Creating a culture of human rights is aligned with the WRDSB Strategic Plan. It guides us in building a school system where all students are provided with the opportunities to access their chosen pathway in learning and life.

The 2024-25 Human Rights Branch (HRB) Annual Report outlines the work of the department in building a culture of human rights at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). The report provides a summary of all relevant activities within the jurisdiction of the HRB during the reporting period from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025.

The work of the Human Rights Branch focuses on four key areas:

Accessibility Portfolio

Human Rights Complaint Resolution

Human Rights Education

Strategic Leadership

About the Human Rights Branch

The Human Rights Branch addresses matters specific to the Human Rights Code (“the Code”) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The Code prohibits discrimination and harassment in services and employment based on 17 grounds:

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Colour
  • Race
  • Citizenship
  • Ethnic origin
  • Place of origin
  • Creed
  • Disability
  • Family status
  • Marital status (including single status)
  • Gender identity
  • Gender expression
  • Sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding)
  • Sexual orientation
  • Record of Offences (employment)
  • Receipt of public assistance (housing)

The Human Rights Branch works with objectivity and independence from other system structures for the purpose of addressing matters specific to the Code including Code-related harassment and discrimination complaints.

The AODA recognizes the history of discrimination against people with disabilities. It seeks to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards. These standards provide access to goods, services, and facilities without discrimination. The Human Rights Branch supports the WRDSB in fulfilling its responsibility under the AODA. This means ensuring equitable access to its buildings, programs and services for all in the WRDSB community including:

  • Students
  • Employees
  • Parents, families and caregivers
  • Members of the public

Background and Mandate

Since January 2020, with the financial support of the Equity Secretariat at the Ministry of Education, there has been a Human Rights Branch at the WRDSB. Led by the Human Rights and Equity Advisor (HREA), the HRB’s mandate includes:

Building and Maintaining a Culture of Respect for Human Rights

The HREA:

  • Supports the WRDSB to identify and address systemically-based human rights and equity issues
  • Builds the WRDSB’s capacity to ensure compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code

The HREA does this through:

  • Leadership
  • Education and training
  • Relationship-building
  • Participating in system-level decision-making

Supporting the Resolution of Human Rights Complaints

The HREA:

  • Oversees the Board’s internal human rights complaints resolution procedures:
    • AP 1210 Code-Based Human Rights Complaint Resolution Process for Staff
    • AP 1215 Code-Based Human Rights Complaint Resolution Process for Non-Staff

The HREA does this by using their expertise and proven experience in:

  • Human rights investigations
  • Complaint resolution
  • Restorative justice

Supporting Accessibility Work at the WRDSB

  • Developing, reviewing and updating policies, procedures, and/or guidelines to ensure compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
  • Support the WRDSB Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP) and other WRDSB initiatives related to the rights of persons with disabilities

Human Rights Branch Staff

The HRB was comprised of four positions during the 2024-2025 reporting year:

  • Human Rights and Equity Advisor (full-time)
  • Human Rights Officer Accessibility (full-time)
  • Human Rights Resolution Officer (full-time)
  • Administrative Assistant (part-time)