Ukrainian Famine-Genocide: Ontario High Schools to Include Mandatory Holodomor Studies

Beginning in September 2025, Ontario high schools will introduce mandatory education about the Holodomor in the Grade 10 Canadian History course.

This initiative, announced on November 28, 2023, by the Ministry of Education, aims to deepen students’ understanding of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 1932-33 and its impact on Canadian values like democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.

The curriculum will highlight the Holodomor, also known as the Great Ukrainian Famine, as a tragic consequence of the totalitarian policies of Stalin’s communist Soviet Union. This man-made famine led to the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.

The new learning module will also cover the effects of extreme political ideologies, emphasizing the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of safeguarding Canadian values against such threats.

“The rise of extremism, including Communism and Marxism, are direct threats to our democracy, social cohesion and values as Canadians,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education in a news release.

“I am determined to strengthen education on our shared values, including by mandating learning about the horrors of state-sponsored persecution of Ukrainians in the Holodomor in Grade 10 Canadian History. This learning will help ensure students are never bystanders in the face of such horrors, understand the danger of totalitarianism and help safeguard fundamental Canadian values of freedom and democracy over communist extremism.”

To support this educational endeavour, Ontario is investing $400,000 in the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. This funding will aid the Holodomor National Awareness Tour and the Holodomor Mobile Classroom (HMC), a 40-foot RV equipped with interactive lessons. The HMC will travel to schools across Ontario, engaging up to 4,000 students in Grades 6 to 12 in experiential learning directly linked to the curriculum.

Per the news release, this initiative follows Ontario’s supportive actions for Ukraine, including free access to publicly funded schools for children seeking refuge from the war and providing trauma and mental health resources in Ukrainian. Additionally, the province has introduced new mandatory Holocaust education in both the Grade 6 Social Studies and the Grade 10 Canadian History courses, starting September 2025.