Bill 397: An Act to prevent and fight sexual violence in educational institutions that provide preschool education services, elementary school instructional services or secondary school instructional services in general or vocational education, including adult education services

This bill primarily affects schools and educational institutions across Quebec — from large public school boards to small private schools and adult education centres. Administrators and school operators will need to stand up a new standalone sexual violence prevention policy, form a standing committee to develop and review it, and ensure mandatory annual training is delivered to all officers and staff. Day-to-day operations are touched in a meaningful way: schools must designate a staff member or create a central hub to direct people to support services, track and report complaints within strict timelines (7 days for accommodations, 90 days to process complaints), and account for all of this in their annual report. Private school operators, including sole proprietors running small private institutions, carry the same obligations as large public school boards, with the added risk that if they don't comply, the Minister can appoint a third party to fulfill their obligations at the institution's expense.