Community Safety

Our Commitment: Ensuring a Safe and Welcoming Campus for All

The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and faculty are of paramount importance. OISE is committed to creating an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment where all members of our community can work, learn and thrive together.

On this page, you will find tools, supports and resources offered by the University of Toronto for ensuring safety on and off-campus.

We are dedicated to continuous learning, growth, and dialogue in the realm of community safety. We invite you to share any concerns or suggestions by contacting oisecao@utoronto.ca.

Emergency Situations

If you are in an emergency situation and require immediate support, call 911.

Then, if you are able, contact the University of Toronto's Campus Safety Office. For the St. George and Scarborough campus, call 416-978-2222. For the Mississauga campus, call 905-569-4333.

OISE Emergency and Safety Guidelines

To ensure the community is well-equipped in the event of an emergency, we encourage all faculty, students, and staff to review the latest versions of OISE’s Emergency Response Guidelines.

This guide is designed to help you in a range of emergency situations, giving you basic information on what to do and how to proceed before Campus Safety or emergency responders arrive.

Save or print this reference sheet, which contains contact details and numbers for a range of emergency situations.

Tools for Campus Safety

Both OISE and the University of Toronto offer a variety of tools for empowering the community to actively enhance their safety and the well-being of others while on campus.

Available for free on Google Play and the Apple App Store, this app seamlessly integrates with U of T's safety and security systems, enhancing safety both on and off-campus. Key features include real-time alerts, live chat with campus safety, and the option to share your location or route with campus security for safety monitoring.

Walking or travelling alone on campus? Request a chaperone with TravelSafer, a free service offered by Campus Safety that is available 24/7/365. A Building Patroller or Special Constable will accompany you to ensure your peace of mind as you travel to and from any location on campus and adjacent TTC stations.

Designed to create a safer environment for students, staff and faculty working alone in isolated areas on the campus and for individuals with ongoing personal safety concerns. Provide Campus Safety with your contact details and location, enabling regular check-ins and prompt assistance. A Special Constable can be dispatched to your location if needed.

OISE Security Team

The team, stationed in the lobby of 252 Bloor Street West, is here to help. They respond to concerns reported by students, faculty, and staff, and may be reached at 416-978-3636.

Safety-related Concerns: Classes and Events

For safety-related requests regarding class or event locations, please contact oise.space@utoronto.ca.

OISE's Human Resources Office

OISE's Human Resources Office is a space where faculty and staff can raise concerns, seek support, or ask questions. The team can be reached at oise.hr@utoronto.ca.

Resources & Supports

ARCDO supports University members in their efforts to foster environments that are intentionally racially diverse and inclusive through the advancement of equitable practices, education, and training and the provision of complaints resolution supports on matters of race, faith, and intersecting identities as guided by the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

The Campus Safety team is comprised of two essential units: the Special Constable Service and the Community Liaison & Support Team (CLS). Special Constables conduct regular campus patrols and respond to emergencies, often in uniform. The CLS team offers investigation support, safety reviews, presentations and additional safety-related services.

With a background in social work, U of T's Community Safety Office team helps students, staff and faculty members in addressing harassment, intimidation, workplace conflict and other concerns through personalized safety plans, interventions, and partnerships with other offices.

Current and global affairs, including ongoing conflicts, natural disasters, and discrimination in Canada and abroad, may have profound impacts on members of our community. To support the community and to sustain the principles of inclusion and belonging, the Institutional Equity Office (IEO) will bring together engagement and education opportunities and available resources from across U of T.

The Employee & Family Assistance Program offers confidential short-term counselling, coaching, information, and support for all types of issues relating to mental health, health management, and achieving greater personal and workplace well-being.

U of T offers a diverse array of programming aimed at meeting the full spectrum of wellness needs within our community and ensuring that all members thrive.

No matter where you are on the mental wellness continuum, from being proactive about your mental well-being to feeling stressed or needing urgent help, U of T is here to support you.

This offers confidential and sensitive support on matters of homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. It also provides supportive community programming.

This tri-campus service supports students, staff and faculty who have experienced, heard about, witnessed, or are supporting someone affected by sexual assault, sexual harassment, or other forms of sexualized or gender-based violence. It also provides training for individuals interested in learning how to support survivors of sexualized and gender-based violence and build a culture of consent.

UTogether is your U of T community roadmap. Whether you’re a new or returning student, faculty, instructor, staff or librarian, UTogether offers supports, services, and opportunities to help you learn, grow, and succeed during your time at U of T.

Upcoming Community Supports

Supports for Jewish and Israeli Community Members

In collaboration with PSEC Health and Wellness, OVPS Student Mental Health Systems, and the Multi-Faith Centre, the following wellness supports have been developed:

Designated, drop-in gathering spaces have been set up at the Multi-Faith Centre as a quiet space for community members. Water, coffee, and tea are provided.
Onsite & Virtual Counselling: A mental health professional from the Jewish community will be holding group counselling sessions for students, staff, faculty, and librarians at the University of Toronto who wish to make use of them.

Upcoming dates and sessions

In-person drop in gathering:

Monday, October 7 & 10, 10:30 am – 1 pm
Meeting Room, 3^rd floor, Multi-Faith Centre

Onsite counselling (in-person):

Monday, October 7, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Thursday, October 10, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
3^rd Floor Family Room, Multi-Faith Centre

Virtual counselling (remote):

Thursday, October 10, 2:00 – 4:15 pm
Link to be provided to registrants.

Supports for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim Community Members

In collaboration with PSEC Health and Wellness, OVPS Student Mental Health Systems, and the Multi-Faith Centre, the following wellness supports have been developed:

Designated, drop-in gathering spaces have been set up at the Multi-Faith Centre as a quiet space for community members. Water, coffee, and tea are provided.
Onsite & Virtual Counselling: A Muslim-identifying mental health professional will be holding group counselling sessions for students, staff, faculty, and librarians at the University of Toronto who wish to make use of them.

Upcoming dates

Drop-in gathering:

Tuesday, October 8 & Tuesday, October 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Meeting Room, 3^rd floor, Multi-Faith Centre

Onsite counselling (In-person): 

Tuesday, October 8, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, October 15, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
3^rd Floor, Family Room, Multi-Faith Centre