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The province introduced a bill to amend the Ryerson University Act on Thursday. The bill passed its first reading by the provincial legislature, beginning the process to legally change the school’s name to Toronto Metropolitan University.
The 1977 Ryerson University Act is the legal document governing school operations. The suggested amendments reference changing the official name, as well as other by-laws.
The next step for the bill is to go through its second reading, where it will be debated by all parties. There will be another vote before it can go through public hearings and a clause-by-clause review. The last step is a final reading before it can be given Royal Assent and passed into law.
TMU president Mohamed Lachemi previously told On The Record he hopes the bill will become law before students graduate in 2023.
“We are in October and the next convocation season is going to be in June,” he said. “So I am very positive about it. However, I don’t have control.”
Until the bill is passed, all official school documents will continue to use the former name.