Please note: the Safety Standards are currently being updated

Please note: the Safety Standards are currently being updated for late August 2025. As a result, some of the content on OPASSE may not be up to date. Contact Ask Ophea at safety@ophea.net if you would like copies of specific activity pages from the 2024-2025 year.

Requirements of the Outside Activity Providers

  • The Outside Activity Provider must adhere to the school board/school protocols. For example:
    • The Outside Activity Provider must provide proof of recent criminal reference check.
    • The Outside Activity Provider must provide evidence that Qualified Instructor(s) possess the knowledge, expertise, and certifications to provide safety and skill instruction, and monitoring for the activities (where applicable).
    • The Outside Activity Provider must agree to abide by the requirements of the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) as outlined on the relevant activity safety standards and the Requirements of the Outside Activity Providers. In a situation where the Outside Activity Provider enforces a higher standard, that standard applies.
    • The Outside Activity Provider must guarantee that they can accommodate students listed with special needs and medical conditions.
    • The risks associated with the activity must be outlined to the students along with procedures to follow to minimize the risks at activity site.
    • The Qualified Instructor must provide the safety and skill instruction and monitor the safe application of skills and behavior of students for the during of the activity when the Teacher is not directly with the Qualified Instructor. The role of monitoring is to observe, identify, act, and report:
      • Observe: Observe with attention to detail the actions of the students.
      • Identify: Identify the student and the unsafe behaviours.
      • Act: Take appropriate actions to safeguard students and others (e.g., stop the activity).
      • Report: Provide the name of the student and the unsafe behaviour to the Teacher for management and direction.