On August 17, 2026, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) announced updates to its Rules of Procedure, Practice Directions, Forms and operational processes. These changes apply to all HRTO applications, including those previously filed.

Key changes outlined by the HRTO include:

  • Updates to the jurisdictional review process under Rule 13, including reducing the deadline for applicants to respond to Notices of Intent to Dismiss from 30 days to 28 days. The HRTO may also review applications for jurisdiction at any stage of a proceeding;
  • Permitting the assignment of a different adjudicator to consider requests for reconsideration under Rule 26;
  • Providing further clarification on circumstances in which an application may not proceed to mandatory mediation; and
  • Changes to the withdrawal process of applications process under Rule 10.

To help individuals seeking legal advice and support from the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC), we have updated key resources in our How-to Guides. The updated guides are available on the How-to Guides landing page.

The changes affect several key stages of the human rights application process at the HRTO and are reflected in updates to the following guides:

The HRLSC will continue to monitor these developments and provide additional information and resources as they become available.