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Brochures, factsheets and guides

One of the OHRC’s key roles is to educate individuals and organizations across Ontario about human rights obligations and policies. But we also try to provide the tools to help put those policies into practice.

OHRC guides offer practical, step-by-step approaches to such challenges as collecting human rights-based data or designing a workplace human rights policy.

Brochures and fact sheets are short handouts that include selected parts of policies and larger reports that may be of interest to a specific audience. 

These products may also be produced to offer more information on areas like how a policy was created, what steps the OHRC took before making recommendations, what steps were taken in a certain consultation, etc.

One of the OHRC’s key roles is to educate individuals and organizations across Ontario about human rights obligations and policies. But we also try to provide the tools to help put those policies into practice.

OHRC guides offer practical, step-by-step approaches to such challenges as collecting human rights-based data or designing a workplace human rights policy.

Brochures and fact sheets are short handouts that include selected parts of policies and larger reports that may be of interest to a specific audience. 

These products may also be produced to offer more information on areas like how a policy was created, what steps the OHRC took before making recommendations, what steps were taken in a certain consultation, etc.

2011 - International law says that people in Canada should be able to get good housing that they can afford. To help achieve this in Ontario, tenants and landlords (or housing providers) have rights and responsibilities under the Human Rights Code. Under the Code, everyone has the right to equal treatment in housing without discrimination and harassment. As a landlord, you are responsible for making sure the housing you operate is free from discrimination and harassment.
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The Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) provides for equal rights and opportunities, and freedom from discrimination. The Code recognizes the dignity and worth of every person in Ontario and applies to the areas of employment, housing, goods, facilities and services, contracts, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations. In Ontario, the law protects you from discrimination and harassment in these areas because of mental health disabilities and addictions. This includes past, present and perceived conditions.
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May 2010 - This document is a ”how-to” guide. It gives municipalities directions on how they can start or improve anti-racism and anti-discrimination initiatives. This manual focuses on small and medium-size municipalities but any municipality, large or small, should find it useful.
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2010 - Many people think that collecting and analyzing data that identifies people on the basis of race, disability, sexual orientation and other Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) grounds is not allowed. But collecting data on Code grounds for a Code-consistent purpose is allowed and is supported by Canada’s human rights legislative framework. This summary is a brief overview of some of the key points raised in the guide.
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2010 - This guide is intended to be a practical resource for human resources professionals, human rights and equity advisors, managers and supervisors, unions, and any other people or groups considering a data collection project, or seeking support to do so. This guide may be particularly helpful to readers with little or no knowledge of data collection. The guide will discuss the benefits of data collection, and will highlight key concepts and practical considerations for organizations thinking of gathering data on Code and non-Code grounds. Appendices A to F offer concrete examples of how non-profit, private and public-sector organizations have successfully developed and implemented data collection projects.
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November 2009 - Collecting information about characteristics based on Code and non-Code grounds may lead to fears that the information might be used to treat a person or group in a discriminatory way, give unmerited preference to a particular group that does face historical discrimination, or lead to individuals being identified or “outed.” To address such fears, the following guidelines are strongly recommended to make sure that data involving Code and non-Code grounds is collected and used in a legitimate and appropriate way
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2008 - This is the third edition of Human Rights at Work. Since it was first launched in 2000, Human Rights at Work has been seen as an essential tool for employers and all partners in the workplace. This edition includes an expanded section on how to create a workplace that promotes the values of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code).
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2007 - The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits housing providers from discriminating against families with children. This applies to renting, being evicted, building rules and regulations, repairs, and use of services and facilities.
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2007 - Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, persons in a parent-child relationship have a right to equal treatment in the workplace. This means that employers cannot discriminate in hiring, promotion, training, benefits, workplace conditions, or termination of employment because a person is caring for a child or parent.
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2007 - The Ontario Human Rights Commission has interpreted the ground of family status as protecting a range of families and familial relationships from discrimination. It protects parents from being discriminated against because they have children; it also protects adult children who experience discrimination because they are caring for their aging parents. It protects non-biological parent and child relationships, such as those formed through adoption, fostering, and step-parenting, as well as lone parent families, and those headed by LGBT persons.
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