Definitions Organization and Applicant

Criminal Record Checks

Under the Criminal Records Review Act, anyone who works with children or who has unsupervised access to children must submit to a Criminal Record Check.  The act helps protect children from individuals whose criminal record indicates they pose a risk of physical or sexual abuse. more>>

IMPORTANT NOTE: Changes to the Criminal Records Review Act were enacted, effective January 2008.  Please take the opportunity to review this summary of changes.

If you require a criminal record check for another purpose (that is, not pursuant to the Criminal Records Review Act), you should file your criminal record check request directly with police.  For more information contact your local police department.  

Criminal Record Checks – Types of Offences Reviewed

Those who must submit a criminal record check under the Criminal Records Review Act do so through the B.C. Government's Criminal Record Review Program. There are 62 relevant offences listed in the act which the program considers when doing a risk assessment. For more information see Offences Reviewed Under the Criminal Records Review Act.

Who must be checked under the Criminal Records Review Act

The checks are mandatory for all:

  • Members of governing bodies such as teachers, doctors, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, and physical and massage therapists
  • Registered students in a post secondary institution who will work with children
  • Independent school teachers
  • Licensed child care providers
  • Licence-not-required child care providers registered with the provincial Child Care Resource and Referral Program
  • School and hospital staff, including secretaries and cleaners
  • Volunteers in child care facilities (licensed or licence-not-required) and licensed after school programs, but not to other volunteers or to individuals working with vulnerable adults.
  • Residents age 12 and older, at licensed and licence-not-required child care facilities.

See Who Must Have a Criminal Record Check for full listing.

Responsibilities

Organization:
has the responsibility to obtain written consent from the applicant for a criminal record check. more>>

Applicant:
has the responsibility to sign the consent for a criminal record check and comply with the process. more>>

Criminal Record Review Program:
is responsible for the processing criminal record checks under the Criminal Records Review Act and the program’s Deputy Registrar is the authorized body under the Act who makes determinations and is responsible for disclosing findings to the organization. 

Process and Policies

See Process & Policies for information on the process upon receipt of a completed Consent form plus payment methods and policies for situations such as how incomplete applications are handled, refunds and reconsideration requests.