Safe Sport Suite of Policies

Please click the following link to view the Lacrosse Canada Safe Sport Suite of Policies

Includes:

To file an independent third party complaint, please click HERE

On April 1 the Canadian Safe Sport Program (CSSP), which replaces Abuse-Free Sport will launch as the place to report concerns about maltreatment involving participants who are part of national, federally funded sport organizations.

The CCES will accept reports through an online report form and by phone – both methods allow the person reporting to remain anonymous if they wish. The CSSP report form and toll-free phone line will be live on April 1. Report Safe Sport

About the Canadian Safe Sport Program

As of April 1, 2025, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) will independently administer the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) for federally funded national sport organizations through the CSSP. The CCES receives and responds to reports about individuals who may have engaged in prohibited behaviour under the UCCMS.

The UCCMS commits the Canadian sport sector to advancing a respectful sport culture that delivers quality, inclusive, accessible, welcoming, and safe sport experiences. The CSSP is similarly committed to advancing this fundamental goal.

The CCES is committed to providing a safe, timely, reliable, and procedurally fair environment for anyone involved in a report of maltreatment. Everyone connecting with the CCES team will be treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.

The CCES welcomes and encourages feedback about the CSSP as it evolves to meet the needs of the national sport community.

If you have any questions about this toolkit or the CSSP, please email safesport@cces.ca.

Communications templates
- Sport organization website
- Newsletter
Social media handles

Communications Templates

The following templates are provided to help you communicate information about the CSSP with your participants. Templates can be adapted to meet your organization’s needs, but we ask that program details are left intact.

Website copy

This website copy will communicate information about the CSSP and resources that support safe sport. It also supports participants’ understanding of how the program works and their role in keeping sport safe.

How to use this content:

This content is only applicable for CSSP-adopting sport organizations.

This content should replace all Abuse-Free Sport and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) signage and language. The links have been provided as both hyperlinked text and in brackets for reference in case the hyperlink is lost.
Add a link to your organization’s document (e.g. code of conduct) where indicated.
Replace ORGANIZATION with your sport organization’s name.
A CSSP logo will be provided as soon as it’s available.

As with any new program, there are sure to be questions about the operations and implementation from participants and administrators. If you have outstanding questions that weren’t answered in this resource, we invite you to check the CSSP FAQ at https://cces.ca/faq-safe-sport. You can also reach out to us directly at safesport@cces.ca.

Website copy template

Canadian Safe Sport Program

ORGANIZATION has adopted the Canadian Safe Sport Program (CSSP), which is in effect as of April 1, 2025.

Through the CSSP Rules, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) independently administers the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) for federally funded, national-level sport organizations by receiving and responding to reports of prohibited behaviour, and by developing and carrying out education, prevention, and policy activities.

The CSSP Rules clearly and publicly set out how that will be done, including defined timelines at each stage of the reporting process. The CSSP also offers support services to connect participants with help along the way.

For more information about the CSSP and the UCCMS, click here. (https://cces.ca/canadian-safe-sport-program)

How to report

As of April 1, the CCES will accept reports through an online report form and by phone – both methods allow you to remain anonymous if you wish. If you choose to share your name when you make a report, the CCES will not share it with your sport organization unless it is necessary to keep you or someone else safe, and will make every effort to get your consent beforehand.

Report online: https://cces.ca/report-safe-sport

Report by phone: 1-866-971-CSSP (2777)

Get help and information

You can contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP.
Complete your e-learning

ORGANIZATION will notify all designated participants who are subject to the CSSP. This includes, but is not limited to, specified athletes, board members, employees, casual staff, volunteers, and contractors, support staff, and medical staff.

Everyone who is subject to the CSSP must complete the e-learning course and sign the participant consent form. ORGANIZATION will distribute an invitation that includes a link to sign up, instructions, and a code to access the course from the CCES online education portal (link to: https://education.cces.ca/). If you have questions about your education requirements, email education@cces.ca.

Safe Sport is a collective responsibility. By reporting concerns of maltreatment in sport, you are contributing to building a safer sport environment.

ORGANIZATION’s safe sport statement OR ORGANIZATION’s safe sport policy (link to policy) and code of conduct (link to code of conduct) reflect and support the CSSP.

If you have a regular newsletter or communication with participants, this content informs them that the CSSP is in effect, how the program will operate, and how participants can learn more.

How to use this content:

This content is only applicable for CSSP-adopting sport organizations.
The links have been provided as both hyperlinked text and in brackets for reference in case the hyperlink is lost.
Replace ORGANIZATION with your sport organization’s name.
Choose which e-learning statement applies to your organization’s current status and remove the other.
Add a link to your organization’s webpage about Safe Sport initiatives.

Newsletter template

Subject or header: New Canadian Safe Sport Program Rules are in effect April 1, 2025

Body copy:

As of April 1, 2025, the new Canadian Safe Sport Program (CSSP) will replace the Abuse-Free Sport program. [Organization] has adopted this new program that is committed to advancing a respectful sport culture that delivers quality, inclusive, accessible, welcoming, and safe sport experiences, which we support.

The CSSP Rules set out how the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) will administer the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) for all identified participants within federally funded, national-level sport organizations. The CCES does this by receiving and responding to reports of prohibited behaviour, and by developing and carrying out education, prevention, and policy activities.

[Organization] will notify participants who are subject to the CSSP and will provide access information for the mandatory e-learning course. The course includes the Participant Consent Form, which must be signed by all participants.

[Organization] has notified participants who are subject to the CSSP Rules and has provided access information for the mandatory e-learning course. The course includes the Participant Consent Form, which must be signed by all participants.

How to report

As of April 1, the CCES will accept reports through an online report form and by phone – both methods allow you to remain anonymous, if you wish. If you choose to share your name when you make a report, the CCES will not share it with your sport organization unless it is necessary to keep you or someone else safe, and will make every effort to get your consent beforehand.

Report online: https://cces.ca/report-safe-sport

Report by phone: 1-866-971-CSSP (2777)

Get help and information

You can contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP.

For information about [Organization]’s Safe Sport initiatives, go to: LINK.

For more information about the CSSP, including education and reporting, go to https://cces.ca/canadian-safe-sport-program.

Social Media

The CCES will share timely, useful information about the CSSP via its current social media handles. In the lead up to program launch, we will be posting important information, such as how to report and where to go for answers regarding safe sport. We encourage you to re-post and share these on your own social media accounts to help spread the word to your participants.