Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Introduces Education Act Amendments Relating to Concussions

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Introduces Education Act Amendments Relating to Concussions

Date: March 7, 2012

On March 6, 2012, the Ontario government introduced Bill 39, Education Amendment Act (Concussions), 2012. If passed, the Bill would rename Part XIII.1 of the Education Act “Pupil Health,” and create new provisions for concussions.

These provisions would authorize the Minister to make policies and guidelines relating to the following:

  • the distribution of head injury prevention information to pupils, parents, guardians, board employees and volunteers, as well as the identification of symptoms of concussions and the management of concussions;
  • the management of concussions, including both the removal of a pupil who is suspected of having sustained a concussion from intramural or inter-school athletics or any part of the health and physical education curriculum, as well as the return of that pupil; and
  • the responsibilities of board employees, classes of board employees, or other persons who are involved in intramural or inter-school athletics or any part of the health and physical education curriculum in relation to the foregoing.