Criminal record check 

Overview

Starting January 2012, amendments to the Criminal Records Review Act (CRRA) require students to consent to a special CRRA Criminal Record Check before enrolling in certain courses. The courses affected are those with a practicum component that involves working with children or vulnerable adults.

SFU is required by law to ensure that every student registered in a practicum that involves working with children or vulnerable adults undergoes a CRRA Criminal Record Check. SFU is prohibited by law to permit students to work with children or vulnerable adults without a CRRA Criminal Record Check. Similarly, if a CRRA Criminal Record Check returns a determination of risk, the University is obligated to ensure that the student does not work with children or vulnerable adults.

Please note, at SFU the CRRA applies to students only – not to employees. The CRRA does not apply to research or co-op programs. Some SFU programs may already require a criminal record check. Contact your program advisor for more information.

Students with criminal record checks conducted through agencies other than the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General are still expected to fulfill this requirement.

Related topics

Purpose

The purposes of the Criminal Records Review Act (CRRA) are to help prevent:

  • the physical and sexual abuse of children, and
  • the physical, sexual and financial abuse of vulnerable adults

by requiring individuals to whom the CRRA applies to undergo Criminal Record Checks.

Education institutions in British Columbia are required by law to ensure that every student registered in a course with a practicum component that involves working with children or vulnerable adults undergoes a Criminal Record Check under the CRRA.

SFU does not complete the Criminal Record Check requests. We receive Criminal Record Check results once the Ministry of Justice processes them. If a student, registered in a course that requires a CRRA Criminal Record Check, does not share their results with SFU, the University is obligated to ensure the student does not work with children or vulnerable adults until the Criminal Records Check results have been received and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General clears the student.

If the CRRA Criminal Record Check determines that an outstanding charge or a conviction indicates a registered student presents a risk to children or vulnerable adults, the education institution must ensure that the student does not work with children or vulnerable adults as a registered student.

The Act and Simon Fraser University

Definitions

Criminal Records Review Act Offences