Water Polo Canada’s SSCP was established by Water Polo Canada (WPC) in 2023 to monitor and ensure that Registrants, identified by WPC, have met the necessary safe sport standards for the sport of water polo in Canada. This monitoring program helps guide WPC’s Safe Sport commitment to Sport Canada, the water polo community, and the WPC Board of Directors. 

WPC utilizes a platform called Sideline Learning to track each Registrants’ SSCP requirements. Each Registrant identified under this program, as designated by WPC, is required to maintain an up-to-date profile on Sideline Learning reflecting the completion status of their assigned SSCP requirements. This profile will also serve as a reference point for viewing the status of each SSCP requirement.

Water Polo Canada 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. 

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.

For concerns where the respondent (the person who engaged in maltreatment) is a Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) Participant, please contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP. 

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

Report by phone: 1-833-858-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

Water Polo Canada 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. Water Polo Canada 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. If you have questions about your education requirements, email education@cces.ca.

*Water Polo Canada’s CSSP Participants include:

• Water Polo Canada Board of Directors
• Water Polo Canada board committee members (to the discretion of Water Polo Canada)
• Water Polo Canada staff
• Water Polo Canada contractors (to the discretion of Water Polo Canada)
• Senior National Team and Age Group National Team Athletes
• Senior National Team and Age Group National Team Athlete Support Personnel (includes coach, trainer, manager, agent, team staff, medical, paramedical personnel) 

At this time, National Championship League participants have not been identified to complete this requirement.

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

Water Polo Canada's safe sport policy and code of conduct reflect and support the CSSP.

Formal complaints involving non-UCCMS (CSSP) participants can be submitted to the Independent Third Party, ITP Sport, using the following link: https://app.integritycounts.ca/org/itpsport  

If you do not know whether the respondent is a UCCMS (CSSP) participant or not, you may submit the complaint to either CSSP or ITP Sport and the matter will be referred to the appropriate organization.

The role of the Independent Third Party may include:

• Provide confidential advice to individuals considering a complaint.
• Refer individuals to legal, mental health or other support resources.
• Review and analyze incoming complaints and determine whether they are admissible under WPC’s policies and Code of Conduct.
• Determine the appropriate jurisdiction to manage the complaint (CSSP, WPC, Province/Territory or Club).
• Appoint an investigator or discipline panel, as required by WPC policies.
• Serve as the point of contact for all parties involved in a complaint, operating independently of WPC.

The existence of this Independent Third-Party does not prevent individuals from trying to resolve matters at the club or provincial level or directly with Water Polo Canada if they are comfortable in doing so.

Report to Independent Third Party

*Water Polo Canada’s CSSP Participants include:

• Water Polo Canada Board of Directors
• Water Polo Canada board committee members (to the discretion of Water Polo Canada)
• Water Polo Canada staff
• Water Polo Canada contractors (to the discretion of Water Polo Canada)
• Senior National Team and Age Group National Team Athletes
• Senior National Team and Age Group National Team Athlete Support Personnel (includes coach, trainer, manager, agent, team staff, medical, paramedical personnel)

¹As 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: 1-833-858-CSSP (2777)

For concerns where the respondent (the person who engaged in maltreatment) is a Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) Participant, please contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP. 

² Formal complaints involving non-UCCMS participants can be submitted to the Independent Third Party, ITP Sport, using the following link: https://app.integritycounts.ca/org/itpsport. If you do not know whether the respondent is a CSSP Participant or not, you may submit the complaint to either CSSP or ITP Sport and the matter will be referred to the appropriate organization.

On October 18, 2017, Water Polo Canada officially signed the pledge of the Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM). This movement which is coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) was created to help ensure the protection of athletes and coaches.

The three steps that Water Polo Canada has committed to implementing are:

1. Rule of Two: 

“When following the Rule of Two, all interactions and communications with participants are in open, observable, and justifiable settings, and two responsible adults — whether a coach, parent, staff or screened volunteer — are present.” - Coaching Association of Canada.

The Rule of Two applies to in-person and virtual settings.

For more information regarding the Rule of Two, please visit the CAC website or download the following PDF.

2. Background Screening: 

Water Polo Canada commits to having all Canadian Senior National Team and Age Group National Team coaches as well as all National Championship League (NCL) and Canadian Championship (CC) coaches provide valid background screening, Enhanced Criminal Records Checks (E-PICs). All E-PICs provided for the 2025-2026 season must have been completed following August 31, 2023. Registrants should review the "Water Polo Canada's Safe Sport Cmpliance Program (SSCP)" tab at the top of this webpage and WPC's Screening Policy for more details. 

For more information regarding background screening, please visit the CAC website or download the following PDF.

3. Respect and Ethics Training: 

All coaches must take the Make Ethical Decisions module from the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). This module will help coaches be able to identify the legal, ethical, and moral implications of difficult situations that present themselves. All Canadian National Team (Senior Team and Age Group National Team) coaches and all National Championship League (NCL) coaches must take either the Respect Group Inc.'s Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders module or the CAC's Safe Sport Training module. These online training modules will educate coaches and staff on the prevention of abuse, bullying, discrimination and harassment, as well as build a culture of respect, becoming better role models.  In addition, all WPC management staff must take the Respect Group Inc.'s Respect in Sport for the Workplace module. 

For more information regarding respect and ethics training, please visit the CAC website or download the following PDF.

For more information on the program, please visit the RCM website.

As part of WPC's commitment to safe sport and the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport ("UCCMS"), WPC will maintain a publicly available searchable registry which tracks violations of the UCCMS, WPC policies, and Registrant discipline and ineligibility to be involved in sport. Registrants agree, as a condition of eligibility as a Registrant, that information including, name, club, reason and length of discipline may be disclosed and maintained in the discipline registry.