Community Safety

Break-Ins
To protect your house from a break-in, make sure that there are working locks on all the doors and windows and always lock the house when you leave. If you're going home for holidays or away for Reading Week (thieves know the school calendar) you may want to invest in a timer for your lights. Have a trusted neighbour or friend keep an eye on the house for you. If they have a second car, they may be willing to park it in your driveway just to make the house look lived in. You might also leave a key with a trusted neighbour and ask them to check in on the house daily – maybe even turn lights on and off, etc.
 
If your house has been broken into, go to a neighbour's house to call the police (911) in case the thief is still in the house. Don't touch anything. Then call a friend to wait with you until the police arrive.
 
Fire Safety
Your landlord is required by law to ensure that the house is safe, and that there is a working smoke detector on each floor as well as a fire extinguisher. If you have serious concerns about the fire safety of your accommodation, contact Toronto's Fire Prevention Division at 416-338-9050 for information on fire safety standards, prevention and inspections.
 
Health and Safety
If you've noticed evidence of pests or vermin (e.g. mouse droppings) in your accommodation, call your landlord first. If your landlord is not able or willing to call an exterminator or solve the problem in some other way, then call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600.
 
Campus Police offers a number of programs to help promote security and safety. Programs to be aware of include:
  • Travel Safer
    Contact the patrol service at 416-287-7022 to be escorted anywhere on campus by a member of Campus Community Police.
  • U of T Community Safety Office
    This office offers consultation and training workshops on safety and related issues on a variety of topics such as: dealing with difficult behaviour, online safety, criminal harassment, and creating a respectful workplace. The office will offer self-defense training courses as well. Contact the Community Safety Office at 416-978-1485.
  • Student Crime Stoppers
    Campus Community Police work in partnership with the University community and encourage students to anonymously report information regarding criminal activity on campus. This program is designed to bring students, the community and police together to create a harmonious and safe learning environment. Contact Student Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477)
  • Emergency Telephone Monitoring and Response
    Campus Community Police monitor and respond to calls placed from the emergency telephones on campus. Please refer to the UofT Scarborough Community Police website for emergency phone locations. Free emergency calls may also be made from any pay telephone on campus. Follow the instructions on the pay phone's digital display to call. Contact the Emergency Line at 416-978-2222
 
Emergency Medical Response Group
EMRG is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week campus emergency response team that provides first aid and emergency assistance to the students, staff, faculty and visitors during the Fall & Winter semesters. This service is not available during holidays and University closures. In an emergency, call 911, and then UofT Scarborough Community police at 416-978-2222, or from any emergency phone on campus. To contact EMRG call 416-978-2222 and ask for EMRG
 
Car-Battery Boosters
UofT Scarborough Community Police maintain a number of battery packs for sign-out to assist persons with dead car batteries. To access car-battery boosters, call 416-287-7398