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In the Community > Parent Zone > Informal Year-End High School Events

Informal Year-End High School Events

The Ottawa Police Service wishes to inform parents/guardians about informal year-end school related events that take place in the community and to dispel any myths that these events are condoned or sanctioned by the schools or the police.

Year-end school events have often been a time where high school students gather in public areas such as local parks or neighbourhoods and where drug and alcohol use, mischief and general disturbances take place. Other activities such as car rallies and scavenger hunts happen at this time of the year, where violations of criminal, provincial and municipal laws occur and are encouraged by the participants.

The Ottawa Police would like to take this opportunity to advise everyone that these types of events are not sanctioned by the school nor the police and will not be tolerated.

Enforcement of Laws: The Ottawa Police Service will enforce all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws that may be broken by youth participating in any events of this nature.

Parental Responsibility Act: Parents could be held responsible for property damage by their children under the Parental Responsibility Act (Ontario).

Curfew: Parents could be charged under the Child and Family Services Act (Ontario) by allowing their child (under 16 years) to be a in a public place without adult supervision between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. Youth under 16 breaching the provincial curfew can be apprehended by the police and returned to their parent/guardian.

What Can a Parent/Guardians Do ?

  • Communicate with your children about the dangers of participating in activities where alcohol, drugs, mischief or other violations of the law occur
  • Discuss the consequences of charges and convictions as well as negative contact with the police as it relates to their present and future goals.
  • Be aware and monitor the activities of your children at all times

The Ottawa Police Service wants to promote community safety and public peace. It is not the intention of the Ottawa Police Service to discourage all activities related to the end of the school year. We encourage parents and guardians to involve themselves and to ensure that their children’s behaviour is safe and lawful.

If you have any questions, please contact the Ottawa Police Youth Intervention & Diversion Section at 613- 236-1222 ext. 5355.