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Halton Regional Police Service
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Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC)

This check is restricted to applicants seeking employment and/or volunteering in a position of authority or trust relative to vulnerable persons in Canada only. It is a collection of offence information, including convictions, outstanding warrants, charges, judicial orders and sexual offence convictions for which the individual has received a record suspension where authorized by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Non-conviction information shall be released only when it meets the Exceptional Disclosure Assessment.

NOTE: In accordance with the Criminal Records Act, the police must be satisfied that a Vulnerable Sector screening check is a truly valid requirement for the position. A request for a Vulnerable Sector check does not guarantee one will be completed. The applicant and agency must satisfy requirements for eligibility.

NOTE: Persons under the age of 18 do not qualify for a Vulnerable Sector Check. They are not able to receive a Record Suspension for sexual offences and as such the check would be of no value.

A Vulnerable Sector check is required when a position (paid or volunteer) is one of authority and trust relative to children or vulnerable persons:

A "CHILD" MEANS A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

"VULNERABLE PERSONS" MEANS PERSONS WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE, A DISABILITY OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, WHETHER TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, (A) ARE IN A POSITION OF DEPENDENCE ON OTHERS; OR (B) ARE OTHERWISE AT A GREATER RISK THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION OF BEING HARMED BY PERSONS IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY OR TRUST RELATIVE TO THEM.

Casual or occasional contract with children or other vulnerable person do not normally require a Vulnerable Sector check unless the position could lead the organization’s clients to have trust in the individual.

If you are not working with Vulnerable Persons you may need a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check. See this option under Police Record Checks for more information.

For specific examples where a VS check may and may not be appropriate,
please click here.

For the RCMP's Frequently Asked Questions specific to VS checks, please click here.

The Vulnerable Sector Check will include the following information:
  1. Criminal convictions from CPIC and/or local databases
  2. Summary convictions, for five years, when identified
  3. Findings of Guilt under the Youth Criminal Justice Act within the applicable disclosure period
  4. Outstanding entries, such as charges and warrants, judicial orders, Peace Bonds, Probation and Prohibition Orders. As per CPIC policy, information obtained from the Investigative Databank must be confirmed and authorized for release by the contributing agency
  5. Absolute and conditional discharges for 1 or 3 years respectively
  6. In very exceptional cases, where it meets the Exceptional Disclosure Assessment, non-conviction dispositions including, but not limited to, Withdrawn and Dismissed
  7. Not Criminally Responsible by Reason of Mental Disorder
  8. All record suspensions as authorized for release by the Minister of Public Safety


The Vulnerable Sector Check WILL NOT include:
  1. Convictions under provincial statutes (i.e. Highway Traffic Act, Trespass to Property Act, Liquor Licence Act)
  2. Local police contact (unless, in very exceptional circumstances, where it meets the Exceptional Disclosure Assessment)
  3. Ministry of Transportation information (PARIS)
  4. Special Interest Police (SIP) category of CPIC
  5. Family Court Restraining Orders
  6. Foreign information
  7. Any reference to incidents involving mental health contact
  8. Diversions will not be released as police contact and no reference to the occurrence is permitted (CC S. 717.4)
  9. Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) information beyond the applicable disclosure period
  10. Any reference to contagious diseases