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Provincial legislation legally changes Ryerson University to TMU

A large glass building with several windows. A logo with blue, yellow and white text is on the left corner.
Toronto Metroolitan University (TMU) is the official legal name, as of Dec.1. Photo provided by TMU.
Daniel Centeno - CJRU - Toronto • ON | 09-12-2022
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Ryerson University is officially no more.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is legally the new name of the school after the Ontario government passed Bill 26 this month.

The name change was official in May, but legal documents including diplomas had the name Ryerson on them.

"Toronto Metropolitan University is pleased to announce that Bill 26, which includes the change to amend the Ryerson University Act, 1977, passed the third and final reading by the Ontario Legislature on December 1, 2022, and is expected to receive Royal Assent from the Lieutenant Governor in the coming days," a staement on the TMU website reads.

Students graduating in 2023 will be the first to have their diplomas with TMU. Alumni will be able to request changes to their Ryerson diplomas, but no formal date has been set for this process.

Two people in hockey gear. Their jerseys are white with gold and blue trimmings.

The new TMU Bold jerseys were unveiled this month as the name change becomes official legally. Photo courtesy of the TMU Bold.

Bill 26, the Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, 2022, was introduced into the Ontario House of Commons by MPP Jill Dunlop the minister of colleges and universities.

The school accepted all 22 recommendations from the Standing Strong Task Force in August 2021, which included the name change and changes to the sports teams and mascot.

Ryerson Rams is now the TMU Bold and the mascot is a falcon and the gold and royal blue of the school  will remain the same. Comments on the colours were first mentioned by Standing Strong Task Force co-chair Dr. Jennifer Simpson in March.

The TMU Bold debuted the new mascot and name earlier in the fall semester.

New jerseys for the teams were unveiled at an Upcycle fashion show hosted by TMU athletics this month.

TMU’s name change distanced itself from the former namesake, Egerton Ryerson, who was a formative figure in the creation of Canada’s Residential school system.

Other recommendations include a responsibility to educate on Ryerson, Canada’s colonial legacy and active steps towards further Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

More details to come.

Listen to CJRU's coverage of Ryerson legally becoming TMU:

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