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Race and related grounds

Under the Code, every person has the right to be free from racial discrimination and harassment in the social areas of employment, services, goods, facilities, housing accommodation, contracts and membership in trade and vocational associations. You should not be treated differently because of your race or other related grounds, such as your ancestry, ethnicity, religion or place of origin. 

Canada, its provinces and territories have strong human rights laws and systems in place to address discrimination. At the same time, we also have a legacy of racism – particularly towards Indigenous persons, but to other groups as well including African, Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Jewish and Muslim Canadians – a legacy that profoundly permeates our systems and structures to this day, affecting the lives of not only racialized persons, but also all people in Canada.

Relevant policies: 

  1. OHRC update: COVID-19 pandemic and the OHRC’s inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination of Black persons by the Toronto Police Service

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is working hard to continue its inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination of Black persons by the Toronto Police Service (TPS).

  2. OHRC policy statement on the COVID-19 pandemic

    March 13, 2020

    Following the lead of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) urges Ontarians to keep human rights principles under Ontario’s Human Rights Code (Code), the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) and relevant international human rights treaties at the centre of decision-making during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

  3. OHRC files human rights application related to deaths of Joey Knapaysweet, Agnes Sutherland

    February 5, 2020

    On the second anniversary of the deaths of Joey Knapaysweet and Agnes Sutherland, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) announced it has filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) alleging discrimination based on Indigenous ancestry by public service providers in Timmins, Ontario. 

  4. OHRC and corrections workers call for dedicated funding to address crisis in Ontario corrections

    January 21, 2020

    In an unprecedented joint submission the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) and OPSEU Corrections Management-Employee Relations Committee (MERC), which represents front line correctional staff, are calling on the Ontario government to dedicate funds in the 2020 Budget to address the crisis in Ontario’s correctional system.

  5. Joint submission to Ontario’s consultation on the 2020 budget: Necessary investments in Ontario’s correctional system

    January 21, 2020

     

    Introduction

    This joint submission identifies concrete investments that should be earmarked in Ontario’s 2020 budget to protect the health and safety of vulnerable and marginalized Ontarians incarcerated in provincial institutions and the brave men and women working inside them.

  6. Letter to Secretary of Cabinet Davidson on anti-Black racism in the Ontario Public Service

    October 18, 2019

    Thank you for your letter dated July 26, 2019, and for meeting with the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on September 17 to discuss the government’s efforts to address systemic anti-Black racism in the OPS. In addition to our meetings with your office, the OHRC has met with the Black OPS employee network (BOPSers), as well as with individual employees with personal experiences of anti-Black racism in the OPS.

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