OPIRG McMaster is a student-led nonprofit with a mission to promote civic engagement by empowering the McMaster community to take action on social and environmental issues.

OPIRG McMaster provides low-barrier, easy-to-access support for students who want to make a difference in the local community.

Some past and present OPIRG Action groups include:

• Students For Bikeshare (@macforbikeshare)

• McMaster Community Garden (@mcmastercommunitygarden)

• Meals With Purpose (@meals.with.purpose)

• Climate Justice McMaster (@climatejusticemcmaster)

• Stop Sprawl Students (@stopsprawlstudents)

• MoodFM (@macmoodfm)

• HEAL (Hamilton Encampment Aid Liaison)

The world is a scary place right now. One of the best ways to address anxiety about this is to take action. Student activism has always been a key driver of positive social change.

It’s much easier to take action when you have a dedicated and accessible staff and volunteer network to help.

By voting YES in the OPIRG McMaster 2026 referendum, you are equipping yourself and other students with the resources to create meaningful change on campus and beyond. Furthermore, you ensure the longevity and effectiveness of the current Action Groups, which continue to make transformative change within our community. VOTE YES TO OPIRG MCMASTER!

A lot! OPIRG McMaster:

1. Provides a starting point for students who are interested in civic engagement and community advocacy.

2. Connects students with a network of individuals who have experience working on community advocacy and mutual aid projects.

3. Organizes trainings to teach students and community members how to address political anxiety through community action.

4. Provides a physical space for students to meet.

5. Maintains an equipment library and book library for use by any undergraduate student:

   • Button maker

   • Banner making material

   • Art supplies

   • Conference speaker

   • Kitchen materials

6. Mutual aid on campus:

   • Facilitates a free store clothing exchange

   • Provides snacks, coffee, and drinks for students

7. Run our own events

   • Last term:

     • Harm reduction workshop

     • Pot painting night

     • End of term social and exam destresser

   • This term:

     • Social issues clubsfest

     • Winter wellness giveaway

     • Annual General Meeting

     • More to come!

   • Past events:

     • Movie screenings

     • Tech and clothing drive

     • Women’s health advocacy night

     • Upcycle night

8. Supports action groups

   Current action groups:

   • Students for Bikeshare

   • McMaster Community Garden

   • Meals with Purpose

   • Climate Justice McMaster

   • Stop Sprawl Students

   • MoodFM

   • Hamilton Encampment Aid Liaison

   Action groups get support through a pre-existing volunteer network, access to institutional knowledge, and staff support on technical work such as campaign planning, grant writing, funding for basic materials, and communications.

Bad actors on the previous board broke the OPIRG McMaster constitution and tried to act against the interests of the wider student population by leaving the Ontario network of OPIRGs. In response to this, the MSU asked McMaster administration to stop collecting the OPIRG student fee.

While this was going on, students from OPIRG action groups and the wider student body pushed back and elected a new OPIRG McMaster board at the end of July 2025 that immediately committed to stay in the Ontario OPIRG network and meaningfully engage with students. We are stronger together! Now we are in the referendum process to ensure this important work can continue.

• The new board is doing a review of the constitution, but it’s hard to put rules in place that prevent people from violating rules.

• The best defense against bad actors is a more participatory organization. Although it wasn’t immediate, enough students were involved with OPIRG to hold the previous board accountable and force elections where a new board was chosen.

• Everyone at OPIRG McMaster is committed to doing outreach to more students and conducting educational and social events so that more students will be aware of OPIRG McMaster and get involved.

• You can help by attending our Annual General Meeting during the second week of April!

• If the referendum passes it ensures that existing action groups continue to get support for their important, ongoing work. It also restores funding for a dedicated staff member who can obtain grants and facilitate paid internships with community partners.

• We have an Annual General Meeting planned during the second week of April where any undergraduate student can attend to discuss priorities for the 2026-2027 school year.

You can register to volunteer or click the “commit to vote” button below.