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ARTICLE · 05 NOVEMBER 2019

Ministry Introduces Requirement For School Boards To Develop Service Animal Policies

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The new Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum No. 163 (PPM 163) requires all Ontario school boards to implement service animal policies by January 1, 2020. PPM 163 also ...

CanadaConsumer Protection

The new Ministry of Education Policy/Program Memorandum No. 163 (PPM 163) requires all Ontario school boards to implement service animal policies by January 1, 2020. PPM 163 also outlines what the service animal policies must contain.

Background

Prior to this year, educators, students, and parents had very little access to guidance on the safe and inclusive introduction of service animals into the school environment. There was no provincial legislation on the matter specifically aimed at schools and, as recently as early September 2019, just over half of all Ontario school boards had implemented service animal policies.

The Ontario Government decided to remedy this deficiency on April 13, 2019, passing Bill 48, Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act, 2018. Among other things, this bill amends the Education Act, authorizing the Minister of Education to establish policies and guidelines respecting service animals in schools.

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