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Changelog

Policies, Standards and Procedures Changelog

Scouts Canada has recently endeavoured to make our Policies, Standards and Procedures more accessible for our members. Following extensive consultation, we launched a revitalized online format. Importantly, we also took this opportunity to update many or our Policies and Procedures to make the content as clear and relevant as possible.

Our Policies, Standards and Procedures continue to evolve in light of valuable feedback from members and lessons learned from our collective Scouting experience. On this page you will find a list of recent changes and additions to our Policies, Standards and Procedures.

 

Date Policy Change Effective
October 24, 2023 Prohibited Activities Standards Updated to reflect towing an individual behind a vehicle. September 2023
October 24, 2023 Event Standards Update to reflect the Event Assessment and Approval Procedure. September 2023
October 24, 2023 Group Financial Responsibilities and Reporting Procedure Updated to reflect reporting requirements.  June 2023
October 24, 2023 Event Assessment & Approval Procedure Update to process in reviewing events. June 2023
October 24, 2023 Emergency Management Standards Updated terms and including Event Standards. June 2023
October 24, 2023 Shooting Sports Standards Updated to reflect the use of compound bows. March 2023
October 24, 2023 Transportation Standards Updated to reflect Towing Behind and Vehicle and Exceptions. March 2023
June 15, 2023 Scouts Canada Code of Conduct Standards  Updated to reflect several points to improve clarity, understanding of expectations and youth safety trends that Scouts Canada has experienced. June 2023
March 21, 2022 International Travel Standards Update to process, including new International Activity Application form, update to Adventure Application Form and update to approval timeline. Mar. 17, 2022
November 3, 2021 No One Left Behind (NOLB) Participation Procedure Updated process so that parent/guardian applies for subsidy online through MyScouts.  Nov. 5, 2021 
June 3, 2021 Pandemic Program Modification Standards for STAGE 2  Updated to reflect size limits and physical distancing requirements to encompass all provincial regulations.  June 2021 
June 3, 2021 Pandemic Program Modification Standards for STAGE 3  Updated with indoor meeting guidelines. June 2021 
May 31, 2021 Pandemic Program Modification Standards for STAGE 4  Mass gathering restrictions defined in Pandemic Stage 4 Standard have been updated to reflect Provincial Guidance. The use of masks was also updated.  May 2021 
March 1, 2021 Risk Management Standards New Standard - Created a new Standard for managing risk.  Mar. 1, 2021 
March 1, 2021 Risk Management Guideline New Guideline - Created a new Guideline on how a consistent Risk Management procedure can deliver value, how it can be done both effectively and efficiently. This guideline is not intended for groups, sections or Scouting individuals Mar. 1, 2021 
October 22, 2020 Pandemic Program Modification Standards for STAGE 4  New Standard - Created a new Standard for running in-person indoor & outdoor Scouts Canada activities safely during COVID-19. (ONLY APPLICABLE FOR: PEI Council and Yukon Groups) Oct. 20, 2020 
October 20, 2020 Pandemic Program Modification Standards for STAGE 3 New Standard - Created a new Standard for running in-person outdoor Scouts Canada activities safely during COVID-19. (ONLY APPLICABLE FOR: Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Councils and Groups) Oct. 20, 2020 
September 15, 2020 Pandemic Program Modification Standards Updated camping section to prohibit camping for the duration of Scouts Canada STAGE 2. More information on this revision is provided in the FAQ.   Sept. 15, 2020
July 13, 2020 Pandemic Program Modification Standards New Standard — Following extensive consultation with our membership, namely parents and Scouters, this Standard was developed to guide a safe return to in-person Scouts Canada activity during COVID-19. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.  Sept. 1, 2020 
July 2, 2020 Public Appointment Procedure Deleted references to Areas and deleted references to the Volunteer and Employee Screening Procedure. Clarified shared National Key 3 authority for public appointments. July 2, 2020
June 5, 2020 Volunteer Screening Procedure Updated to include the requirement for provincial based Child Abuse Registry checks (CAR) for the residents of Manitoba and Nova Scotia. June 5, 2020 
June 5, 2020 Police Record Check Exception Procedure Updated to include the requirement for provincial based Child Abuse Registry checks (CAR) for the residents of Manitoba and Nova Scotia. June 5, 2020 
 April 14, 2020 Event Standards

New Standards - Following extensive consultation with Scouters, these Standards have been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

Jan. 1, 2021
April 14, 2020 Event Assessment & Approval Procedure

New Procedure – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Procedure has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

Jan. 1, 2021
January 16, 2020 Volunteer Screening Procedure

Replaces the Volunteer and Employee Screening Procedure — updated training requirements, removed inconsistencies, defined a clean Police Record Check and updated language for greater clarity.

Jan. 16, 2020
October 4, 2019 Adventure Standard

New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

The Adventure Standard replaces the Camping and Outdoor Adventures Standards.

Oct. 4, 2019
October 4, 2019 Adventure Application Form

New Form – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Form has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

The Adventure Application Form replaces the Camping and Outdoor Activity Application; however, the Camping and Outdoor Activity Application will be accepted for the remainder of 2019.

Oct. 4, 2019
October 4, 2019 Parent/Guardian Consent Form The Parent/Guardian Consent Form has been updated to align with the new Adventure Standard. Oct. 4, 2019
October 1, 2019 Planning Standard Group Planning Guideline added as a resource. Oct. 1, 2019
October 1, 2019 Group Safety Leadership Guideline New Guideline — Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Guideline has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
October 1, 2019 Third Party Waivers, Indemnification and Hold-Harmless Agreements Procedure Comprehensive updates throughout. Oct. 1, 2019
October 1, 2019 Transfer Rover Scout and Scouter Procedure The Procedure has been updated to ensure robust screening. Pending or Inactive Rover Scouts or Scouters cannot transfer from one Group to another without completing all screening requirements.

 

The “Scouts Canada Interview Guide for Transferring Scouters and Rover Scouts” has been added as a resource.

Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Communication Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Goals & Targets Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Incident Management Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Learning & Development Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Planning Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Program Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Winter Sports Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 18, 2019 Emergency Management Standard New Standard – Following extensive consultation with Scouters, this Standard has been updated and finalized. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Oct. 1, 2019
September 11, 2019 Politics and Public Appearances Standard Added to BP&P website – previously approved. No significant changes from previous BP&P versions. Sept. 11, 2019
August 28, 2019 Swimming Standard To accommodate shallow-water wading, water-play and exploring a line has been added to the Swimming standard.

 

6. Standing, exploring or playing in shallow water where the water level is approximately below mid-calf on all participants and safety of the swimming area has previously been established (e.g. slow-moving river, lake edge, wading pool, etc.) is permitted for all Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers without additional personal flotation device (PFD) or life-jacket.

  • Follow the supervision requirements specified for swimming in Sections 1 – 5.
Sept. 1, 2019
August 27, 2019 Watercraft Standard 3 f. Added a line to provide clarification that swimming standards apply for all watercraft activities. Aug. 27, 2019
August 26, 2019 Prohibited Activities Standard Trampolining added to list of prohibited activities. Aug. 26, 2019
August 1, 2019 Firearms and Weapons Standard
  • Clarified “With the exclusion of use in shooting sports”.
  • Added clear exemption process: “Anyone wishing to possess or use firearms needs to request an exception to this Standard and request permission from the Executive Commissioner and CEO.”
  • Revised the standard for clarity and update to roles requesting approval for exemption.
Aug. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (2) a. As long as all participants wear PFDs, youth may go swimming under the right conditions — no additional training for Scouters is required. Sept. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (2) b. The youth-to-Scouter ratio for swimming without qualified aquatic activity supervisors has been clarified. Sept. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (1) f. The swim test has been clarified. Sept. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (1) a. The ratio of qualified aquatic activity supervisors to swimmers has changed. Sept. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (1) c (i). A qualified aquatic activity supervisor can be a youth. Sept. 1, 2019
June 26, 2019 Policy 33 – Swimming Standards 4 (1) b and 4 (1) d (i). The terms “Lookout Scouter” and “Aquatic Activity Supervisor” have been defined. Sept. 1, 2019
May 22, 2019 Policy 30 – First Aid Standards 4. A minimum of one qualified first aider must be present at every activity, including the normal meeting place, where there are fewer than 25 participants. Sept. 1, 2019
May 22, 2019 Policy 30 – First Aid Standards 5. A minimum of two qualified first aiders must be present at every activity, including the normal meeting place, where there are over 25 participants. Sept. 1, 2019
May 22, 2019 Policy 30 – First Aid Standards 9. When an activity does not take place at the normal meeting place and is more three hours’ travelling time from a medical care facility or access route that can take an ordinary road-going ambulance, there shall be at least one designated first aider holding a current wilderness first aid certification. Sept. 1, 2019
May 22, 2019 Policy 30 – First Aid Standards 7. Emphasis has been placed on the Scouter in Charge to ensure all activities and meetings have the first aid equipment appropriate for the activity. Sept. 1, 2019
May 22, 2019 Policy 30 – First Aid Standards 13. Those who work in professions that have a first aid element (such as nurses, police officers and others as referenced in the standards) can be exempted with Group Commissioner approval. Sept. 1, 2019

June 26, 2019: Update to new Swimming Standards (Policy 33)—effective September 1, 2019

Scouts Canada’s new Swimming Standards (effective September 1, 2019) have changed with regard to adventure activity swimming. We recognize that youth often wish to swim on adventure activities — for example, at the end of a long day of paddling, or when visiting a lake while backcountry camping. Often these are times where there are no formal lifeguards, nor two Aquatic Activity-trained Scouters. We have updated the standard to recognize this. As long as all participants wear PFDs, youth may go swimming under the right conditions — no additional training for Scouters is required.

Other smaller changes made are as follows:

  • The youth-to-Scouter ratio for swimming without qualified aquatic activity supervisors has been clarified.
  • The swim test has been clarified; it has been fully made a part of the Swimming Standards, and no longer links to external content that may be subject to change.
  • The ratio of qualified aquatic activity supervisors to swimmers has been slightly updated to a minimum of two for 1-25 swimmers and another for every additional 25 swimmers. An additional water activity supervisor is no longer required.
  • A qualified aquatic activity supervisor can be a youth. This was not perfectly clear in the previous version of the standards. If a youth is to act in the role of qualified activity supervisor, an additional adult Scouter (Lookout Scouter) must be present to ensure ratio.
  • The terms “Lookout Scouter” and “Aquatic Activity Supervisor” have been defined.

 

May 22, 2019: Update to new First Aid Standards (Policy 30)—effective September 1, 2019

Scouts Canada’s new First Aid Standards (effective September 1, 2019) have changed in light of Scouter feedback, the best practices of other organizations and provincial standards. Coupled with an evaluation of our own incident experience, we are comfortable adopting less stringent requirements, as follows:

  • A minimum of one qualified first aider must be present at every activity, including the normal meeting place, where there are fewer than 25 participants.
  • A minimum of two qualified first aiders must be present at every activity, including the normal meeting place, where there are over 25 participants.
  • When an activity does not take place at the normal meeting place and is more three hours’ travelling time from a medical care facility or access route that can take an ordinary road-going ambulance, there shall be at least one designated first aider holding a current wilderness first aid certification.
  • Emphasis has been placed on the Scouter in Charge to ensure all activities and meetings have the first aid equipment appropriate for the activity.
  • Those who work in professions that have a first aid element (such as nurses, police officers and others as referenced in the standards) can be exempted with Group Commissioner approval.