EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Education Act to require each school board to establish a policy under which pupils in its schools are engaged annually, in a developmentally appropriate manner, regarding the topics of child sexual abuse prevention and reporting. Each board is also required to make information available to parents and guardians and to provide information annually to teachers and other staff in schools. The Minister is authorized to make regulations respecting how these requirements are to be satisfied.

Bill 123 2023

An Act to amend the Education Act with respect to child sexual abuse prevention and reporting

His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1 The Education Act is amended by adding the following section:

Duties of boards, child sexual abuse prevention and reporting

Pupils

170.0.1  (1)  Every board shall ensure that a policy is established under which pupils in its schools are engaged annually, in a developmentally appropriate manner, regarding the topics of child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, including age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.

Parents and guardians

(2)  Every board shall ensure that information respecting child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, including information on available counselling and resources for children who are sexually abused, is made available to all parents and guardians of pupils in its schools.

Teachers and other staff

(3)  Every board shall ensure that information respecting child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, including information on available counselling and resources for children who are sexually abused, is provided annually to all teachers and other staff in its schools.

Regulations

(4)  The Minister may make regulations,

  (a)  governing the policy to be established under subsection (1), including,

         (i)  prescribing the manner in which the engagement must be carried out, and

        (ii)  prescribing information that must be provided as part of the engagement;

  (b)  governing the availability and provision of information under subsections (2) and (3), including,

         (i)  prescribing the manner in which the information must be made available or provided, and

        (ii)  prescribing the information that must be made available or provided.

Commencement

2 This Act comes into force on September 1, 2024.

Short title

3 The short title of this Act is Erin’s Law (Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Reporting), 2023.