Posts Tagged ‘Ontario Human Rights Code’

Ontario Human Rights Tribunal awards $30,000 in compensation to several housing co‑op members

March 10th, 2016 by Shelina Ali

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal released an 87 page decision last week awarding the ten applicants, all members of a Scarborough housing co‑operative, $30,000 in compensation.   The applicants each brought applications against the housing co‑operative and its board of directors for failing to address harassing conduct towards the applicants by another member of the housing co‑operative. While the board members and co‑operative did not engage in the harassment, the Tribunal found that it was still liable for failing to address the conduct.

We are still awaiting the release of the decision, and will write more about the Tribunal’s findings once it’s available.  News coverage of the decision can be found here.

 

Service animals for mental health: An emerging issue in disability law

January 28th, 2016 by Katie Douglas

What to do with Peaches? In 2014, a woman moved in with her common‑law partner in Barrie, Ontario and, while aware that the condominium’s bylaws restricted owners from having dogs over 25 pounds, proceeded to move in with her 40‑pound retriever cross, Peaches. The property manager demanded that she remove the dog and the owner responded with a request for accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code, claiming that Peaches was a service dog who supported her with “stress and past abuse issues.” Ultimately, the court evicted Peaches, ruling that the owner had not provided sufficient information about her disability to establish that Peaches was a necessary accommodation.

This case highlights an emerging issue in disability law. Continue reading “Service animals for mental health: An emerging issue in disability law”

Are GTA Housing Co-ops unfairly impacted by changes in the Ontario Human Rights system?

December 14th, 2015 by Iler Campbell

Celia Chandler is in this issue of the GTA Co-op Network newsletter answering the question “GTA Housing Co-ops are complaining that they are unfairly impacted by changes in the Ontario Human Rights system. Do you think they have a case?”

 

Check it out here. Celia’s article is the last on the page. While you’re there, hit the subscribe button!

Ontario Human Rights Commission launches policy on preventing discrimination based on mental health disabilities and addictions

June 18th, 2014 by Celia Chandler

This morning the Human Rights Commission formally launched its “Policy on Preventing Discrimination based on Mental Health Disabilities and Addictions.”  The policy is the product of many years’ work and flows directly from the Commission report, “Minds That Matter:  Report on the consultation on human rights, mental health and addictions”, a report, released in 2012, that made 54 recommendations in the areas of government, housing employment and services.

Continue reading “Ontario Human Rights Commission launches policy on preventing discrimination based on mental health disabilities and addictions”

Competing human rights: Trinity Western law school controversy pits faith against equality

March 26th, 2014 by Shelina Ali

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC) released its report on Trinity Western University’s (TWU) proposed law school program in December 2013. The FLSC gave TWU’s law school preliminary approval despite serious concerns expressed by different sectors of the legal profession, including the Council of Canadian Law Deans, that the school’s Community Covenant Agreement, which requires TWU students and staff to agree not to engage in same‑sex sexual intimacy, discriminates against LGBTQ students.

FLSC’s approval has, unsurprisingly, led to strong and divergent opinions on the appropriate balancing of rights.

Read more on rabble.ca

REVISED: OHRC Webinar question and answer session on Human rights and the duty to accommodate

March 5th, 2014 by Iler Campbell

An event that may be of interest to our readers:

The Ontario Human Rights Commission invites you to a

“Talking about Human Rights” online event:

Webinar question and answer session on

Human rights and the duty to accommodate

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

  Continue reading “REVISED: OHRC Webinar question and answer session on Human rights and the duty to accommodate”