If you have a Human Rights Complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) you have less than 6 months to transition your Complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), or it will be dismissed!

As of February 1st, there will be less than 22 weeks to consider a transition. You are now faced with the possibility of not having your Complaint addressed at all!

Whether you filed your Human Rights Complaint 6 months or 6 years before the changes that occurred back on July 1, 2008, if you have not filed Application with the Tribunal by June 30, 2009 you will no longer be able to do so. Your Complaint with the Commission is in danger of being abandoned, as it will be closed.

You must now file Application to have your Complaint transitioned to the Tribunal if the Complaint was not withdrawn, settled, or finally dealt with by the Commission (OHRC). As of January 1st, 2009, the Ontario Human Rights Commission is no longer making decisions under the 'Code' regarding individual complaints.

New applications are now made directly to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

Just as with any changes introduced for the efficiency of a system, these current changes to Ontario's Human Rights System present Ontarians with numerous challenges as well as opportunities.
Claire Hanlon-Budziak
Human Rights Advisory
Services (HRAS)