial Board
I’ve been attending the Collaborative Lunches on a regular basis since becoming a board member, all of which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. I found the lunches especially helpful as a new board member as it gave me the opportunity to interact with other PIRGs, meet other folks involved, while learning more about OPIRG Brock and all the different work we do. While I haven’t had much direct contact with Provincial, the amount of support and guidance Provincial provides to OPIRG Brock has been immeasurable. Whether it’s supporting us while being defunded, or sharing resources and historical knowledge, it’s very clear to me that Provincial’s role with OPIRG Brock has not only been necessary, but has helped individual board members, staff, and volunteers grow, develop new skills, and ensured we can remain able to connect folks in Niagara to activism.
Dani H, Board Brock member 2024-2025, Community Member (Current)
I was a board member at OPIRG York for a one-year term – I helped update internal policies (which are also shared with and approved at OPIRG Provincial), hire new staff and restructure the financial systems and reporting in my role as a finance coordinator. I learned so much about managing finances, having approvals for financial decisions made by members of the organization, and approval processes. What I learned at OPIRG York, with support from OPIRG Provincial, has carried through to my other workplaces, and I am forever grateful to both OPIRG York and OPIRG Provincial for these experiences. The network was so valuable that I stayed connected over the years and now working at Provincial helps me pass on this same knowledge to others.
– Victoria, OPIRG York Board of Directors, Community member 2021-2022
The Provincial Network is a vital resource in times of crisis, and internal chapter conflict. In my 3.5 years as a staff person at OPIRG York, the OPIRG Provincial network has saved our chapter on at least 2 occasions. First of all, before I was hired our chapter was in a period of hibernation. The Provincial network provided essential support including: participating in organizing meetings for our Board elections, helping to outreach for prospective Board members, and supporting with our chapter elections. During my time as a staff person my chapter also experienced internal conflict, which resulted in the near disintegration of our chapter. The Provincial network helped to mediate the conflict, and was also able to provide a no-interest loan while we reestablished access to our bank accounts. Without the Provincial’s support I am not sure that OPIRG York would still exist today.
This support network is increasingly vital in the context of rising austerity. At York University, the administration has been developing regulations and policies that empower administrative bodies with increasing overreach and control of what should be student-run, independent Student Service organizations. This is not unique to York as Universities across Ontario seek to control student organizing the wake of the so-called “Student Choice Initiative” legislation being shut-down in court. Here are just two examples of what the regulations have been used for. On May 29th, 2025, if appears that the Centre For Women and Trans People at York (CWTP) may have had their levee formally dissolved without due process with their membership (women and trans students at York University). Similarly, a fight to revive the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Support Line and Leadership (SASSL) has been met by the university administration with derision and refusal, despite student efforts to bring the organization back in alignment with it’s governance. SASSL is in a state of hibernation as a result of the pandemic. It gives me hope that, if/when OPIRG York experiences further conflict or struggle, we may be saved from the fate of the CWPT or SASSL by the dedicated support of our Provincial Chapter Support Committee, and the passionate commitment of our Provincial Network staff.
On a more personal level, it uplifts and supports me to connect with other chapters, because it helps me know that the work we are doing at York is just one piece in a larger picture. Often chapters find that we are facing very similar struggles, and we are able to share our strategies and commiserate (for example, about rising austerity, conservative defunding campaigns, and political repression). It is extremely helpful to have these relationships built over time, so that we create more trust and rapport across the network. I have also frequently had volunteers and prospective Board members share that they came to OPIRG York, because they had a positive experience at another chapter. If we were to organize together this also becomes a useful source of a vouch, so that we can have a stronger foundation of trust. The staff retreats, organized by our Provincial Coordinator, further equips me to develop better workflow in my approaches to volunteer coordination, volunteer retention, and programming.
-Emily G, OPIRG York staff (Programming and Volunteer Coordinator)