The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has been inspired and encouraged to see communities honour the legacies of Black people and celebrate Black joy. Indeed, experiences, histories, and identities differ among Black communities, but common to their experiences are talent, skill, dignity, and excellence, which reflect Black joy. 

As part of Human Rights First: Strategic Plan 2023-25, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is committed to work with other institutions to challenge and address the increase in hate expression and help ensure public institutions, individuals and groups know how to use the human rights system to respond to hate.

Over the past year, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has met with its Commissioners, partners, stakeholders, education officials, community organizations and the Ministry of Education on issues pertaining to anti-Black racism in all of Ontario’s publicly-funded education systems. 

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) understands that on January 24, 2023, Aurora’s Town Council held a session to hear from the community on plans put forward by Housing York for a five-storey emergency and transitional housing shelter at 14452 Yonge St.  The OHRC also understands that Council voted against referring the proposal to the next level, and instead opted for a public planning meeting to address some of the issues raised by the community.

The OHRC is aware and concerned about the increasing violence targeted at education officials for doing human rights work, adhering to the obligations set under the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) and implementing government policy.

On February 1, 2023, five Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers in British Columbia were charged with manslaughter and obstruction of justice in the 2017 death of Dale Culver, a member of Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan First Nations, and father of three children who was killed in custody. 

The OHRC is deeply saddened over the death of Tyre Nichols, who was killed by five Memphis police officers. We stand with communities who have voiced their sorrow, anger, and frustration over his death.

Ontario is facing a homelessness crisis that is leading to profound and devastating impacts on our communities. As the crisis continues into the winter season, the OHRC echoes concerns raised by local public health units, health care workers, faith leaders and advocates about the significant lack of cold weather services in Toronto, and across the province, for people experiencing homelessness.

Following the release of A Disparate Impact, Drs. Wortley and Laniyonu identified a coding error in which civilian race was incorrectly coded in the multivariate analysis. The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) retained Dr. Maria Jung to independently review the error.