ARTICLE · 13 OCTOBER 2017

British Columbia To Re-Establish Human Rights Commission

Harris & Company LLP

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On August 4, 2017, the newly-elected provincial government announced that it will re-establish the British Columbia Human Rights Commission.

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector

Richard E. K. Truman

On August 4, 2017, the newly-elected provincial government announced that it will re-establish the British Columbia Human Rights Commission. The province's previous Human Rights Commission was dismantled in 2002.

Generally speaking, human rights commissions are arms-length agencies of the government that seek to promote and enforce human rights by engaging in education, policy development, research and prevention. British Columbia's Human Rights Tribunal adjudicates human rights complaints but does not have a broad mandate to act in a proactive manner. Currently, British Columbia is the only province without a Human Rights Commission.

Parliamentary Secretary Ravi Kahlon will begin a consultation process to develop a new set of objectives for the Human Rights Commission. Consultations are expected to occur throughout the fall with legislation re-establishing the Human Rights Commission expected to be tabled sometime in 2018.

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