Canada

Abstract

Legal protections against discrimination began to emerge in the post-World War II era in Canada, with specific legislative enactments prohibiting exclusions based on race, sex, national or ethnic origin and religion in employment, housing and access to public services. More expansive and comprehensive statutory protections were introduced in the 1960s and 1970s in provinces and territories across Canada and at the federal level. Constitutional protections for equality and non-discrimination were entrenched in the 1980s and the Supreme Court of Canada has repeatedly affirmed a substantive approach to equality in its constitutional rulings. In addition, Canada has ratified numerous international human rights conventions. Thus, the most pressing challenge today is ensuring a broad and robust interpretation of these legal protections, and securing their effective enforcement.

Appendix

Federal—Canadian Human Rights Act, RSC 1985, c H-6
Protected grounds	Race—National or ethnic origin—Colour—Religion—Age—Sex—Sexual orientation—Marital status—Family status—Disability—Conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered—Gender identity or expression
Protected areas	Denial of good, service, facility or accommodation (s.5)—Denial of commercial premises or residential accommodation (s.6)—Employment (s.7, 8, 9, 10)—Equal wages (s. 11)—Publication of discriminatory notices, etc. (s.12)—Harassment (s.14)
Ontario—Human Rights Code, RSO 1990, c H.19
Protected grounds	Age—Ancestry, colour, race—Citizenship—Ethnic origin—Place of origin—Creed—Disability—Family status—Marital status (including single status)—Gender identity, gender expression—Receipt of public assistance (in housing only)—Record of offences (in employment only)—Sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding)—Sexual orientation
Protected areas	Services (s.1)—Accommodation (s.2)—Contracts (s.3)—Employment (s.5)—Vocational association (s.6)—Sexual harassment (s.7)
Quebec—Charter of human rights and freedoms, CQLR c C-12
Protected grounds	Race—Colour—Sex—Pregnancy—Sexual orientation—Civil status—Age except as provided by law—Religion—Political convictions—Language—Ethnic or national origin—Social condition—A handicap or the use of any means to palliate a handicap
Protected areas	Harassment (s. 10.1)—Notice, symbol or sign (s. 11)—Juridical act (s.12, s.13)—Access to public space (s.15)—Employment (s.16, 18, 18.1, 18.2—criminal offence)—Discriminatory association (s.17)
British Columbia—Human Rights Code, RSBC 1996, c 210
Protected grounds	Race—Colour—Ancestry—Place of origin—Religion—Marital status—Family status (except in purchase of property)—Physical or mental disability—Sex—Sexual orientation—Age—Criminal conviction (only in employment and membership in a union or occupational association)—Political belief (only in employment, employment advertisements, and membership in a union or occupational association)—Source of income (only in tenancy)
Protected areas	Publication (s.7)—Accommodation, service and facility (s.8)—Purchase of property (s.9)—Tenancy premises (s.10)—Employment advertisements (s.11)—Wages (s.12)—Employment (s.13)—/unions and associations (s.14)
Alberta—Alberta Human Rights Act, RSA 2000, c A-25.5
Protected grounds	Race—Religious beliefs—Colour—Gender—Physical disability—Mental disability—Ancestry—Age (except in tenancy and goods, services, accommodation)—Place of origin—Place of birth—Marital status—Source of income—Family status—Sexual orientation
Protected areas	Publications, notices (s.3)—Goods, services, accommodation, facilities (s.4)—Tenancy (s.5)—Employment practices (s.7)—Applications and advertisements re employment (s.8)—Membership in trade union, etc. (s.9)
Manitoba—The Human Rights Code, CCSM c H175
Protected grounds	Ancestry, including colour and perceived race—Nationality or national origin—Ethnic background or origin—Religion or creed, or religious belief, religious association or religious activity—Age Sex—Gender identity—Sexual orientation—Marital or family status—Source of income—Political belief, political association or political activity—Physical or mental disability—Social disadvantage
Protected areas	Service, accommodation, etc. (s.13)—Employment (s.14)—Contracts (s.15)—Rental of premises (s.16)—Purchase of real property (s.17)—Signs and statements (s.18)—Discriminatory Harassment (s.19)—Discriminatory reprisals (s.20)
Saskatchewan—The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, SS 1979, c S-24.1
Protected grounds	Sexual orientation—Ancestry—Colour—Race—Nationality—Place of origin—Receipt of public assistance—Disability—Age—Religion—Family status—Marital status—Sex—Gender identity
Protected areas	Occupation (s.9)—Purchase of property (s.10)—Occupancy of commercial unit or housing accommodation (s.11)—Places to which public admitted (s.12)—Education (s.13)—Publications (s.14)—Contracts (s.15)—Employment (s.16–19)
New Brunswick—Human Rights Act, RSNB 2011, c 171
Protected grounds	Race—Colour—National origin—Place of origin—Ancestry—Religion—Age—Marital status Sex—Sexual orientation—Physical or mental disability—Social condition—Political belief or activity
Protected areas	Employment (s.4)—Housing and sale of property (s.5)—Accommodation and services (s.6)—Notices or signs (s.7)—Professional, business or trade association (s.8)—Sexual harassment (s.10)
Nova Scotia—Human Rights Act, RSNS 1989, c 214
Protected grounds	Age—Race—Colour—Religion—Creed—Ethnic, national or aboriginal origin—Sex—Sexual orientation—Disability—Family status—Marital status—Source of income—Irrational fear of contracting an illness or disease—Association with protected groups or individuals—Political belief, affiliation or activity—Gender Identity/Gender Expression
Protected areas	(s.5(1)) Provision of or access to services or facilities—Accommodation—Purchase or sale of property—Employment—Volunteer public service—Publication, broadcast or advertisement—Membership in a professional association or organization—Harassment (s.5(2) and (3))—Publication (s.7)—Employment (s.8)
Prince Edward Island—Human Rights Act, RSPEI 1988, c H-12
Protected grounds	Age—Colour, Race, Ethnic or National Origin—Criminal Conviction—Family or Marital Status—Gender Identity—Political Belief—Sexual Orientation—Association (with an individual or group of individuals who is protected under the Act)—Creed or Religion—Disability—Gender Expression—Sex or Gender—Source of Income
Protected areas	Accommodation (s.2)—Occupancy rights (s.3)—Property sales (s.4)—Employment (s.6, 7)—Association (s.8, 9)—Public functions and organizations (s.10)—Advertising (s.12)
Newfoundland—Human Rights Act, 2010, SNL 2010, c H-13.1
Protected grounds	Race—Colour—Nationality—Ethnic origin—Social origin—Religious creed—Religion—Age—Disability—Disfigurement—Sex—Sexual orientation—Marital status—Family status—Source of income—Political opinion
Protected areas	Goods, services, accommodation, and facilities (s.11)—Right to occupy commercial and dwelling units (s.12)—Harassment of occupant prohibited (s.13)—Employment (s.14, 15)—Harassment (s.17,18)—Publications (s. 19)—Contracts (s.21)
Northwest Territories—Human Rights Act, SNWT 2002, c 18
Protected grounds	Race, Colour, Ancestry, Place of Origin, Ethnic Origin, Nationality—Religion or Creed—Age –Disability—Sex—Sexual orientation—Gender identity—Marital Status—Family Status—Family affiliation—Political belief, political association—Social condition—Pardoned criminal conviction or record suspension
Protected areas	Employment (s.7, 9)—Organizations (s.10)—Goods, services, accommodation and facilities (s.11)—Tenancy (s.12)—Publications (s.13)—Harassment (s.14)
Yukon—Human Rights Act, RSY 2002, c 116
Protected grounds	Ancestry, including colour and race—National origin—Ethnic or linguistic background/origin—Religion or creed—Age—Sex—Sexual orientation—Disability—Criminal charges or criminal record Political belief, association, or activity—Marital or family status—Source of income—Actual or presumed association with any of the grounds listed above
Protected areas	Goods and services (s.9a)—Employment, and any aspect of employment (s.9b,c)—Housing, leasing or renting (s. 9d)—Public Contracts (s.9e)—Harassment (s.14)
Nunavut—Human Rights Act, Snu 2003, c 12
Protected grounds	Race—Colour—Ancestry—Ethnic origin—Citizenship—Place of origin—Religion—Creed—Age—Disability—Sex—Sexual orientation—Marital and family status—Pregnancy—Lawful source of income—A conviction for which a pardon has been granted
Protected areas	Harassment (s.7(6))—Employment (s.9)—Organizations and associations (s.11)—Goods, services, facilities, contracts (s.12)—Tenancy (s.13)—Publications (s.14)