Constitution and Bylaws

BC Rugby Constitution:

1. NAME

1.01 The name of the Society is “THE BRITISH COLUMBIA RUGBY UNION”, hereinafter also referred to as the Union.

2. PURPOSES

The purposes of the Society are:

2.01 To grow, develop and manage the sport of Rugby in the Province of British Columbia.

2.02 To undertake any other roles, functions, responsibilities or actions to best serve the sport of Rugby in the Province of British Columbia.

Governance Manual

The aim of this manual is to:

• clarify the organizational purpose, key metrics, structure, policies, and procedures of BC Rugby;
• provide clear guidance regarding the respective roles and responsibilities of the Board, Committees, the CEO, and BC Rugby Staff;
• outline the key stakeholder relationships required to make the Purpose achievable;
• orient new Board members to their new role;
• reference all documentation which collectively forms BC Rugby’s governance structure; and
• define the Board’s contribution to the advancement of Rugby in BC.

Code of Conduct

The BC Rugby Code of Conduct aims to provide a safe, positive and inclusive
environment within BC Rugby and all of BC Rugby’s programs, competitions,
events and activities.

Conflict of Interest Policy

BC Rugby recognizes the importance of fostering integrity, honesty, and transparency throughout the organization. It also recognizes the inevitability of conflict of interest during the normal course of business. The purpose of this Conflict of Interest Policy is to support our Code of Conduct by outlining a clear set of standards for processing conflict of interest when it occurs within our organization.

Dispute Resolution Policy

The purpose of this policy is to outline the methods available to British Columbia Rugby Union
(BC Rugby) Member Organisations and Individual Members to resolve disputes, in line with BC
Rugby’s corporate values of fairness, respect, equity and inclusion.

Appeals Policy

This document sets out the policy and procedure for an appeal by a member of BC Rugby in any category of membership of a decision that directly affects them. It provides for an internal process and, in some cases, a final external process.

Return to Rugby in BC Plan

This plan was developed to enable a safe and gradual return to the sport of rugby in BC following the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was developed in accordance with viaSport’s Return to Sport Guidelines and Rugby Canada’s Return to Play document that was approved by the Rugby Canada Board of Directors on June 19. The Return to Rugby in BC plan is divided into five phases, aligned to viaSport’s Guidelines,which will allow for a gradual reintroduction of rugby activity in BC while remaining safe and responsible during this unprecedented global health crisis.  This document was updated as of October 2020. 

COVID-19 Safety Plan

The COVID-19 Safety Plan for BC Rugby’s office in Vancouver, BC. Updated November 2020.

Code of Conduct

The BC Rugby Code of Conduct aims to provide a safe, positive and inclusive
environment within BC Rugby and all of BC Rugby’s programs, competitions,
events and activities.

Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

The purposes of the BC Rugby Gender and Inclusion policy are as follows:

1. To ensure the fair and respectful inclusion of all persons in BC Rugby such that
they feel a sense of belonging, their feelings are respected, they are valued for
who they are, and they feel a level of supportive energy and commitment from
others;
2. The policy supports members in meeting the requirements of the BC Human
Rights Code;
3. The policy supports members in meeting the requirements of Bill C16, which
lists ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ as grounds on which people are
protected against unlawful discrimination.

Risk Management Policy

The purpose of this policy is to outline a consistent approach to risk management of the governance, strategic and operational practices of British Columbia Rugby Union (BC Rugby) and to detail the transparent approach to the identification, communication, evaluation and management of risk.

Discipline Policy

Rugby Union is a sport that involves physical contact. Any sport involving physical contact has inherent dangers. It is very important that players play the game in accordance with the Laws of the Game and be mindful of the safety of themselves and others. It is the responsibility of those who coach or teach the game to ensure that players are prepared in a manner which ensures compliance with the Laws of the Game and in accordance with safe practices.

Privacy Policy

The purpose of this policy is to set out and describe how British Columbia Rugby Union (BC Rugby) may collect, use and disclose your personal information.

Communications Policy

The purpose of this policy is to set a standard, ensuring that communications across British Columbia Rugby Union (BC Rugby) are well coordinated, presented coherently, managed effectively and compliant with all relevant Canadian and Provincial Laws of British Columbia.

Selection Policy

The purpose of this policy is to outline the criteria and procedures that British Columbia Rugby
Union (BC Rugby) will adhere to and undertake to select Male and Female Age Group XV Teams
to represent BC in Rugby Canada National competitions and any other competition deemed to
contribute to the high performance development of each respective team.

Drug Free Policy

The purpose of this document is to clearly inform all BC Rugby athletes, coaches,
staff and members of the BC Rugby Drug Free Policy.

Recruitment Policy

The objective of this policy is to provide a framework for the recruitment and selection of
individuals to support the Purpose of BC Rugby, the achievement of our strategic goals and
the protection of players’ safety and wellbeing.