3rd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
65 Elizabeth II, 2016
Lenore Zann
Truro–Bible Hill–Millbrook–Salmon River
First Reading: October 27, 2016
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Safer Universities and Colleges Act.
(a) "Minister" means the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education;
(b) "sexual violence" means any
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.(2) A university's or college's sexual violence policy must
(a) be developed with significant input from its students; and
4 Each university and college shall
(a) ensure that each of its campuses has clearly stated complaint procedures and response protocols related to sexual violence, training and prevention programs related to sexual violence and twenty-four-hour-a-day services and support available for survivors of sexual violence;
(b) support initiatives to reduce sexual violence and sexual harassment and to ensure safe campuses;
(c) ensure that its students have information about preventing sexual violence and sexual harassment and are informed about resources and support available for survivors of sexual violence; and
(d) make the information referred to in clause (c) available in a student's first week of orientation, throughout the year and to students in all years of study.
5 Each university and college shall collect from its students and other persons, and provide to the Minister, such data and other information relating to the following as may be requested by the Minister in the manner and form prescribed by the regulations:
(a) the number of times supports, services and accommodation relating to sexual violence are requested and obtained by students enrolled at the university or college and information about the supports, services and accommodation;
(b) any initiatives and programs established by the university or college to promote awareness of the supports and services available to students;
(c) the number of incidents and complaints of sexual violence reported by students and information about such incidents and complaints; and
(d) the implementation and effectiveness of its sexual violence policy.
6 (1) The Minister may make regulations relating to
(a) sexual violence involving students enrolled at universities and colleges;
(b) sexual violence policies, including
(ii) topics that must be addressed or elements that must be included in sexual violence policies,
(iii) the provision of training for faculty, staff, students and other persons about sexual violence policies,
(iv) the publication of sexual violence policies and the promotion of awareness of the policies,
(v) appropriate supports, services and accommodation relating to sexual violence to be provided to students affected by sexual violence, and governing such supports, services and accommodation and their provision;
(2) The exercise by the Minister of the authority contained in subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act.