Bill C-65 Harassment & Violence – Obligations For Federally ...

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Bill C-65, now part of the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code, sets the national standard for preventing and addressing harassment and violence in federally regulated Canadian workplaces. Effective January 1, 2021, this legislation requires organizations to provide training, implement prevention strategies, and respond effectively to workplace incidents.

Why Federally Regulated Workplaces Must Update Training

Federally regulated employers are required to provide harassment and violence training and refresh it every three years. Updating ensures training is meaningful, relevant, and tailored to your workplace. When planning your next training session, consider:

When planning your next training session, consider:

• Reviewing feedback from previous sessions
• Examining harassment complaints and identifying recurring issues
• Addressing policy areas where employees requested clarification

Regular updates help employees stay aware of their responsibilities and reinforce a culture of respect and accountability.

Respect in Action: Hybrid Training Module

HR Proactive’s Respect in Action training blends legal compliance with respect and civility principles. This hybrid approach develops empathy, emotional awareness, and practical skills while meeting Bill C-65 requirements.

Our online module can be fully customized with your branding, policies, and workplace-specific scenarios, ensuring employees engage with content that reflects real challenges they may face. Interactive and fast-paced, it is ideal for onboarding and ongoing training.

Course Overview

• Introduction

• The Workplace and Legal Foundations

• Understanding Harassment and Bullying

• Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment

• What Is Not Harassment

• Consent and Professional Boundaries

• When Harassment Escalates to Violence

• Reporting and Complaint Procedures

• Building a Respectful Workplace and Culture

• Activities, Scenarios, and Closing Summary

Assessment and Certification

• Test your knowledge
• Certificate of Completion

Ask About Our Bystander Intervention Training

Respect in Action

• Mobile Friendly
• SCORM Training File
• 30 mins
• English
• French

Practical, Measurable Solutions for Federally Regulated Workplaces

Participants gain the knowledge and skills to:

• Recognize risks and prevent harassment and violence
• Respond effectively to incidents
• Embed safe workplace practices in day-to-day operations

Paired with Bystander Intervention training, employees learn to proactively handle workplace issues. The program is trackable, outcome-focused, and scalable, allowing organizations to implement tailored solutions while driving lasting cultural change.

Expert-Led & Outcome-Focused Training

Developed by professionals with decades of experience investigating workplace complaints and delivering workplace training, our courses focus on real-world challenges and prevention strategies. Bill C-65 certified, our programs help organizations build a culture grounded in respect, safety, and accountability.

Methods of Delivery Offered and Purchasing Options

Our Federally Regulated Harassment & Violence in the Workplace training is designed to integrate seamlessly with your organization’s workflow:

Scorm-Compliant Course Files

SCORM-compliant course files for upload into your LMS, giving you full control over delivery, tracking, and compliance reporting. Licensing options or outright purchase are available.

HR Pro Hosted LMS

Access through our HR Pro Hosted LMS, a ready-to-use platform with reporting, user grouping, and customizable course features. No internal setup is required.

Live Virtual Training Sessions

Led by a facilitator, providing an interactive, real-time learning experience for teams.

Customized eLearning (Branded for Your Organization)

We can customize our off-the-shelf eLearning program to align with your organization. This includes adding your logo, branding, policies and procedures, and incorporating industry-specific scenarios so the training reflects the realities employees face. This option allows organizations to deliver consistent, legally aligned training that feels relevant and tailored to their workplace.

What Effective Bill C-65 Training Should Deliver

Under Bill C-65, federally regulated employers are expected to implement training that does more than raise awareness. Training must support real workplace prevention efforts and provide meaningful learning outcomes for employees and supervisors.

A strong training program combines measurable results, realistic industry examples, flexible implementation across sectors, and practical guidance that helps employees recognize, report, and respond to harassment and violence in the workplace.

1. Training That Can Be Tracked

This means the training produces data that shows whether it’s working, not just that people completed it.

Examples

• Completion rates (who finished the training)
• Quiz scores that show understanding
• Pre-training vs post-training knowledge checks
• Tracking repeat training or refresher completion
• Surveys measuring whether employees feel safer reporting concerns

2. Industry-Specific Scenarios

Transportation industry

A supervisor making comments of a sexual nature to a driver during overnight routes.

Banking sector

A manager pressuring an employee not to report inappropriate behaviour from a client.

Airline industry

Harassment occurring during overnight layovers or crew travel.

Industry-specific examples make the training more realistic and effective.

3. Scalable Across Industries

This means the training can be adapted easily for different sectors.

Base training module:

• What harassment and violence are
• Employee rights and responsibilities
• Reporting procedures
• Bystander responsibilities

Then custom scenario modules for sectors like:

• Transportation
• Banking
• Telecommunications
• Aviation
• Shipping
• Energy

So the core framework stays the same, but examples change by industry.

4. Embedding Safe Practices

They also want the training to connect to real workplace practices, not just awareness.

Training includes:

• How to report concerns
• What supervisors must do when they receive a complaint
• Early intervention skills
• Bystander response techniques

This helps organizations prevent problems before they become investigations.

Request a free demo today

• 1 (888) 552-1155
• [email protected]

Developed by experienced workplace investigators with over 30 years of experience investigating harassment and violence complaints and delivering workplace training across Canada, this program reflects the real situations organizations face and the requirements of the Canada Labour Code.

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Key Questions and Answers

about workplace violence & harassment prevention regulations

Q: What is the purpose of the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code?

A: These regulations aim to create safer workplaces by requiring federally regulated employers, including the federal public service and parliamentary workplaces, to proactively prevent and address harassment and violence, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. They consolidate previous provisions under a single occupational health and safety framework.

Q: Which workplaces are covered by the regulations?

A: The regulations apply to all federally regulated workplaces, including:

• Interprovincial transportation, such as railways, air, and some road transport
• Banking institutions
• Most federal Crown corporations
• The federal public service
• Parliamentary workplaces

Q: What are the main obligations for employers?

A: Employers, in collaboration with their workplace health and safety committees or representatives, must:

1. Conduct workplace assessments to identify risk factors for harassment and violence and develop preventive measures
2. Develop a harassment and violence prevention policy that is reviewed and updated every three years
3. Provide mandatory training on harassment and violence prevention to all employees, including:
   • New employees within three months of starting employment
   • Existing employees within one year from when the new regulations came into effect
   • Refresher training every three years
4. Establish a clear resolution process involving a “designated recipient” for complaints and, if necessary, an impartial, qualified investigator
5. Provide support measures for affected employees, including information on medical or psychological services
6. Investigate, record, and report all occurrences of harassment and violence, including submitting an anonymized annual report to the Minister of Labour

Q: How is “harassment and violence” defined?

A: The Canada Labour Code defines harassment and violence as actions or comments, including those of a sexual nature, that can cause offense, humiliation, or injury. It also includes behaviours based on grounds protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Q: What is the resolution process for an occurrence?

A: When an incident is reported:

1. The employer or designated recipient must contact the principal party within seven days and attempt an informal resolution
2. If informal resolution fails and the principal party requests it, a qualified, impartial investigator is appointed
3. The process follows specific timelines, with monthly updates provided to all involved parties

Q: What about confidentiality and reporting?

A: The law requires privacy protection for all parties. Investigation reports cannot reveal identities without consent. Employers must submit an anonymized annual report to the Minister of Labour detailing occurrences and resolutions.

Q: Do the regulations cover incidents involving third parties or former employees?

A: Yes. Employers must address harassment and violence caused by third parties, such as clients or contractors. Complaints from former employees are covered if reported within three months of leaving.

Q: What procedures must be in place for investigations?

A: Employers must have procedures to respond to verbal or written complaints. These procedures must include:

• Time frame for resolving complaints
• Confidentiality and privacy protections for complainants, respondents, and witnesses
• Protections for employees harassed by third parties
• Qualifications required of investigators
• Employer obligations to implement recommendations or corrective measures
• Supports available to victims of harassment or violence
• Documented records of all occurrences

Bill C-65 Workplace Harassment & Violence Prevention Training

Through partnerships with sector-specific organizations, HR Proactive Inc. develops customized and culturally aware training tools and resources that support meaningful change in the workplace. Our goal is to help organizations build work environments that prioritize safety, health, and respect.

• 1 (888) 552-1155
• [email protected]