Since the start of the 2023 school year, Villa Maria’s procedures for the handling of complaints dovetail with the Québec government’s appointment of the National Student Ombudsman and reflect the school team’s commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of all its students.

The school’s review of these procedures meets the requirements of the Private Education Act as well as the National Student Ombudsman Act:

• The Private Education Act (PEA) requires that each school develop its own plan to prevent and stop bullying and violence, and that it review this plan annually and update it if necessary.
• Section 21 of the National Student Ombudsman Act requires that each school inform its students and their parents of the possibility of filing a complaint under the school’s complaint processing procedure.
• Section 21 of the National Student Ombudsman Act also requires that each school inform its students and their parents of the possibility of making a report or filing a complaint concerning an act of sexual violence to or with the regional student ombudsman, if the school’s handling of the complaint is deemed unsatisfactory.

In line with the above, the school is implementing support measures for the victims and, if applicable, the witnesses, as well as sanctions and/or support measures for the perpetrators of these acts, and is also committed to making resources available to students and their parents.