Reporting of Serious Incidents (H-25-06)

Date: February 2026

• Non-Profit Housing Providers
• Supportive and Transitional Housing Operators
• Shelter Agencies
• Street Outreach, Housing First, Prevention Diversion, Warming and Cooling Centre
• Rent Supplement Programs

Background

The City of Kingston, as Service Manager for the City of Kingston and the County of Frontenac under the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA), is required to establish and administer local policies, and procedures for Social Housing and other City funded Housing & Homelessness programs.

On occasion there may be serious incidents at Service Manager funded properties which have resulted in death, serious injury, or attracted media attention due to police involvement. When these incidents happen, it is important that Service Manager staff are alerted to the event so that the necessary resources can be offered to the impacted agency, its staff and residents.

Purpose

To ensure the proper response and reporting of serious incidents to the Service Manager to enable allocation of resources if necessary to support the related resolution and mitigation of risk whenever possible.

The types of incidents to be reported include, but aren’t limited to:

• Disaster, such as fire, flood, extended power failure, or extreme weather damage to property
• Fire where individual served or resident has been displaced
• Death of individual served, resident, or guest, including name and date of birth
• Serious injury that occurred on the property
• A complaint made against a staff member involving allegations of assault or abuse of any resident or individual served resulting in an investigation
• A complaint made against a resident or individual served, involving allegations of assault or abuse
• Outbreak of communicable or infectious disease(s) that results in a disruption of operations (i.e. quarantine)
• Serious/unusual situations where the police are called regarding the actions of residents, individual served, staff, volunteers, or a visitor, that results in criminal charges being laid (i.e., assault, allegations of abuse, theft, no trespass order)
• A major incident requiring police and/or emergency services
• Threats of legal action or incidents that require a public/media response

Action to be taken

Within 1-hour of incident:

The service provider shall notify the City of Kingston’s Emergency On-Call System with the following details:

• Name of person making the call and which organization they are from
• Date and type of incident
• Description and location of the incident
• Action(s) taken by staff
• Next steps
• Call back phone number

On-Call Phone: 613-507-6179

Within 24 hours of incident:

The service provider shall complete the City of Kingston’s Serious Incident Report Form and submit it to housing_oncall@cityofkingston.ca.

A copy of the City of Kingston’s Serious Incident Report Form is attached as Appendix A.

Responsibilities

It is the service providers’ responsibility to report serious incidents. If there is any uncertainty about the seriousness of an incident, the service provider must contact the on-call number as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours after the incident, to discuss it further.

The Service Manager must review reported incidents and assess whether any additional steps, or City resources, are required to complement the service provider’s response plan. The Service Manager will advise Senior City Staff as appropriate.

The service provider is required to update their existing contingency and/or emergency plans to include Reporting Serious Incidents Directive requirements and submit a copy to the Service Manager within 90 days of issuance of this Directive.

The service provider shall coordinate with the Service Manager and obtain the Service Manager’s approval with respect to publicity relating to serious incidents, including public statements, press conferences, news releases, announcements. The service provider shall ensure that there will be no such publicity without the prior written approval of the Service Manager.

The requirement to report under this Directive does not remove or limit service providers from reporting to other authorities such as Police.

Compliance

This policy will be regularly monitored and reviewed during service provider Operational Reviews, or as requested by the Service Manager.

Jayne Hartley
Director, Housing & Social Services Department

The following have received a copy of this Directive:

• Jennifer Campbell, Commissioner, Community Services
• Jenna Morley, City Solicitor, Legislative Services
• Mitchell Grange, Policy Manager, Housing & Social Services
• Housing Programs Administrators, Housing & Social Services
• Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services / Clerk, County of Frontenac

If you have any questions, please contact a Housing Programs Administrator, Housing and Social Services Department.