Bullying, harassment and discrimination at work in BC and Ontario

Nobody should be insulted, threatened, or pushed around at work. This includes your first job, a part-time job, or a job you just started. In BC and Ontario, the law says your employer must deal with bullying and harassment.

Two kinds of law can help:

• Health and safety law covers bullying and harassment of any kind.
• Human rights law covers discrimination and harassment linked to who you are, such as your race, religion, sex, or disability.

We checked these facts on October 12, 2026. Follow the links for the latest details. Federally regulated employers, such as banks and airlines, follow federal laws instead (federally regulated industries). If you are in danger, call 911.

What counts as bullying and harassment

In BC, bullying and harassment is behaviour that the person knew, or should have known, would humiliate or intimidate you (WorkSafeBC). Examples include:

• Yelling, insults, or calling you names
• Harmful hazing (cruel "initiation" of new workers)
• Damaging your belongings
• Spreading malicious rumours

In Ontario, workplace harassment is hurtful comments or actions against a worker, usually repeated, that the person knew, or should have known, were unwelcome. This includes harassment done virtually, through phones, messages, or online tools (Ontario harassment law).

Sexual harassment. In Ontario, workplace sexual harassment means unwelcome comments or conduct because of your sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. It also includes a sexual advance from someone who can give or deny you a benefit, such as a shift or a promotion. One such advance can be enough.

What is not harassment. In both provinces, reasonable actions to manage and direct workers are not harassment. Ontario gives examples: scheduling, work assignments, evaluations, and discipline, as long as they are done reasonably and fairly. In Ontario, small disagreements between coworkers usually don't count either.

When it is also discrimination

Discrimination is unfair treatment, including harassment, because of a protected characteristic. In BC, sexual harassment is recognized as discrimination based on sex (BC Human Rights Commissioner).

• BC protects you at work based on: Indigenous identity, race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and a criminal conviction that has nothing to do with the job (Human Rights Code, section 13).
• Ontario's grounds include: age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed (religion), disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, record of offences, sex, and sexual orientation (Ontario Human Rights Commission).

For newcomers, this means you can't be harassed or treated unfairly because of your place of origin. In Ontario, citizenship is protected too.

What your employer must do

BC. WorkSafeBC policy says employers must take reasonable steps to prevent bullying and harassment, or keep it to a minimum (WorkSafeBC policy P2-21-2). This includes:

• A policy statement that bullying and harassment are not acceptable
• A way to report it, including when the bully is your supervisor or your employer
• Steps for investigating reports and following up
• Telling all workers about the policy, and training workers and supervisors
• Reviewing the policy and procedures every year
• Not bullying or harassing workers themselves

Ontario. Every employer must have a workplace harassment policy and review it at least once a year. If 6 or more workers regularly work there, the policy must be in writing and posted where workers can see it, or shared electronically (Ontario harassment law). The employer must also:

• Have a written program that explains how to report (including another person to report to if your supervisor or employer is the harasser), how complaints are investigated, and how information is kept confidential
• Make sure an investigation that fits the situation is done
• Tell you in writing what the investigation found and what is being done about it
• Give workers information and instruction about the policy and program

How to report it

1. Write it down. Note the date, time, place, what was said or done, and who saw it. Save texts, emails, and screenshots.
2. Use your employer's process. Report to your supervisor or the person named in the policy. If your supervisor is the problem, use the other contact.
3. Contact your province if your employer doesn't act.

BC. If your employer has not taken reasonable steps, call WorkSafeBC's Prevention Information Line at 604-276-3100 or 1-888-621-7233 (phone numbers). You can speak with a prevention officer. If the problem continues, you can fill out WorkSafeBC's Bullying and Harassment Questionnaire (WorkSafeBC).

Ontario. You can file a complaint with Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development if your employer didn't make sure a proper investigation was done, has no harassment policy or program, or gave no training. Call 1-877-202-0008 or file online (filing a complaint). Inspectors check what the employer is doing. They don't mediate, decide whether harassment happened, or order money for you.

In a union job, you can also talk to your union about a grievance.

Protection from punishment. In Ontario, your employer can't punish you for reporting harassment (Ontario harassment law). In BC, your employer can't punish you for raising a health and safety concern (prohibited action). BC's human rights law also protects you from retaliation for making a human rights complaint (BC Human Rights Tribunal guide).

In Ontario, you can't use a work refusal for harassment. You can for workplace violence. See How to refuse unsafe work.

Human rights complaints have a one-year deadline

If you were harassed or treated unfairly because of a protected characteristic, you can file a human rights complaint. It is free to get advice first (see below).

• BC: File with the BC Human Rights Tribunal within one year of what happened. If it kept happening, file within one year of the last incident. The Tribunal can accept a late complaint only in limited cases (time limit).
• Ontario: File an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario within one year of the discrimination, or of the most recent incident in a series. The Tribunal generally accepts a late application only in an exceptional situation, such as being in hospital with a serious medical condition (Applicant's Guide).

Don't wait for your employer's investigation to finish before you check your deadline.

Free help

The BC Human Rights Clinic offers free 30-minute appointments with a human rights lawyer or legal advocate. The Human Rights Legal Support Centre gives free help with filing an application, and can represent you at mediation and hearings (Applicant's Guide). In Ontario, complaints about being punished for using your health and safety rights go to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (reprisals).

Harassment can be very stressful. Talk to someone you trust, and take care of your health.

Next steps

• Know your basic rights: Your rights at work in BC and Your rights at work in Ontario
• New to Canada? Read Your first job in Canada as a newcomer and Canadian workplace basics
• Thinking of leaving? Read Quitting or being let go
• Find a new job in Metro Vancouver or the Greater Toronto Area