Ontario’s New Human Rights Enforcement Regime Comes into Force

On June 30, 2008, Ontario’s new human rights enforcement regime comes into force. Bill 107, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Code, transforms how human rights are enforced in the province. The new direct access reformed human rights system will consist of three pillars: the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the new Human Rights Legal Support Centre. The Bill significantly changes the existing roles of the Commission and Tribunal to introduce a "direct access" model of enforcement.

This Human Rights Update provides a series of practical and strategic guides that Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre Cornish LLP has prepared to assist parties in navigating the new human rights regime. Part I provides an overview of the key changes implemented by Bill 107 (see below); Part II reviews the new Tribunal Rules that apply to new applications filed with the Tribunal beginning on 30 June 2008 (see below) and Part III reviews the Rules that apply to existing complaints that are transferred from the Commission to the Tribunal after June 30, 2008 (see below).

Part IV (forthcoming) will provide an analysis of strategic consideration that are of particular interest to trade unions.

The series was put together by Mary Cornish, Fay Faraday and Jo-Anne Pickel