News Centre

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is deeply saddened by the news about the discovery of 171 plausible burials found in the traditional lands of Wauzhushk Onigum Nation, at the former St. Mary’s Indian Residential School in Kenora, Ontario.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) extends deep condolences to the family and friends of the late Honourable David C. Onley, the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

The OHRC has revitalized its strategic plan for 2023–2025. Human Rights First: A plan for belonging in Ontario reflects on placing belonging and intersectionality at the centre of human rights work, with an emphasis on building relationships and partnerships to achieve this. The plan outlines five key priority areas for continuing to protect, promote and advance human rights in Ontario. 

As 2022 draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on this year’s highlights. In the Policy statement on human rights in COVID-19 recovery planning, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) noted the pandemic has exacerbated human rights challenges. 

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) 2017 – 2022 Strategic Plan Putting people and their rights at the centre has come to an end. The 2023 – 2025 plan, which is a revitalized version of the old plan, will be released in January 2023.

Ontario is facing a homelessness crisis that is causing deep and devastating impacts on our communities. Informal encampments and forced evictions are a stark example of this crisis. Solutions to homelessness and informal encampments must be grounded in human rights-based approaches and delivered with respect and compassion. 

As a continued effort to empower and inspire our future human rights champions and younger generation, we wanted to end this year with a short video on Human Rights Day, featuring children and youth engaging with us about their rights, responsibilities and freedoms. 

The OHRC is aware the TDSB has taken a decision to end the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. It recognizes your obligation as a duty-holder to protect the safety of students. However, to the extent that there are bona fide and legitimate reasons to seek external help, the OHRC reminds all parties that the discussion and decision should be informed by human rights principles as set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code).

The OHRC has launched Poverty POV (Point of View), to engage with the public, through a survey, key informant discussions and other steps, on their lived experiences with poverty, including homelessness, and mental health and addictions. 

The OHRC's submission to the Ministry of Solicitor General’s request for public and stakeholder input on amendments to create an updated regulatory framework under the Ministry of Correctional Services Act (MCSA) for strip searches of people in custody in adult correctional institutions.

The OHRC’s submission to the Ministry of Solicitor General’s request for public and stakeholder input on amendments to police use of force reporting requirements in the Equipment and Use of Force Regulation as well as on a modernized Use of Force Report. 

The OHRC is pleased that a recent Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) ruling confirmed it has jurisdiction to resolve Human Rights Code-related claims of discrimination by unionized employees.

The OHRC reported progress on the Right to Read inquiry. It also confirmed its plan to continue to monitor progress on inquiry recommendations and renews its call to all partners in Ontario’s education system to do their part to uphold every student’s right to learn to read.

The United Nations has designated September 18 as International Equal Pay Day. This recognition is an intentional focus on the disparities of the pay between women and men for work of equal value, where the work requires equal or more skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions.  

As Kingsville Council moves forward in its review of the proposed draft Official Plan Amendments and draft Zoning By-Law Amendments, the OHRC urges Council to make decisions that are consistent with the Code and support the dignity and well-being of all community members.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) congratulates Patricia DeGuire on her 1st anniversary on August 19, 2022, as Chief Commissioner.

The Right to Read executive summary is now available on audiobook. Listen to all the key findings and recommendations in 11 chapters. The full Right to Read report is also available online in an accessible pdf format for easy downloading.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission calls on the Government of Ontario to include air conditioning as a vital service, like the provision of heat, under RTA regulations and to establish a provincial maximum temperature to make sure that vulnerable Code-protected tenants are protected against threats of eviction for using safely installed air conditioning units.

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) found that the Ontario Provincial Police discriminated based on race, colour and place of origin when it conducted a DNA sweep of migrant workers in a sexual assault investigation in Elgin County, Ontario in 2013. 

The OHRC has prepared a submission in response to Canadian Heritage’s request for the views of human rights commissions to inform the Government of Canada as it prepares Canada's combined 24th and 25th periodic report to the United Nations on its implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Over the coming months, the OHRC will undertake a consultation related to poverty with a specific focus on affordable, adequate and accessible housing and mental health and addiction disabilities.

The OHRC believes the Peel District School Board’s Anti-Racism Policy is the most comprehensive such policy in Ontario, and may serve as a leading practice to inspire other Ontario school boards to create or revise anti-racism policies.

TORONTO – Today, the OHRC released Reflect, reimagine, respond: results, its 2021–2022 annual report, highlighting the steps it took to reflect on, reimagine and respond to human rights concerns, and ultimately bring about human rights results for Ontarians.

The OHRC understands that the Town of Kingsville’s study, Kingsville Temporary Foreign Worker – Final Report, has now been completed and will be discussed by Council on Monday June 27, 2022. Upon reviewing the study and the proposed recommendations, the OHRC is very concerned that the recommendations would, if implemented, continue to create discriminatory barriers to migrant workers living as full members of the Kingsville community.

As the world grapples with the ongoing “monkeypox” outbreak, several very concerning human rights issues have been exposed.