BC Human Rights Code Amended To Include "Gender Identity And Expression"

The BC Government has passed a bill (Bill 27 – 2016: Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2016) to add "gender identity and expression" as a prohibited ground of discrimination under the Human Rights Code. The amendment adds a prohibition against discrimination on the basis of "gender identity and expression" in addition to the existing grounds of "sex" and "sexual orientation".

The amendment will mean that individuals cannot be discriminated against because of their gender identity and expression in a variety of settings such as tenancy, services customarily available to the public, and employment. Employers may wish to review their policies (for instance, their dress code policies) to ensure they comply with the new law.