For over a decade, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has raised concerns about anti-Black racism in policing in Toronto. Carding and other practices that have a disproportionate negative impact on Black persons have eroded trust in police, which is essential to effective policing, and ultimately, public safety.
In order to inquire into and report on potential racial profiling of, and racial discrimination against, Black persons by the Toronto Police Service (TPS), the OHRC will be collecting data, including personal information, from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the TPS and the Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB).
Section 31 of the Ontario Human Rights Code authorizes the OHRC’s collection of information as part of conducting a public interest inquiry. This collection is also consistent with s. 38(2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
The OHRC recognizes the importance of protection of personal information, protection of human dignity and maintaining public trust and confidence. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is treated confidentially and is only used for the purposes it was collected. We will take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access, use or disclosure of your personal information as directed by the FIPPA.
The documents and information that the OHRC has requested from the TPS, TPSB and SIU that may contain personal information are listed in Appendix ‘A’. The data obtained from the TPS, TPSB and SIU will be analyzed by the OHRC, with the assistance of an expert retained by the OHRC.
The OHRC will report publicly on the inquiry process, findings and recommendations. No personal information will be disclosed without the prior informed consent of the affected individual. Data and information obtained from the TPS, TPSB and SIU will be de-identified and/or reported in aggregate form.
Subsection 5(1) of the FIPPA, Regulation 460, requires the OHRC to retain personal information for at least one year after it is used, unless the person to whom the information pertains consents to its earlier disposal. The OHRC will destroy all copies of data sets containing personal information as soon as is reasonably possible after it is no longer required.
Questions regarding personal information collected by the OHRC in the Toronto Police Service Racial Profiling and Racial Discrimination Inquiry may be directed to:
Ontario Human Rights Commission
Legal Services and Inquiries
180 Dundas Street West, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2G5
Email: info@ohrc.on.ca
Phone: (416) 314-4519
Attention: Sunil Gurmukh, Counsel
All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.
Information Privacy complaints can also be directed to:
Ontario's Information Privacy Commissioner
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Phone: 1-800-387-0073