PILLAR 03
Institutional Accountability & Cross-Jurisdictional Coordination
When abuse happens within an institution, the rules about reporting and accountability should be clear - and consistent across Canada. Right now, they’re not.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
Schools, sports clubs, and other organizations need clear rules and real consequences.
Abuse doesn’t only happen at home. It happens in schools, on sports teams, in religious communities, and in childcare, places where children should be safe and where adults have earned trust.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR CHILD?
Mandatory reporting requirements vary by province and aren’t always enforced consistently. Some organizations have used NDAs to prevent survivors from speaking publicly, protecting the institution at the survivor’s expense. That puts other children at risk when problems stay hidden.
WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW?
Advocacy actions you can take today
Know your rights
Ask schools and sports clubs about their reporting policies and training.
Share what you’ve learned
Raise institutional accountability with other parents and parent councils.
Contact your MLA
Provincial rules often govern institutions and mandatory reporting.
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Guides, tools, and where to go next
PROTECT Canada is a policy initiative. For direct support, use partner services. For advocacy, use the action hub.
What this means for your family
Any organization that has access to your child should be legally required to report suspected abuse - and face serious consequences if they cover it up instead.
THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM
Mandatory reporting inconsistency and insufficient institutional liability create structural conditions for abuse concealment.
Mandatory reporting requirements vary significantly across jurisdictions, scope, triggers, designated reporters, penalties, and enforcement. NDA regimes limit survivor disclosure. Limitations Act provisions in several provinces disadvantage adult survivors seeking civil remedy.
KEY AREAS OF FOCUS
- Mandatory reporting harmonization across provinces and territories
- Alignment with Trey’s Law for sport, extending to all child-serving contexts
- Institutional liability standards in schools, faith-based organizations, and childcare
- Legislative limitation on NDAs in child sexual abuse cases
- Limitations Act reform for civil claims by adult survivors
- Cross-jurisdictional information sharing for institutional perpetrator mobility
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT
Bills, statutes, and policy landscape
Trey’s Law provides the primary recent legislative precedent. Working group analysis includes provincial Limitations Act reform trajectories and comparative NDA legislation.
WORKING GROUP & RESOURCES
Institutional Accountability Working Group
- Institutional Accountability Working Group outputs
- Provincial reporting standards matrix
- NDA limitation comparative models
LATEST NEWS & UPDATES FOR PILLAR 3
Legislation changes, coalition news, media, new resources for this pillar.
APRIL 2026
Institutional Accountability WG maps provincial reporting rules
Comparative matrix of mandatory reporting standards.
FEBRUARY 2026
NDA limitation models under review
UK and Australian approaches for Canadian adaptation.
Take action on this pillar
Your voice strengthens the push for reform. Share what you’ve learned or contact your representative to let them know child protection is a priority.
Join the working group
We are actively seeking experts from legal, academic, clinical, and survivor advocacy sectors to contribute to policy submissions and research outputs.
