Establishing an Official “Yes” or “No” Committee
The Hart House Referendum provides for one Official “Yes” Committee and one Official “No” Committee. These Committees may campaign in support of or opposition to the proposed Hart House Capital Fee Levy.
Who can request an Official Committee?
Under the Protocol governing the Referendum, a request to establish an Official “Yes” or “No” Committee may be made by:
- the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students;
- the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU);
- the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU); or
- the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students (APUS).
How does the process work?
Step 1 – Request an Official Committee
Any of the persons or organizations listed above may request the establishment of the Official “Yes” Committee or Official “No” Committee.
The request must identify:
- the person or organization making the request; and
- whether it wishes to support the “Yes” or “No” position.
No form is required. Requests should be submitted by email to ogc.rcc@utoronto.ca by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The Referendum Regulations require the request to identify the position supported and to be submitted to the Chief Returning Officer (“CRO”) by the deadline established in the Referendum Schedule.
Step 2 – The other eligible organizations are contacted
Once a request has been received, the other eligible persons and organizations will be contacted and given an opportunity to indicate whether they wish to support the Official “Yes” Committee, the Official “No” Committee, or neither.
There will be one Official Committee for each position. If more than one eligible organization supports the same position, they will participate in the same Official Committee rather than establish separate Committees.
Under the Protocol, each Official Committee includes members chosen by the persons or organizations that have identified their support for that position.
Step 3 – Establish the Committee
Each resulting Official Committee will provide the CRO with:
- its members;
- one primary representative, with contact information, who is authorized to communicate with the CRO and the Referendum Conduct Committee (“RCC”) on its behalf; and
- the names of any other individuals authorized to incur Campaign Expenditures or approve Campaign Material on its behalf.
As part of the establishment process, the Committee must also declare:
- each individual whose paid working time will be used for Campaigning on behalf of the Committee beyond their ordinary responsibilities of leadership, representation or advocacy for the organization or unit that employs them;
- each such individual’s role and employer;
- their expected Campaigning commitment, identified as:
- fewer than 5 hours per week;
- 5–15 hours per week; or
- more than 15 hours per week; and
- any other material institutional resources that will be used for Campaigning on the Committee’s behalf.
A declaration does not require a record of actual hours worked or any salary or compensation information.
What happens after an Official Committee is established?
Official Committees may campaign during the Campaign Period and are responsible for ensuring that their members and anyone acting on their behalf comply with the Protocol, the Referendum Regulations and applicable University policies.
Official Committees should review the Referendum Regulations before participating in the campaign.
The Referendum will proceed even if an Official Committee is not established for one or both positions.
Questions?
Questions about establishing an Official Committee or the Referendum process may be directed to the Chief Returning Officer at ogc.rcc@utoronto.ca.