Ontario summer camp retained a coach who pleaded guilty to assaulting children

Bradley Gibbs, employed by Durham Regional Police, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of assaulting children he was acquainted with. He continued to serve as a lead instructor at KL Hockey camp in Kawartha Lakes throughout the summer, only resigning after an email to parents cited recent attention to his personal legal matter. Ontario statutes do not obligate summer camps to obtain criminal or vulnerable-sector checks, and KL Hockey is not a member of the Ontario Camps Association, which sets voluntary screening standards for its members.

The camp’s director, Amanda Tayles, said Gibbs had publicly accepted accountability, while the police service reassigned him to administrative duties pending his September sentencing. Experts such as Puneet Tiwari of Levitt LLP contend that the lack of mandatory vetting creates a “big gap” in child safety protections. The Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of Education declined to comment on potential legislative changes.