Ontario Legislative Page Program: A Unique Educational Experience

Each year, approximately 150 young students from across Ontario are selected to participate in Ontario's Legislative Page Program. This unique educational initiative offers Ontario students a chance to witness the provincial legislature in action, while forming lifelong friendships with peers from all over the province.

The program is tailored for students who are actively involved in their communities and have demonstrated responsibility and leadership skills. Legislative Pages have the opportunity to meet key parliamentary and political figures, gaining first-hand insight into Ontario’s Parliament and the legislative process.

While at Queen’s Park, the Pages are under the guidance of the Page Program Coordinator, who is a certified Ontario teacher. During their term of duty, Pages also receive an honorarium, acknowledging their commitment and contributions to the program.

Page applications are accepted online twice yearly: April 15 to June 15 and September 15 to November 15. For more information, contact pageprogram@ola.org.

Learn more about the PAGE Program here. https://www.ola.org/en/visit-learn/programs/about-page-program

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The legislative PAGE program for Ontario’s parliament was started during Confederation and is now a well-established respected tradition. 

Early Pages were 10 to 14-year-old boys and their duties included carrying messages and running errands for Members of Provincial Parliament. In 1952, eligibility requirements changed so that Pages must be in grade 7 or 8, maintain an academic average of at least 80%, and have a letter of recommendation from their principal. 

However, in 1971, Speaker Fred Cass made several changes to the Page program. He appointed Ontario’s first female pages as well as appointing a Page mistress who was in charge of the female Pages. The Page mistress was eventually in charge of all Pages. Speaker Cass also implemented the practice of choosing pages from all across Ontario, before this Pages were only chosen from the Greater Toronto Area. 

Ontario students in grade 8 now have the opportunity to apply for the page program. They must be an Ontario student entering grade 8 in the fall of the ongoing year and have an academic standing of at least 80%. Other requirements can be found on the Ontario legislative page program website.