McMaster remains committed to supporting the rights of all members of our community to freedom of expression and peaceful protest.  To support those principles while maintaining a safe, accessible and fully operational campus, the university’s policy on the use of University Facilities for Non-Academic Purposes (PUFNAP) has been updated and approved by the President and Vice-Presidents. The operational policy was first created in 1987 and was last updated in 2018.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice court order of July 2, 2024, which was issued in response to an encampment at the University of Toronto, also provides clarity on legal parameters for peaceful, lawful and safe protests on university property.  The court decision confirmed the balance that must be achieved between the university’s right to manage its space in an orderly manner so it is available to the university community, and freedom of expression and the right to protest.

McMaster’s PUFNAP policy complements the Policy on Student Groups (Recognition, Risk Assessment & Event Planning) which all student groups are required to follow.  Other important resources include Freedom of Expression, the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy.

Please refer to PUFNAP for complete details on all components of the policy.

PUFNAP Overarching Principles:

• McMaster University is private property to be enjoyed by all members of the McMaster community
• The academic and research activities of the university are its priorities and additional activities cannot interfere with their delivery
• The health and safety of the McMaster community must be maintained
• No individual or group can hinder access or free movement of other community members, including blocking entrances or access to campus or university buildings and classrooms
• The campus is open to any member of the public as long they conduct themselves in accordance with the law and the policies and practices of the university
• Activities that unreasonably restrict or obstruct the use of university facilities are not permitted

Supporting Protests and Freedom of Expression

• McMaster’s Freedom of Expression explicitly permits peaceful protest activities and should be adhered to when planning any activities
• The right to protest on university property is subject to applicable university policies, including PUFNAP and municipal and provincial regulations
• Peaceful protests are permitted between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.
• Noise cannot be excessive or disrupt university activities. The City of Hamilton noise by-law applies to all university property.
• Camping on campus is not permitted
• Activities cannot obstruct access to or disrupt day-to-day activities
• Fencing materials, building supplies or any structure can only be placed on campus with the written permission from the Office of the Vice-President (Operations and Finance)

For events, including protests, to be successfully held at McMaster groups are asked to engage university supports such as Campus Safety and University Health and Safety to ensure any health and safety precautions are in place for all participants and the campus community.

McMaster policies are applied equally and are in place to ensure the university is able to deliver its core missions of education and research, to provide safe environments for all members of our community, and to strengthen the university’s tradition of supporting the individual’s rights to hold their own views and to create spaces for active and respectful debate and discussion.