Quebec Schools Must Combat Sexual Violence

Summary#

• This Quebec bill would require every preschool, elementary, high school, adult education, and vocational training center—public and private—to adopt a stand‑alone policy to prevent and respond to sexual violence.

• The goal is to make schools safer and to give clear steps for prevention, reporting, support, and follow‑up.

• Schools must adopt the policy within one year of the law taking effect and put it into action within nine months after sending it to the minister.

• The policy must include prevention and awareness activities, mandatory training for students and staff, safety measures (including building changes if needed), and clear rules for school activities and trips.

• A complaint and reporting process must be available at all times, with confidentiality, anti‑retaliation protections, and set timelines (help within 7 days; complaint handling within 90 days).

• Schools must offer or connect people to specialized support services, group these services in one easy place or name a staff guide, and involve a permanent committee of staff, students, and parents.

• A code of conduct must set rules for anyone in a teaching or authority role, including limits on intimate relationships with adult students when it risks bias, abuse of power, or sexual violence.

• The minister can require extra policy elements, publish which schools have policies, ask for reports, provide financial aid by regulation, and step in if a school does not comply.

What it means for you#

• Students and families

  • You would get clear information each school year on what counts as sexual violence (including unwanted words, actions, or online behavior) and how to get help.
  • You could report concerns at any time. The school must keep your information confidential and protect you from retaliation.
  • The school must act quickly: offer accommodations and supports within 7 days and finish handling complaints within 90 days.
  • Support services (welcome, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment) would be easy to find, either in one known place at school or through a named staff guide.
  • Rules would cover all school activities, including trips and events off campus.

• School staff and leaders

  • You would have annual mandatory training on preventing and handling sexual violence.
  • A clear code of conduct would guide interactions with students, including boundaries where there is a power or teaching relationship.
  • You would have set roles and duties in prevention, reporting, follow‑up, and keeping students safe, including when to share information needed for someone’s safety.
  • You would take part in or work with a permanent committee that builds, reviews, and tracks the policy.

• School boards and private school operators

  • You must adopt a stand‑alone policy within one year, share it with the minister, make it easy to find, and review it at least every five years.
  • You must report, each year, on training delivered, safety measures, complaints received and handled, sanctions applied, and how you consulted people when creating or changing the policy.
  • You may need to adjust infrastructure (for example, lighting or layout changes) to improve safety.
  • The minister may impose oversight or have a third party complete your obligations at your expense if you do not comply.

• Third‑party vendors and partners

  • Contracts with service providers (e.g., trip organizers, security, transportation) must include measures that meet the school’s policy on sexual violence.

• Community organizations and external resources

  • Schools can partner with outside services to provide specialized support and training for students and staff.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• It sets clear, uniform rules so every student—young children, teens, and adults—can learn in a safer environment.
• Mandatory training for students and staff should prevent harm and improve how schools respond when incidents occur.
• Fast timelines (7 days for supports, 90 days for complaint handling) aim to reduce trauma and keep students on track in school.
• A code of conduct and boundaries for people in authority help reduce power abuses.
• Annual public reporting and a published list of compliant schools increase transparency and accountability.
• Allowing the minister to add elements and provide funding by regulation lets the system adapt to new needs.

Opponents' View#

• New duties could add workload and administrative burden for schools already stretched for time and staff.
• Smaller or rural schools may struggle to provide specialized services or to make building changes without clear, dedicated funding.
• Mandatory student training and annual staff training take time away from class and other priorities.
• Reporting rules and data sharing for safety may raise privacy concerns if not handled with care.
• The power for the minister to impose oversight or hire a third party at a school’s expense may feel heavy‑handed.
• Some argue parts of this may duplicate existing policies, creating overlap rather than better results.