Ontario Human Rights Commission Service Guide

Resolving Human Rights Complaints

a. Introduction

The Human Rights Code requires the Commission to try to resolve human rights complaints. The Commission resolves complaints through mediation and conciliation. The Commission does not take sides in the complaint. When the complaint is served, parties in the complaint will be given a mediation date and a Fact-Finding Meeting date.

b. Answer to the Complaint

The respondent is asked to give an answer to the complaint within 30 calendar days. If the respondent provides an answer to the complaint, it will be shared with the complainant.

c. Mediation Services

The Commission offers free, voluntary, confidential and timely mediation services to parties in human rights complaints. Timely mediation is achieved by giving parties fixed mediation dates. The Commission provides mediation services by trained Commission mediators. If the parties reach a settlement at mediation, no further action is taken and the file is closed.

d. The Fact-Finding Meeting (FFM)

The Commission offers free, voluntary, confidential and timely mediation services to parties in human rights complaints. Timely mediation is achieved by giving parties fixed mediation dates. The Commission provides mediation services by trained Commission mediators. If the parties reach a settlement at mediation, no further action is taken and the file is closed.

The Fact-Finding Meeting is part of the investigation. The goal is to gather evidence and help the parties to resolve the complaint through conciliation. If there is still no resolution to the case, the Investigation Officer will have some additional time to finish the investigation and to give a “case analysis report” to the parties. The parties will then have an opportunity to make submissions to the case analysis report. The Commission will consider these when it makes its decision about whether to send the case on to the Human Rights Tribunal.

If you do not cooperate in the Fact-Finding meeting or do not produce the documents we ask for, the complaint may be dismissed or sent to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for a final decision.

If you need further information about any of these services, please visit our website at www.ohrc.on.ca. or contact an Inquiry Service Representative at the following number(s):

Local Telephone Inquiry: (416) 326-9511
Toll-Free Telephone Inquiry: 1-800-387-9080
TTY (Local): (416) 314-6526
TTY (Toll Free): 1-800-308-5561
Inquiries Email: info@ohrc.on.ca