Discrimination and Harassment

The Canadian Human Rights Act protects anyone living in Canada against discrimination by the following federally regulated employers or service providers :

• Federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations
• Chartered banks
• Airlines
• Television and radio stations
• Interprovincial communications and telephone companies
• Buses and railways that travel between provinces
• First Nations
• Other federally regulated industries, such as certain mining operations

For examples of private sector employers under federal jurisdiction, please see the list compiled by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

If none of the above apply, your complaint is likely not against a federally regulated employer or service provider and you cannot file a complaint under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Your complaint falls under provincial or territorial jurisdiction if it is against one of the following types of organizations:

• Retail and Hospitality businesses, such as a store, a restaurant, a hotel, etc.
• Hospitals or Health Care Providers
• Schools, colleges or universities
• Most manufacturers

The provinces and territories have similar laws forbidding discrimination in their own jurisdictions.