Board of Inquiry

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) investigates complaints of discrimination under the Human Rights Code. If a settlement is not reached, the Commissioners of the OHRC may decide to refer a complaint to the Board of Inquiry.

The Board of Inquiry (BOI) is an arm's length adjudicative agency, established under the Code, which makes final decisions on human rights complaints, subject only to appeal to the Divisional Court.

The BOI encourages parties to participate in voluntary mediation. If that is unsuccessful, the case is scheduled for a hearing before an adjudicator. At the hearing, the adjudicator determines whether a Code right of the complainant has been infringed or not, and the appropriate remedy.

The impartiality, quality and timeliness of BOI decisions are a critical component of the Ministry's core business of enforcing human rights legislation and preventing discrimination.