Public Interest Disclosure

Under the Standards of Conduct for the BC Public Service, employees have an obligation to report incidents of bullying, breaches of the Standards of Conduct and wrongdoing. They must also report any situation relevant to the BC Public Service that they believe contravenes the law, misuses public funds or assets, or represents a danger to public health and safety or a significant danger to the environment.

The Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) extends a general right to employees of BC Public Service ministries to report wrongdoing. This is intended to apply to serious wrongdoing that is potentially unlawful, dangerous to the public or injurious to the public interest. 

What is PIDA 

PIDA is BC legislation that provides a framework for employees to report specific kinds of serious wrongdoing with legislated protection from reprisal. PIDA is effective for employees of government ministries as of December 1, 2019. 

If you are thinking about making a disclosure about these kinds of wrongdoing, there are specific places to go for advice and processes that need to be followed. If employees choose to make a PIDA disclosure, they must do so in good faith. 

Coast Mountain College (CMTN) came under PIDA effective June 1, 2024.

Information for Employees

At Coast Mountain College (CMTN), employees are encouraged to speak with their supervisors and Designated Officers about specific questions relating to making a disclosure.

Trainings and Resources for Employees:

Information for Supervisors

At CMTN, supervisors are a point of contact for employees who wish to seek advice or report wrongdoing. It is the role of supervisors to:

  • Familiarize themselves with the law in order to advise employees about the options for reporting and protections available

  • Protect the confidentiality of employees who seek advice or report wrongdoing

  • Refer reports as required to their organization’s Designated Officer.

Supervisors do not assess an employee’s allegations to decide whether they meet the threshold of potential wrongdoing and do not investigate reports. Supervisors are expected to provide reports to the Designated Officer for assessment and, where appropriate, investigation.

Trainings and Resources for Supervisors:

How to Make a Disclosure Under PIDA

If you are a CMTN employee or former employee and wish to report wrongdoing, and want to do that under PIDA, you can make your disclosure:

The disclosure must be submitted in writing. The easiest way to do this internally is by filling out the PIDA Disclosure Form.

If you require support with your PIDA submission, please contact your supervisor, union, or one of the Designated Officers. 

Options for submissions:

Support Resources

Thinking of disclosing wrongdoing may be triggering, and feel overwhelming. Please know that all employees have access to 24/7/365 confidential support. Call 1.800.667.0993 or access services online at fseap.ca/services.

A list of community resources to support you can be found here.

PIDA Processing

Coast Mountain College PIDA Process Map

At CMTN, PIDA processing adheres to the following timeline:

  • Acknowledgement of receiving a disclosure - 5 business days

  • Review and assessment if an investigation is required - 20 business days 

  • Conducting an investigation  - 120 business days 

  • Report and recommendations - 20 business days.

PIDA Policy and Procedures

HMR-017 Public Interest Disclosure Policy

HMR-017P Public Interest Disclosure Procedure

More Information

If you have questions or concerns about public interest disclosure at Coast Mountain College, please contact us by sending an email to PIDA@coastmountaincollege.ca or by mail to:

ATTN: PIDA, Designated Officer
Coast Mountain College
353 5th Street 
Prince Rupert, BC
V8J 3L6