Ontario’s Anti-Bullying Legislation Is Now In Effect

Effective September 1, 2012, Ontario became the third province in Canada to implement anti-bullying legislation. After intense debate in the Ontario legislature and discussion among the public, the Accepting Schools Act, 2012 was passed on June 5, 2012 and received Royal Assent on June 19, 2012. These most recent amendments to the Education Act will shape how principals, supervisory officers, and teachers identify, prevent, investigate and respond to bullying behaviour in Ontario schools.

The Accepting Schools Act, 2012, was developed in response to the growing concern about bullying behaviours, and several tragic suicides of bullied students. A recent study of the Public Health Agency of Canada1 reveals that nearly 20% of students report being bullied, while 40% of students report being both victims and bullies. The study's authors concluded that young people involved in bullying tend to have elevated levels of emotional and behavioural problems. Ontario's