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Staying safe

Your safety is an essential priority at Ontario Tech and we are committed to providing a safe environment for our students. Find information below on different safety services that are useful as you transition to a new country.   

Emergency services 

In a situation where you or another person is in any life-threatening emergency, call 911 from anywhere in Canada. This number connects you to the police, ambulance and fire services. If English is your second language, request an interpreter and stay on the line until connected. 

You can call 911 in the following situations:

  • A life, persons or property is in danger or under imminent threat (for example a fire).
  • When a crime is in progress.
  • When a serious crime occurs and the suspect may still be in the area or likely to return to the scene of the crime.
  • If suspicious circumstances indicate that a crime is about to be committed or has been committed. 

Important steps when you call 911:

  • Remain calm and speak clearly.
  • Request an interpreter if needed. 
  • State what type of service you require; police, ambulance, fire.
  • Explain the situation.
  • Provide your exact address including postal code.
  • Give your name, address and telephone number. 
  • Answer any additional questions.
  • Remain on the line until the operator tells you to hang up.

On-campus security 

Campus Safety is responsible for the safety and security of students, university employees and campus property. Services are provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by security professionals who are trained in first aid and CPR.

Visit Campus Security to find out about more services offered on campus.    

Pedestrian (walking) safety 

Learn how to cross the street safely and the rules as it varies from country to country. 

A pedestrian crossover is a crossing that has:

  • Specific signs
  • Pavement markings
  • Lights
  • Pedestrian crosswalk push button
    • Pushing the pedestrian button is beneficial as it registers to the traffic light that a pedestrian wants to cross, so it will change or hold a green light for the amount of time required to walk across

Visit The Ministry of Transportation website to see examples of pedestrian crossovers in Ontario.

Learn more about how to cross the street safely and the rules when walking by visiting The Ministry of Transportation website. 

Online safety

When reading email, browsing online, or connecting with individuals through various social media platforms, it is important to be on the lookout for suspicious links, behaviours and deceptive web pages, which are major sources of malware. Also be careful when selecting browser plugins, apps or other downloadable files since they can introduce new vulnerabilities. Don't be a victim of a crime!

It is essential to stay safe online. Here are 10 easy tips for you to stay safe online: 

1. Don’t share personal information.
2. Double check and verify links.
3. Use secure public Wi-Fi.
4. Use a virtual private network (VPN).
5. Only log on to sites that start with https://.
6. Be careful of who you chat with.
7. Turn off your bluetooth.
8. Use antivirus software.
9. Use secure passwords.
10. Backup your data.
More resources regarding online safety can be found at:

What happens if you are a victim of an online scam?
You can report the incident based on the crime that was committed to the following bodies. It's important that you read through these websites and stay informed:

Frauds and scams targeting International students 

Scams and fraudulent phone calls, emails and text messages target everyone. Be cautious and learn how to protect yourself from being manipulated to give these callers money or any personal information (e.g. SIN, banking information, immigration information).

Below are some common scams targeting international students:

  • Call, text or email from an individual claiming to be from Service Canada, RCMP, local police about the suspension, block or compromise of your SIN. 
  • Calls about an outstanding warrant threatening legal consequences.
  • Texts or emails from your phone plan company (FIDO, Bell, Wind, etc) claiming outstanding or overpaid bills. 
  • Call or email from someone claiming to be from IRCC threatening deportation.
  • Call or email from someone claiming to be a potential employer offering you a job without an interview process, and asking you to exchange money or personal information to secure the job position. 
  • Call or email from someone claiming to be the CRA claiming you have outstanding taxes. The CRA does not send your tax return through email. 

Be cautious and vigilant:

  • Government organizations never contact you via phone calls or email requesting your personal information, including SIN, bank information, immigration information, etc. 
  • Government organizations never contact you to hire a lawyer to avoid deportation and other consequences. 
  • Do not open web links from any text messages or emails you find suspicious.
  • If a suspicious transaction has been made through your bank account or you provided your account information to someone, please contact your bank immediately. 
  • Your bank will never call you to ask about your banking information.
  • No employer will ever call you with the promise of a job in exchange for money or personal information.   

What can you do if you suspect you are being scammed:

  • Hang up, ignore or block any suspicious phone calls.
  • Ignore or delete any suspicious texts or emails.
  • Do not click any suspicious links in emails and mark them as spam. 

Incident reporting

Durham Regional Police Fraud Unit

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free: 1.888.495.8501     

Helpful links

Visit the following websites below to find out more information on types of scams and fraud, precautions, and how to report such scams or fraud: