Goods, services and facilities

March 5, 2026IntroductionThe Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) welcomes the opportunity to offer this submission on a proposed regulation under the Education Act, which would govern requirements on school boards to provide local police services with access to school premises, permit local police services to access and participate in school programs, and implement school resource officer programs. This regulation allows police services to implement programs for students as young as three years old, without approval from a school board.

January 19, 2026

In a recent submission to the Ministry of Education, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) reiterated its call for an evidence-based approach to the routine presence of police in Ontario’s schools. In its submission to the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, the OHRC also highlights that colleges and universities admissions should uphold the principles of substantive equality.

TORONTO – Today, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), and the Indigenous Human Rights Program (a partnership between Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC)) released a guide and two fact sheets, to address anti-Indigenous discrimination and harassment in retail. These resources provide practical human rights information to retailers and Indigenous people (shoppers or retail staff members) on recognizing, preventing, and remedying anti-Indigenous discrimination and harassment in retail settings.

Twenty years ago, on June 13, 2005, the AODA took effect after all parties of the Legislature unanimously passed this ground breaking law. This landmark legislation set 2025 as the target year for achieving accessibility in Ontario. Although there has been much progress, in the targeted year, that goal is largely unmet.

Today, the OHRC made a submission to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy on Bill 194, the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, to call for embedding human rights principles in the public sector’s use of artificial intelligence.

Please see description below.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission on the proposed Adequate and Effective (General) Regulation (the Regulation) under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA).

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.

Igi gaa-anokiiwaad imaa Ontario Awiyag Gaa-inendaagoziwaad Ji-Dagwiiwaad Izhichigewining aapiji maanendamoog owe e-gii-mikigaadegin okanan 171 anishinaabensag e-gii-ningo’indwaa imaa, anishinaabewakiing Wazhashkonigamiing gete-gikino’amaadiiwigamigong imaa Kenora, Ontario.