Human rights and the city: A case of Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Human rights are inalienable rights we each possess by virtue of being human. In Canada, Ontario has been at the forefront of progressive human rights policies. Despite this, human rights complaints related to land use regulations have been on the rise. This study pursues three questions: Why are human rights challenges against land-use regulations increasing? What human rights challenges do Ontario municipalities face? and how do they respond? We conclude that despite significant advancements on the human rights front, Ontario municipalities struggle to understand fully their legal and moral obligations and have yet to catch up with new judicial interpretations.