COVID-19 AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Visit the COVID-19 and human rights page for information on general principles, maintaining best practices, vaccines, and mask-wearing in Alberta.

The Commission has not published or posted any online graphics or posters about mask-wearing.

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COMMISSION OFFICES
 
The Commission remains open. In order to comply with social distancing recommendations, there are no in-person services. See Contact Us for specific details on contacting the Commission.
 
The Commission will continue to monitor the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) situation closely.

CAREER OPPORTUNITY: WEBSITE PROJECT COORDINATOR
The Commission is seeking to fill a temporary Website Project Coordinator role within the organization. The Website Project Coordinator will lead the development of a new website from the conceptual stage through implementation and evaluation. It is an exciting project that modernizes the Commission's website with a new, accessible, and mobile-friendly interface, and re-tooled content. The job posting closes on June 30, 2021.
COMMISSION LAUNCHES INDIGENOUS HUMAN RIGHTS STRATEGY
The Alberta Human Rights Commission has a long history of engagement with and commitment to Indigenous Peoples in Alberta. In advancing this work, the Commission has developed, with community feedback, its Indigenous Human Rights Strategy to address and reduce systemic discrimination against Indigenous people; ensure its programs, services, and operations are accessible, meaningful, responsive, and culturally relevant to Indigenous people; and to strengthen and expand relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations. An Indigenous Advisory Circle will support and inform the Strategy's implementation.
CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR INDIGENOUS ADVISORY CIRCLE MEMBERSHIP
As part of the Indigenous Human Rights Strategy, the Commission is putting out a call for Expressions of Interest for members of an Indigenous Advisory Circle. The Circle will be made up of leaders, elders and knowledge keepers, and experts from across the province who will help the Commission navigate this work in a thoughtful and respectful way. Circle members will provide advice on innovative and effective strategies to reduce barriers, strengthen relationships, increase participation, and address systemic issues. The Commission is now accepting applications untli July 31, 2021.
COMMISSION NEWSLETTER
Read the June 21, 2021 regular issue of the Commission newsletter.
REVISED HUMAN RIGHTS GUIDES
The Commission has revised three of its human rights guides: 1) Duty to accommodate, 2) Duty to accommodate students with disabilities in post-secondary educational institutions, and 3) Defences to human rights complaints (formerly titled, When is discrimination not a contravention of the law?). Human rights guides offer a comprehensive discussion of important human rights topics. They cite case law, provide descriptions of legal principles drawn from the case law, and offer practical information. The revised guides reflect the 2015 and 2018 amendments to the Alberta Human Rights Act, current case law, and Commission policies and guidelines at the time of updating.
2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE
The Commission's 2019-20 Annual Report is now available for viewing.
NEW BYLAWS
On December 1, 2020, new bylaws for the Commission were approved. The bylaws are available here.
CONDEMNING RACISM IN ALBERTA
Read a message from the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
CHIEF'S MESSAGE ON RAISING OUR VOICES AGAINST ANTI-BLACK RACISM
Read a message from the Chief of the Commission and Tribunals.
REVISIONS TO THE TRIBUNAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION (TDR) PROCESS
To help further the Commission's efforts to continually improve our service provision and find efficiencies, the Tribunal Office is making changes to the scheduling process for Tribunal Dispute Resolution (TDR).
For any TDR scheduled after May 19, 2020, the Tribunal Office will schedule a date for the full-day TDR and provide that date to the parties six weeks in advance. If a party has a scheduling conflict, they have five business days to make a request to reschedule the TDR. In their request, the party must provide alternate dates that fall within 45 days of the scheduled TDR date. Any request to reschedule made more than five business after receiving the date will not be granted, unless there are exceptional circumstances (for example, an illness).
Read more about TDRs here.
CHIEF'S MESSAGE ON COUNTERING RACISM DURING COVID-19
Read a message from the Chief of the Commission and Tribunals.
 

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ABOUT THE COMMISSION
The Alberta Human Rights Commission is an independent commission of the Government of Alberta. Our mandate is to foster equality and reduce discrimination. We provide public information and education programs, and help Albertans resolve human rights complaints.

The Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund has provided funding for this website.

Revised: June 21, 2021


Our vision is a vibrant and inclusive Alberta where the rich diversity of people is celebrated and respected, and where everyone has the opportunity to fully participate in society, free from discrimination.