Other legislation and regulations

Child Care: Preschool does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Inspector of Independent Schools. Community Care Licensing Programs operated by regional health authorities are responsible for licensing and monitoring preschool facilities. Preschool staffing and qualifications fall under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and the Child Care Licensing regulation.

• Learn more about certification for early childhood educators

Child, Family and Community Service Act (Boarding): Schools which wish to operate boarding facilities for students must receive the written consent of the director designated under the Child, Family and Community Service Act. (Society Act, section 2(1)(a)).

Child, Family and Community Service Act (Child Abuse): Section 14 of the Child, Family and Community Services Act (CFCSA) requires a person to report to a child welfare worker in the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) if the person believes that the child is in need of protection in the situations set out in section 13 of the CFCSA. This may be facilitated by calling the Helpline for Children (310-1234), the local MCFD office, or the toll-free after-hours number (1-800-663-9122, or 660-4927 in Vancouver).

It is critical for independent school administrators and teachers to be informed and up-to-date in matters pertaining to the detection, reporting and investigation of child abuse. Independent school authorities and principals must advise the Inspector when an employee of an independent school is reported for alleged child abuse.

For more information, please refer to the following resources:

• BC Handbook for Action on Child Abuse and Neglect (PDF)
• Supporting Our Students: A Guide for Independent School Personnel Responding to Child Abuse (PDF)

Criminal Record Checks: The Criminal Records Review Act requires all persons employed by independent schools to undergo criminal record checks if the employed persons' work involves working with children or vulnerable adults.

• Find out more about the criminal record review process

Employment Standards Act: Independent schools must follow the hiring, employment and termination laws as found in the Employment Standards Act.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies only to government or quasi-government bodies. It does not apply to independent schools, but it does apply to all information government holds about independent schools. However, please note the comments under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) below.

Direct Access Grants: Under the Gaming Control Act, parent support groups of independent schools may apply for a Direct Access Grant. Such grants must be used by the parent support groups to purchase goods or services for independent school students that are not part of the normal budget (example: band uniforms).

• Learn more about Gaming Policy and Enforcement

Human Rights Code: The Human Rights Code outlaws discrimination on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation or age. Section 41 permits non-profit organizations whose primary purpose is the "promotion of the interests and welfare of an identifiable group or class of persons characterized by a physical or mental disability or by a common race, religion, age, sex, marital status, political belief, colour, ancestry or place of origin" to grant a preference to members of the identifiable groups.

Personal Information Protection Act: The Personal Information Protection Act applies to independent school authorities. It sets out how independent schools have to deal with the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

• Read more about PIPA for independent schools
• See a sample privacy policy created by FISA

School Act: Under Part 6 Section 85(2)(g) of the School Act (PDF), a public school board may share facilities and services with an independent school — for example, transportation, learning resource centres and diagnostic services for learning disabilities. A public school board may also lease to independent schools any of its surplus or temporarily unused facilities, such as classrooms.

Sales Tax Rebate: Under the Provincial Sales Tax Act, parent support groups of independent schools may receive a sales tax rebate on goods bought for an independent school with money raised by the parent support groups. For information see the Federation of Independent School Associations.

Societies Act and Business Corporation Act: According to the Societies Act and Business Corporation Act, an independent school authority must submit an Annual Report to the Registrar of Companies within 30 days of its annual general meeting.  For information on annual reporting requirements please see:

• Annual reporting requirements for societies.
• Annual reporting requirements for corporations.

Taxation Legislation: Independent schools qualify for exemption from municipal property taxes as "a building owned by an incorporated institution of learning that is regularly giving children instruction accepted as equivalent to that given in a public school, in actual occupation by the institution and wholly in use for the purpose of giving the instruction, together with the land on which the building stands (Community Charter, section 220(1)(l) and section 224(2)(h)). The independent school authority must make application to the appropriate local tax authority to establish the extent of the exemption.

Similar legislative provisions appear in section 15(1)(o) of the Taxation (Rural Area) Act, and in section 396(1)(c)(ii) of the Vancouver Charter. A school which meets the requirements under one of these statutes is also exempt from school taxes by virtue of section 129(e) or 131 of the School Act (PDF, 567KB). It is also possible for schools to be exempted from paying the land transfer tax when new property for a government-funded school is being purchased (Property Transfer Tax Act section 14(4)(i)).

Teachers Act: The Teachers Act sets out the framework for teachers to be issued a certificate of qualification.

Workers Compensation Act: The Workers Compensation Act establishes standards for compensation for workplace injury, mental stress, occupational disease or hearing loss. This statute applies to employees of the school and students Grades 10 to 12 of public and independent schools on school-related work experience.