Sexual Violence and Harassment Policy

Sexual Violence and Harassment Policy
March 2024

1. Sexual Violence Policy

(a) Transport Training Centres of Canada Inc. (TTCC) is committed to providing its students with an educational environment free from sexual violence and treating its students who report incidents of sexual violence with dignity and respect.

(b) TTCC has adopted this Sexual Violence Policy, which defines sexual violence and outlines its training, reporting, investigative and disciplinary responses to complaints of sexual violence made by its students that have occurred on its campus, or at one of its events and involve its students.

(c) The person accused of engaging in sexual violence will be referred to as the “Respondent” and the person making the allegation as the “Complainant”.

2. Definition of Sexual Violence

(a) Sexual violence means any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism and sexual exploitation.

3. Training, Reporting and Responding to Sexual Violence TTCC shall include a copy of the Sexual Violence Policy in every contract made between it and its students, and provide a copy of the Sexual Violence Policy to TTCC management (corporate directors, controlling shareholders, owners, partners, other persons who manage or direct the career college’s affairs, and their agents), instructors, staff, other employees and contractors and train them about the policy and its processes of reporting, investigating and responding to complaints of sexual violence involving its students. *Any company participating in offering student internships on their premises must provide an undertaking in writing that it is in compliance with all applicable legislation, including the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act and will provide students access to those policies should they encounter issues relating to sexual violence in the workplace.

(b) The Sexual Violence Policy shall be published on its website.

(c) Management, instructors, staff, other employees and contractors of TTCC will report incidents of or complaints of sexual violence to Campus Administrator upon becoming aware of them. The Campus Administrator will forward all information to the Regional Coordinator.

(d) Students who have been affected by sexual violence or who need information about support services should contact the Campus Administrator who in turn will advise the Regional Coordinator.

(e) Subject to Section 4 below, to the extent it is possible, TTCC will attempt to keep all personal information of persons involved in the investigation confidential except in those circumstances where it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm, or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others on its campus or the broader community are at risk. This will be done by:

(i) ensuring that all complaints/reports and information gathered as a result of the complaint/reports will be only available to those who need to know for purposes of investigation, implementing safety measures and other circumstances that arise from any given case; and

(ii) Ensuring that the documentation is kept in a separate file from that of the Complainant/student or the Respondent.

(f) TTCC recognizes the right of the Complainant not to report an incident of or make a complaint about sexual violence or not request an investigation and not to participate in any investigation that may occur.

(g) Notwithstanding (f), in certain circumstances, TTCC may be required by law or its internal policies to initiate an internal investigation and/or inform police without the complainant’s consent if it believes the safety of members of its campus or the broader community is at risk.

(h) In all cases, including (f) above, TTCC will appropriately accommodate the needs of its students who are affected by sexual violence. Students seeking accommodation should contact the Campus Administrator/Regional Coordinator. In this regard, TTCC will assist students who have experienced sexual violence in obtaining counselling and medical care, and provide them with information about sexual violence supports and services available in the community as set out in Appendix 1 attached hereto. Students are not required to file a formal complaint in order to access supports and services.

4. Investigating Reports of Sexual Violence

(a) Under this Sexual Violence Policy, any student of TTCC may file a report of an incident or a complaint to the Regional Coordinator in writing. The other officials, offices or departments that will be involved in the investigation are HR Department, Regional Coordinators, Campus Administrators and the President.

(b) Upon receipt of a report of an incident or a complaint of alleged sexual violence being made, Regional Coordinator will respond promptly and:

(i) determine whether an investigation should proceed and if the Complainant wishes to participate in an investigation;

(ii) Determine who should conduct the investigation having regard to the seriousness of the allegation and the parties involved;

(iii) Determine whether the incident should be referred immediately to the police;

In such cases or where civil proceedings are commenced in respect of allegations of sexual violence, TTCC may conduct its own independent investigation and make its own determination in accordance with its own policies and procedures; and

(iv) determine what interim measures ought to be put in place pending the investigation process such as removal of the Respondent or seeking alternate methods of providing necessary course studies.

(c) Once an investigation is initiated, the following will occur:

(i) the Complainant and the Respondent will be advised that they may ask another person to be present throughout the investigation;

(ii) interviewing the Complainant to ensure a complete understanding of the allegation and gathering additional information that may not have been included in the written complaint such as the date and time of the incident, the persons involved, the names of any person who witnessed the incident and a complete description of what occurred;

(iii) Informing and interviewing the Respondent of the complaint, providing details of the allegations and giving the Respondent an opportunity to respond to those allegations and to provide any witnesses the Respondent feels are essential to the investigation;

(iv) Interviewing any person involved or who has, or may have, knowledge of the incident and any identified witnesses;

(v) Providing reasonable updates to the Complainant and the Respondent about the status of the investigation; and

(vi) Following the investigation, the Regional Coordinator will:

• Review all of the evidence collected during the investigation;

• Determine whether sexual violence occurred; and if so

• Determine what disciplinary action, if any, should be taken as set out in Section 5 below.

(c) If students, in good faith, report an incident of, or make a complaint about, sexual violence, they will not be subject to discipline or sanctions for violations of the private career college’s policies relating to drug or alcohol use at the time the alleged sexual violence occurred;

(d) Students who disclose their experience of sexual violence through reporting an incident of, making a complaint about, or accessing supports and services for sexual violence, will not be asked irrelevant questions during the investigation process by the private career college’s staff or investigators, including irrelevant questions relating to the student’s sexual expression or past sexual history.

5. Disciplinary Measures

(a) If it is determined by TTCC that the Respondent did engage in sexual violence, immediate disciplinary or corre ctive action will be taken. This may include:

(i) disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff; or

(ii) expulsion of a student; and /or

(iii) the placement of certain restrictions on the Respondent’s ability to access certain premises or facilities; and/or

(iv) any other actions that may be appropriate in the circumstances.

6. Appeal

(a) Should the Complainant or the Respondent not agree with the decision resulting from the investigation, he or she may appeal the decision to the President within 10 days by submitting a letter addressed to President advising of the person’s intent to appeal the decision.

7. Making False Statements

(a) It is a violation of this Sexual Violence Policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of sexual violence or to provide false information about a complaint.

(b) Individuals who violate this Sexual Violence Policy are subject to disciplinary and / or corrective action up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff or expulsion of a student.

8. Reprisal

(a) It is a violation of this Sexual Violence Policy to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a complainant who has brought forward a complaint of sexual violence, provided information related to a complaint, or otherwise been involved in the complaint investigation process.

(b) Individuals who violate the Sexual Violence Policy are subject to disciplinary and /or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff or expulsion of a student.

9. Review

(a) TTCC shall ensure that student input is considered in the development of its Sexual Violence Policy and every time it is reviewed or amended.

(b) TTCC shall review its Sexual Violence Policy 3 years after it is first implemented and amend it where appropriate. This date is January 2025.

10. Collection of Student Data

(a) TTCC shall collect and be prepared to provide upon request by the Superintendent of Private Career Colleges such data and information as required according to Subsections 32. 3 (8), (9) and (10) of Schedule 5 of the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 as amended.

APPENDIX A

Provincial Rape Crisis Centres
Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres – Ontario
English
Assaulted Women’s Helpline – Toll Free 1-866-863-0511
French
Fem’aide – Toll Free 1-877-336-2433

Local Resources

Barrie
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centers
Huronia Transition Homes – 24 hour crisis line:
Barrie 705-737-2008 or 1-800-987-0799

Belleville
Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Response Team of Hastings and Prince Counties
245 Dundas Street E, Room 36
613- 969-7400 ext. 2094

Brantford
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Team
Brantford General Site
200 Terrace St.
519-751-5544, ext. 4449

Chatham
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre
Chatham–Kent Health Alliance
80 Grand Ave. W.
519-352-6400, ext. 6382

Cornwall
Assault and Sexual Abuse Program (ASAP)
Cornwall Community Hospital, Second Street Site
510 Second St. E.
613-932-3300, ext. 4202

Guelph
Guelph–Wellington County Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre
Guelph General Hospital
115 Delhi St.
519-837-6440, ext. 2758

Hamilton
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Centre
Hamilton Health Sciences McMaster University
Medical Centre
1200 Main St. W.
905-521-2100, ext. 73557

London
Regional Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre
St. Joseph’s Health Care
268 Grosvenor St.
519-646-6100, ext. 64224

Mississauga
Peel Region Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program
Sexual Assault Care and Counselling Centre
The Trillium Health Centre
100 The Queensway W.
905-848-7580, ext. 2142

North Bay
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre
North Bay General Hospital
750 Scollard St.
705-474-8600, ext. 2350

Ottawa
Sexual Assault Partner Abuse Care Program
The Ottawa Hospital
Civic Campus
Emergency Department
1053 Carling Ave.
613-761-4366

Owen Sound
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Centre
The Grey Bruce Regional Health Centre
1800–8th St. E.
519-376-2121, ext. 2458

Peterborough
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program
Women’s Health Care Centre
157 Charlotte St.
705-743-4132

Sault Ste Marie
Sexual Assault Care Centre/Partner Assault Clinic
Sault Area Hospitals
915 Queen St. E.
705-759-5143

St. Catharines
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Centre

Niagara Health System
St. Catharines General Site
142 Queenston St.
905-684-7271, ext. 45300

Sudbury
Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Treatment Program
St. Joseph’s Health Centre
700 Paris St.
705-675-4743

Thunder Bay
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program
Thunder Bay Regional HSC
980 Oliver Rd.
807-684-6750

Whitby/Oshawa
Durham Region Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Care Centre
115 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa
905-721-6128, ext. 2787

Windsor
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence and Safekids Care Centre
Windsor Regional Hospital Grace Campus
1995 Lens Ave.
519-255-2234