There may be times when you need to communicate formally with your career college, for example, giving notice that you want to withdraw from a program and receive a refund of fees or if you have a complaint against the college. When this is the case, you should do so in writing and the document should be delivered personally to the college, sent by courier or registered mail, or faxed or emailed to the appropriate official at the college. You should keep copies of any written documents between you and the college.
When you enroll in a program, you must sign and receive a written contract. The career college is not allowed to require you to obtain a product or service as a condition of admission into the program. For example, a career college may not require you to purchase a laptop computer from the college prior to enrolling you in a vocational program.
The written contract must contain all of the following terms:
A career college is only allowed to charge or collect fees for a program in Canadian dollars. Furthermore, the college is not allowed to charge or collect any compulsory fee for a program that is not published on the ServiceOntario website or that is higher than what is published. The college is also not allowed to charge or collect any optional fee for a program that is not approved by the Superintendent of Career Colleges.
Before a contract is signed, a career college is prohibited from collecting any fees from you, except 20% of the total fees for the program or $500, whichever is less. The fees must be in relation to processing your application or conducting any admission tests or assessments and must be disclosed in your contract.
A career college is required to issue you a receipt every time you pay a fee. You should keep all receipts on file.
A career college is only permitted to sell goods you produce or create, provide your services to the public or arrange for the delivery of such services if the sale is part of completing your program. The college cannot profit from these sales; it can only charge an amount that allows the college to recover its cost.
A career college is required to issue a fee refund within 30 days of you giving a written notice of cancellation or withdrawal or 30 days of you receiving a written notice of expulsion from the college. If you do not meet the admission requirements at the time the program begins, the college is required to issue you a refund of fees within 30 days of the start of the program. If you do not attend the first 14 days of classes, the college can cancel the contract and must issue you a refund within 45 days of the start of the program.
Only the compulsory fees published on the ServiceOntario website or the optional fees approved by the Superintendent of Career Colleges are covered by the Refund Policy. You must return any goods you received under a contract in the same state they were in when supplied to you within 10 days of withdrawing in order to get credit for them. All refunds must be in Canadian dollars.
A private career college is prohibited from deducting any monies owed by you for other services or non-vocational programs offered by the college from a refund that you are entitled to for a vocational program.
The same Refund Policy applies when you withdraw from a program or are expelled from a private career college in accordance with the college’s Expulsion Policy or Sexual Violence Policy.
You can cancel a contract within two days of signing it if you deliver a written notice to a career college at the address shown on the contract. You are entitled to a full refund of fees paid for the program, including any application fee, from the college.
In any of the following circumstances, you have a choice of canceling a contract and making a written request for a full refund of fees paid for a program or accepting the shortcoming and continuing your training with the career college:
In addition, you also may seek a full refund if a career college or its representative makes certain types of untrue statements for the purposes of convincing you to enroll in the program and the statements constitute a fundamental breach of the contract. The categories of inappropriate statements include: a false or misleading statement, a statement that guarantees admission or successful completion of the program, employment after graduation or the right to enter Canada or receive a visa.
If you do not make a request for a full refund within a reasonable time of finding out about the shortcoming, you may lose your right to make a claim for a refund.
If a career college charges or collects any compulsory fee that is not published on the ServiceOntario website or that is higher than what is published, you are entitled to a full refund of the unpublished fee or the difference in amount between what is published and what was collected. The same applies if the college charges or collects any optional fee that is not approved by the Superintendent of Career Colleges.
You are entitled to a refund of fees paid for a program, except that a career college is allowed to retain 20% of the total fees for the program or $500, whichever is less if:
If you withdraw from a program after the program begins, you may be entitled to a refund of fees paid for the program, depending on how much of the program has been delivered by a career college. In most cases, the college is allowed to retain 20% of the total fees for the program or $500, whichever is less, plus the fees paid with respect to the portion of the program that has been delivered by the college.
You may have the right to access your transcript for twenty-five years after you leave a career college. You may request a copy of your transcript by contacting your college.
In the event of a career college closure, you will be able to access your transcript from an approved third party transcript issuer. It is suggested that you ask your college for the name of the third party issuer when you graduate.
A career college is required to issue you a credential (diploma or certificate) within sixty days of completing the program. The college does not have to issue your credential until you have paid your fees in full.
All career colleges are required to have a Student Complaint Procedure in place to resolve issues arising between the college and its students.
You must first go through a career college’s Student Complaint Procedure before filing a complaint with the Superintendent of Career Colleges. A Student Complaint Form for a complaint to the Superintendent can be downloaded from the ServiceOntario website at www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca.
All career colleges are required to have a stand-alone policy to address sexual violence and harassment involving students. In addition, all career colleges must, without fee, appropriately accommodate the needs of students affected by sexual violence or harassment.
The Sexual Violence Policy must be included in every enrolment contract between a student and a career college and it must be published on each career college’s website or, where the career college does not have a website, posted in a conspicuous location at each campus of the career college.
At a minimum, the policy must:
Every career college student who experiences sexual violence or harassment has the right to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect. In addition, every student has the right to choose among the available options are provided on campus or off. Except in extreme situations, where there is an imminent threat to the campus or broader community, the choice of options (including the choice not to exercise any option) always remains with you, the student.
Every career college is required to have insurance in case you have an accident in class or while on an off site placement. If you are injured while attending a career college, you should immediately inform the relevant official at the college.
If you enroll in a program that is twelve months or shorter that is delivered over an undefined period of time (e.g., trucking), a career college is required to provide you with the result of at least one evaluation of your progress before you complete half of the total length of the program. If your program is longer than twelve months, for each twelve-month period, the college is required to provide the result of at least one evaluation before you complete half of the period, i.e., six months.
You are entitled to be taught by an instructor who holds the required combination of academic, practical and teaching experience. In case of emergency, a career college is allowed to use a substitute instructor who is not fully qualified. However, the college is not allowed to use unqualified instructors to teach a total of more than 10% of a program.
Special rules apply when a career college closes. If your college closes before you finish your program, efforts will be made to arrange for you to complete your program. Instead of participating in a training completion, you may choose to receive a refund of fees paid for the portion of the program that has not been delivered.
For more information about your rights and responsibilities in the event of the closure of your career college while you are enrolled as a vocational student, please see the Superintendent’s FACT SHEET #5: Training Completion Assurance Fund (TCAF) – Information for Students: Career College Closure at www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/audiences/pcc/facts/sheet5.html.
If you are attending or planning to attend a career college under a student visa, some special rules apply:
For complaints to be addressed by WeCloudData Inc.’s Registrar and Resolution Committee, hereinafter defined, in compliance with the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, and Section 36 of O.Reg. 415/06, the following procedure is to be used:
1. Statements of complaint must be made in writing.
2. All complaints are confidential.
3. The procedure outlined must be followed.
4. A staff member presented with a verbal complaint will ask the Student to follow the procedure, and remind the Student of the written complaint requirement.
5. The Operations Team Manager (from hereon will be referred to as the Registrar) shall be made available by WeCloudData Inc. to the Students to deal with student complaints in a timely manner. The Registrar may be contacted using the following information:
Registrar:
Operations Team
WeCloudData Inc.
180 Bloor St W #1003
Toronto, ON M5S 2V6
Telephone Number: +1 (647) 588-4206
Email: info@weclouddata.com
6. Complaints will be reviewed by a Resolution Committee, as established by WeCloudData Inc. (the “Resolution Committee”), but only after the Student has complained to the Registrar.
7. The Resolution Committee will also ask for a copy of the written response(s) from those already contacted by the Student in accordance with the procedure.
8. Arrangements for meetings and written responses from the person being complained about will be made in a timely and professional fashion. No complaint will go unanswered.
9. Records of complaints will be maintained at the location where they originated for a period of at least three years.
10. The Student may have a person present with them at all stages of the below Student Complaint. Resolution Procedure (the “Representative”). The Representative may make oral submissions on behalf of the Student.
STEP 1: The Student will request a meeting with the instructor responsible for the course to discuss the complaint verbally.
If not resolved at this level, the Student will proceed to Step 2.
STEP 2: The Student will submit a completed written complaint to the Registrar. The Registrar will arrange a meeting with the Student and Program Education Coordinator within 7 days of the receipt of the written complaint.
The Student will have an opportunity to make an oral presentation of the complaint at this meeting and to have another person present or another person make the oral presentation on his/her/their behalf. Minutes of the meeting will be recorded.
The Registrar will provide a written response to the Student, outlining the discussion and any proposed and/or agreed upon solution(s) within 14 days of the meeting. This response will include a decision statement, together with the reasons for which the decision is based on minutes of meetings held.
If not resolved at this level, the Student will proceed to Step 3.
STEP 3: The Student will submit a completed written complaint to the Resolution Committee. The Resolution Committee will arrange a meeting with the Student within 14 days of receipt of the written complaint (a copy of the written complaint which was submitted to the Registrar), the Registrar’s response with recommended solutions, and the Student’s objections or comments regarding these solutions.
The Student will have an opportunity to make an oral presentation of the complaint at this meeting and to have another person present or another person to make the oral presentation on his/her/their behalf. The minutes of this meeting will be recorded.
The Resolution Committee will provide a written response to the Student, outlining the discussion and any proposed and/or agreed upon solution(s) within 14 days of the meeting. This response will include a decision statement, together with the reasons on which the decision is based and minutes of meetings held.
STEP 4: If not resolved in Step 3, the Student will proceed to contact the Superintendent using the following information:
Superintendent of Career Colleges
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Career Colleges Branch
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 977
Toronto, ON M7A 1N3
Email: PCC@ontario.ca
1. WeCloudData Inc. reserves the right to enforce a student discipline policy that is not inconsistent with the laws, Regulations, and policy directives enforced by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities.
2. WeCloudData Inc. will seek to enforce and uphold a discretionary (at WeCloudData Inc.’s discretion) graduated discipline policy, meaning that some forms of student misconduct will not warrant an immediate expulsion. Forms of academic discipline, other than immediate expulsion, include but are not limited to:
3. Objectionable conduct includes (but without limitation): dishonesty (including dishonesty in the application process itself), academic fraud, non-payment of fees, academic failure, non-attendance, discriminatory or repeatedly disruptive conduct, abuse of drugs or alcohol, endangerment of staff, students or employees, or failure to abide by the school’s rules, regulations, or code of conduct. More specifically:
4. Students who are suspended or expelled will receive notification in writing, either hand delivered or by registered mail. Specific reasons will be provided for the suspension or expulsion.
5. Students wishing to appeal the suspension or expulsion must file an appeal within three days of notification of such disciplinary action by WeCloudData Inc. If the student is unsuccessful in appealing the suspension or expulsion, they may be able to appeal to the Ministry of training Colleges and Universities pursuant to the provisions of the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, so long as the discipline relates to an approved program.
6. Fee refunds will be governed by the provisions of the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, O.Reg.415/06, and any other laws and/or regulations as administered by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities. However, where WeCloudData Inc. has no legal requirement/obligation to refund tuition or any portion of a student’s tuition to any student who has been suspended or expelled, the school shall have no obligation to refund tuition or any part of the student’s tuition.
7. A suspension or expulsion will be recorded on a student’s academic record and transcript, and all forms of discipline may be placed and retained in the student’s file.
(a) WeCloudData Inc. is committed to providing its students with an educational environment free from sexual violence and treating its students who report incidents of sexual violence with dignity and respect.
(b) WeCloudData Inc. has adopted this Sexual Violence Policy, which defines sexual violence and outlines its training, reporting, investigative and disciplinary responses to complaints of sexual violence made by its student that have occurred on its campus or at one of its events and involves its students.
(c) The person accused of engaging in sexual violence will be referred to as the “Respondent” and the person making the allegation as the “Complainant.”
2. Definition of Sexual Violence
Sexual violence means any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism and sexual exploitation.
3. Training, Reporting and Responding to Sexual Violence
(a) WeCloudData Inc. shall include a copy of the Sexual Violence Policy in every contract made between it and its students, and provide a copy of the Sexual Violence Policy to career college management (corporate directors, controlling shareholders, owners, partners, other persons who manage or direct the career college’s affairs, and their agents), instructors, staff, other employees and contractors and train them about the policy and its processing of reporting, investigating and responding to complaints of sexual violence involving its students. *Any complaint participating in offering student internships on their premises must provide an undertaking in writing that it is in compliance with all applicable legislation, including the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act and will provide students access to those policies should they encounter issues relating to sexual violence in the workplace.
(b) The Sexual Violence Policy shall be published on its website.
(c) Career college management, instructors, staff, other employees and contractors of WeCloudData Inc. will report incidents of or complaints of sexual violence to the President upon becoming aware of them.
(d) Students who have been affected by sexual violence or who need information about support services should contact the President.
(e) Subject to Section 4 below, to the extent it is possible, WeCloudData Inc. will attempt to keep all personal information of persons involved in the investigation confidential except in those circumstances where it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm, or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others on its campus or the broader community are at risk.
This will be done by:
(f) WeCloudData Inc. recognizes the right of the Complainant not to report any incident of or make a complaint about sexual violence or not request an investigation and not to participate in any investigation that may occur.
(g) Notwithstanding (f), in certain circumstances, WeCloudData Inc. may be required by law or its internal policies to initiate an internal investigation and/or inform police without the complainant’s consent if it believes the safety of members of its campus or the broader community is at risk.
(h) In all cases, including (f) above, WeCloudData Inc. will appropriately accommodate the needs of its students who are affected by sexual violence. Students seeking accommodation should contact the President.
In this regard, WeCloudData Inc. will assist students who have experienced sexual violence in obtaining counselling and medical care, and provide them with information about sexual violence supports and services available in the community as set out in Appendix 1 attached hereto. Students are not required to file a formal complaint in order to access support and services.
4. Investigating Reports of Sexual Violence
(a) Under this Sexual Violence Policy, any student of WeCloudData Inc. may file a report of an incident or complaint to the President in writing. The other officials, offices or departments that will be involved in the investigation are the Director of Education.
(b) Upon receipt of a report of an incident or a complaint of alleged sexual violence being made, the President will respond promptly and:
(c) Once an investigation is initiated, the following will occur:
5. Disciplinary Measures
(a) If it is determined by WeCloudData Inc. that the Respondent did engage in sexual violence, immediate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken. This may include:
6. Appeal
(a) Should the Complainant or the Respondent not agree with the decision resulting from the investigation, he/she/they may appeal the decision to the President within 10 days by submitting a letter addressed to the President advising of the person’s intent to appeal the decision.
7. Making False Statements
(a) It is a violation of this Sexual Violence Policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of sexual violence or to provide false information about a complaint.
(b) Individuals who violate this Sexual Violence Policy are subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff or expulsion of a student.
8. Reprisal
(a) It is a violation of this Sexual Violence Policy to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a complainant who has brought forward a complaint of sexual violence, provided information related to a complaint, or otherwise been involved in the complaint investigation process.
(b) Individuals who violate the Sexual Violence Policy are subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action, up to and including termination of employments of instructors or staff or expulsion of a student.
9. Review
(a) WeCloudData Inc. shall ensure that student input is considered in the development of its Sexual Violence Policy and every time it is reviewed or amended.
(b) WeCloudData Inc. shall review its Sexual Violence Policy three years after it is first implemented and amend where appropriate. This date is January 1, 2021.
10. Collection of Student Data
(a) WeCloudData Inc. shall collect and be prepared to provide upon request by the Superintendent of Career Colleges such data and information as required according to Subsections 32. 1 (8), (9), (10) and (11) of Schedule 5 of the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005 as amended.
The following represents a list of Provincial Rape Crisis Centres:
Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres Ontario
Français – Fem’aide
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres
Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres
Brantford
Durham Region
Guelph
London
Oakville
Hamilton
Kitchener-Waterloo
London
Peel Region
Sarnia-Lambton
Toronto
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180 Bloor St W #1003
Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 2V6
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16192 Coastal Hwy
Lewes, DE 19958, USA