Ontario’s Human Rights System Explained

Title card: Ontario’s Human Rights System Explained
Brought to you by the Human Rights Legal Support Centre
Let’s start at the top: The Ontario Human Rights Code-the first legislation of its kind in Canada-outlines a list of 17 protected grounds across several protected areas in our lives. In other words, it outlines the kinds of things that individuals and organizations are prohibited from discriminating against in Ontario, and the contexts in which the Code can be applied. These grounds include race, age, disability, sex, gender identity, and creed in social areas including housing, employment, and receiving goods and services. So, if you believe you’ve been treated unfairly on the basis of any of these grounds in Ontario, that may be considered discrimination.
Today, the Ontario Human Rights Code is upheld by three pillars, each with a unique function and role: the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission is responsible for protecting and advancing human rights in our province at a high level through a variety of means: from education to policy development to launching human rights related inquiries. The Commission is concerned with the state of human rights across Ontario more generally, and doesn't deal with specific or individual human rights disputes.
For that, we need to turn to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, who will hear your human rights complaints-sort of like a court. The Tribunal will decide whether or not you’ve been discriminated against, and may grant remedies accordingly, including, but not limited to, financial compensation and human rights training, depending on the specifics of your case.
As experts on the human rights system in Ontario, we know that you may have a lot of questions when filing, or deciding to file, a human rights complaint to the HRTO. That’s why we have the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, an organization that offers free legal services at every stage of a human rights dispute-in over 140 different languages including Cree, Oji-Cree, Mohawk and Ojibway, with plenty of other accommodations for accessibility. So whether you’re seeking representation at a tribunal hearing, looking for an early resolution, or just asking some questions about the application process for filing a complaint, the HRLSC is available to help.
At a glance, Ontario's Human Rights System might seem complicated, but every piece of the puzzle is there for a reason: to support and uphold the rights of the people of Ontario. So: if you or someone you know is experiencing discrimination, you know exactly where to go.
Visit hrlsc.on.ca/getting-started to learn more.