The three-year grant will bolster the HRLSC’s Early Intervention and Mediation Services unit
The Law Foundation of Ontario has greenlit a three-year, $4.5 million grant for the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.
The grant will help the center to progress initiatives in line with its five-year strategic plan, particularly the Early Intervention and Mediation Services unit by which it develops and delivers legal services. Per the Law Foundation, the unit is a needed resource given the new mandatory mediation requirement for all Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario applications.
The 2024 Canadian Social Survey revealed that 36.9 percent of Canadians encountered discrimination, with 12.4 percent discriminated due to race or skin color; 11.1 percent due to physical appearance; and 9.7 percent due to ethnicity or culture.
The funds will broaden the HRLSC’s capacity to execute proactive outreach strategies geared towards equity-denied communities. Moreover, the grant facilitates the adoption of new technology to streamline the HRLSC’s process and enhance client access as well as create a new position to craft partnerships and diversify financing opportunities.
“Sector building is a pillar of The Law Foundation of Ontario’s strategic plan. This granting aligns with our priority to collaborate and build knowledge to strengthen the access to justice sector,” Law Foundation CEO Lisa Cirillo said in a statement. “The understanding and protection of human rights are fundamental to access to justice. We’re pleased to play a part in the HRLSC’s expanded capacity to respond to system changes and to the increasing demand for human rights-focused legal supports.”
The grant comes from the Law Foundation’s Strategic program, which recently partnered with the Black Opportunity Fund, the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, and Laidlaw Foundation.
The HRLSC caters to Ontarians who have faced discrimination over disability, race, sex, creed, ancestry, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation, among others, in violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code. The center reported that in the past six years, inquiries regarding its services have doubled.
