CIJA Appeals Court Decision on University of Windsor’s Discriminatory Agreements With Anti-Israel Encampment
Windsor, ON – November 25, 2025 – The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has taken the first step in appealing the dismissal of its case, filing a motion with the Ontario Court of Appeal. CIJA is appealing the October 29 decision of the Divisional Court, which dismissed its request for judicial review of the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement’s refusal to act on CIJA’s complaint about discriminatory agreements the University of Windsor entered to end last year’s extremist, anti-Israel encampment on campus. Those concessions committed the university to halt institutional academic agreements with Israeli universities.
Amid a surge in antisemitism across Ontario’s campuses and public institutions, CIJA maintains that the interpretation of the Ontario Discriminatory Business Practices Act raises a matter of public importance. CIJA argues that the Divisional Court failed to properly consider the law’s core purpose: preventing discrimination.
The academic boycott embedded in the University of Windsor’s agreements singles out Israeli universities – and only Israeli universities – for exclusion. This constitutes overt discrimination based on nationality, place of origin, and geographic location.
“The agreements are discriminatory and signify a dangerous capitulation to extremists,” said Richard Marceau, Senior Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives and General Counsel, CIJA. “We continue to urge the University of Windsor to rescind the harmful agreements and take further steps to restore the Jewish campus community’s confidence in the institution.”
CIJA thanks Jonathan Lisus of Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb for leading this appeal.
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