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.
Human Rights-Based Approach to Policy and Program Development
Get it right the first time: Find out how to design and develop policies and programs that meet your human rights obligations in Ontario through the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) framework.
Drug and alcohol testing (brochure 2016)
The Ontario Human Rights Code
The Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) provides for equal rights and opportunities and freedom from discrimination. The Code recognizes the dignity and worth of every person in Ontario.
The Code prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and perceived disabilities in employment, services, housing and other social areas. Under the Code, disabilities include addictions to drugs and alcohol.
Disability and human rights (brochure 2016)
Ontario’s Human Rights Code
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. It applies to the areas of employment, housing, facilities and services, contracts, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations.
Creed and human rights (brochure)
What protection does the Ontario Human Rights Code offer?
The Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) recognizes the dignity and worth of every person in Ontario. It provides for equal rights and opportunities, and freedom from discrimination.
Creed and the duty to accommodate: A checklist for accommodation providers
Before you receive an accommodation request
Minimize the need for accommodation up front by inclusively designing policies, rules, procedures, practices and spaces with everyone in mind (including people of diverse creed faiths).
Create an open, inclusive and safe environment free of discrimination and harassment so that people feel safe and welcome to express or observe their creed and ask for creed-related accommodations, without fear of reprisal or stigma. For example, you could:
Creed and human rights for Indigenous peoples
What protection does the Ontario Human Rights Code offer?
The Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) recognizes the dignity and worth of every person in Ontario. It provides for equal rights and opportunities, and freedom from discrimination. Indigenous peoples, including status, non-status, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, are included in these protections.
The Code prohibits discrimination and harassment based on 17 personal attributes – called grounds. Creed is one of the protected grounds.
Human rights, mental health and addiction disabilities (brochure)
June 2014 - Mental health issues and addictions are “disabilities” that are protected under the Code. For example, the Code protects people who have anxiety disorders, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or addictions to alcohol or drugs, just to name a few.
Preventing discrimination based on mental health and addiction disabilities : An overview for employers (brochure)
June 2014 - Mental health issues and addictions are “disabilities” that are protected under the Code. For example, the Code protects people who have anxiety disorders, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or addictions to alcohol or drugs, just to name a few.
Gender identity and gender expression (brochure)
April 2014 - People who are transgender, or gender non-conforming, come from all walks of life. Yet they are one of the most disadvantaged groups in society. Trans people routinely experience discrimination, harassment and even violence because their gender identity or gender expression is different from their birth-assigned sex. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) people are protected from discrimination and harassment because of gender identity and gender expression in employment, housing, facilities and services, contracts, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations.