Event Conduct & Privacy Policy

Housing Central Policies and Practices for Inclusion and Respect

Housing Central Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

BC Non-Profit Housing Association, along with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the Co-op Housing Federation of BC, is committed to creating and supporting a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment at the Housing Central Conference, including online events and separately sponsored social gatherings that are part of the conference activities.

Housing Central delegates should exhibit appropriate professional conduct in their interactions with all individuals during the event. Inappropriate professional behaviours include but are not limited to:

Discrimination against or harassment on the basis of an individual’s race, age, religion, creed, colour, ancestry, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, disability, military or veteran status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by applicable municipal, provincial or federal law;
Intimidation, stalking, abusive or threatening behaviour, or bullying;
Retaliation against individuals who raise conduct concerns.

Housing Central reserves the right to assess whether an individual’s behaviour is consistent with these conduct expectations and, based on that assessment, the right to bestow, deny, revoke or limit participation in Housing Central activities. This policy also applies to Housing Central partners, staff, event attendees, speakers, exhibitors, or event venue staff at any conference activity or sponsored social gathering.

Housing Central Practices for Inclusion and Respect

In addition to our policy for a harassment-free Housing Central event, we have instituted numerous practices for enhancing the safety and comfort of everyone who participates in our events and communities.

Highlighting equity-denied voices — Housing Central’s programming is intended to highlight the voices of equity-denied groups, with sessions, special events, and learning opportunities that broaden and deepen perspectives.
Support for gender diversity and LGBTQ2S+ rights — Housing Central delegates accessing the virtual sessions can choose to add pronouns to online profiles, in recognition of the diversity of genders attending the event. Housing Central will not tolerate sexist, misogynist, transphobic or homophobic language, expression, or behaviours.
Holistic support for the well-being and access of Housing Central partners, staff, and delegates — Housing Central will include programming in its conference that supports the mental health of participants and guests, including education content, networking and break options, wellness tips, and resources from our sponsors.

How to Recognize Harassment

Professional ideas and information are exchanged most effectively at the Housing Central Conference in an atmosphere that is free of discrimination or harassment, and is characterized by courtesy and respect. Housing Central expects all participants and guests to conduct themselves in a manner that contributes to such an atmosphere. Importantly, not only are all participants expected to treat others with respect and consideration, but are also expected to support a culture of respect by alerting staff when they have knowledge of dangerous situations, are subjected to or witness violations of professional conduct, or know of individuals in distress.

What Constitutes Harassment?

Here is a list of behaviours that are specifically prohibited by Housing Central, whether directed at other attendees, staff, speakers, exhibitors, or the event platform staff. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but to give general guidance as to what constitutes harassing behaviour:

Physical or verbal intimidation, including threats, stalking, or unwelcome following;
Any conduct that is harassing, abusive, discriminatory, or intentionally demeaning of a person by any attendees at the event and related event activities;
Personal attacks or other behaviour during disagreements or in discussions;
Offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, gender identity, or disability;
Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images (including presentation slides);
Harassing or intimidating photography or recording;
Sustained disruption of talks or other events; and
Unwelcome sexual attention, including unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions; unwelcome verbal comments or physical actions of a sexual nature; sexually degrading words used to describe an individual; an unwelcome display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; sexually explicit jokes

If you are asked to stop any harassing behaviour at the conference, you are expected to comply immediately.

Social events: Because of the informal nature of social events, Housing Central encourages participants and guests to be mindful of behaviour that is or could be perceived as harassment, sexual or otherwise. While Housing Central encourages networking and strengthening of connections between participants at social gatherings, Housing Central reserves the right to remove any participant whose social attentions become unwelcome to another and who persists in such attentions after their unwelcome nature has been communicated. Housing Central also reserves the right to remove or exclude any participant or attendee who appears inebriated and who engages in conduct that interferes with the ability of other attendees to participate in and enjoy the conference.

In assessing reports of incidents that may violate this policy, Housing Central will make every effort to fairly and thoroughly investigate the accounts and information by all parties involved or directly witnessing such an incident.

Housing Central Photo and Video Release

When attending the Housing Central Conference, you consent to photography and video recording and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, advertising, and inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by Housing Central. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar Housing Central events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of Housing Central. When you register to attend, you release Housing Central's employees and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of photographs, computer images and/or video. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by Housing Central or the person or entity designated to do so by Housing Central.

Privacy Policy

Intent of the Policy:
To ensure that the personal information about all delegates is protected in compliance with applicable privacy legislation.

Purpose and Scope:
BC Non-Profit Housing Association, the Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the Co-op Housing Federation of BC respect and uphold an individual’s right to privacy and to the protection of his, her, or their personal information. The presenting partners are committed to ensuring compliance with applicable privacy legislation.

This policy applies to all the delegates of the Housing Central Conference, as well as to the staff, directors, members of the presenting partners and non-members.