Resources

Ontario occupational health and safety (OHSA) law addresses violence and harassment connected to work and workers. Member-to-member conduct in residential/common spaces may instead engage co-op bylaws, the Human Rights Code, criminal law, municipal rules, or other processes. Not every co-op conflict is an OHSA matter.

• Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development: Main Ontario workplace-law and safety portal.
• Workplace violence and harassment – information for workers and employers: The best plain-language starting page for what to do, work refusal limits, reporting and outside support.
• Understanding the law on workplace violence and harassment (PDF version): Detailed guide to roles, risk assessments, domestic violence, reporting, policies and programs. It includes sample workplace violence and harassment policies.
• Code of Practice to Address Workplace Harassment (PDF version): Practical compliance guide with a sample policy, program and investigation plan.
• New Workplace Violence Risk Assessment Tool: Free, self-serve Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) assessment for Ontario employers. It guides users through workplace, work-type and working-condition risks, then generates a completed assessment report and action plan.
• Workplace harassment investigations: Ontario guidance on the employer’s duty to conduct an appropriate investigation and communicate results.
• Reprisals against workers: What workers can do if punished for exercising health-and-safety rights; includes free support options for non-unionized workers.
• Right to refuse unsafe work: General Ontario process and limitations.
• Required workplace posters: Current posting/distribution requirements and downloadable posters.
• Health and safety for small businesses: Helpful for smaller co-op employers.
• Ministry Health and Safety Contact Centre: 1-877-202-0008; 24/7 emergencies, critical injuries and work refusals reporting.

Housing co-operatives must follow human rights laws and treat all members equally and without discrimination.

• Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC): Official overview of protected grounds and social areas, including employment and housing.
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) application and hearing process: Current process, timelines, mediation and hearings.
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) forms and filing: Current SmartForms and PDFs.
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) Guide to Mediation: Plain-language explanation of tribunal mediation.
• Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC): Free legal help for people who may have experienced discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC); 1-866-625-5179.
• Completing and Filing a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) Application (PDF): Step-by-step Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) guide.
• Preparing for Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) mediation: Current Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) guide, including mandatory mediation for applications filed after June 1, 2025 when a response is filed.
• Human rights and rental housing (PDF version): Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) policy that expressly covers co-op housing, discrimination, harassment, accommodation and competing needs.
• Co-op housing and human rights: Shorter co-op-specific section explaining that the Code has primacy over conflicting co-op bylaws.
• Disability, ableism and accommodation: Guidance for employers and housing providers on disability-related barriers, confidentiality and accommodation.
• Competing human rights (PDF version): A three-stage framework and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) model for situations where protected rights appear to conflict.
• Sexual and gender-based harassment: Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) policy summary and downloadable fact sheet.
• Racism and racial discrimination: Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) policy plus shorter brochure.
• Human Rights and Rental Housing in Ontario – self-advocacy toolkit (PDF version): Practical Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) guide covering harassment, accommodation, evidence, letters and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO).
• Harassment and discrimination in housing: Short, accessible Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) resource with examples and help contacts.

NOTE: Harassment does not automatically qualify for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits. Eligibility is fact-specific and normally requires a diagnosed mental-stress injury caused predominantly by qualifying work-related stressors or traumatic events.

• Work-related mental stress injuries: How Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) mental-stress claims work, what information is needed and how to access assessment/treatment.
• Chronic Mental Stress policy: Current operational policy, including harassment and other substantial work-related stressors.
• Mental health program of care: Assessment and treatment information for people with eligible Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims.
• Reporting an injury or illness: Current reporting routes for workers and employers.
• Return-to-work responsibilities: Employer and worker duties, contact and planning guidance.
• Office of the Worker Adviser (OWA): Free, confidential advice, education and representation for eligible non-unionized workers in Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and health-and-safety reprisal matters.
• Mental Injury Toolkit: Ontario-focused worker action guide on workplace stress, bullying/harassment, violence, legal frameworks and possible actions.

• Mental health in the workplace: Ontario hub linking publicly funded health-and-safety system resources.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario – Find Help: Provincial and local CMHA branches, crisis and mental-health information.
• Guarding Minds at Work: Free Canadian assessment, planning and workshop tools for psychological health and safety, including civility, respect, inclusion, stress and trauma.
• Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: Free practical resources for leaders, employees and organizations, including conflict, accommodation and psychologically safe interactions.
• Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) StressAssess: Anonymous organizational and individual tools for assessing workplace psychosocial hazards.
• 211 Ontario: Call or text 211 for confidential navigation to local social, housing, legal, food, crisis and community services.
• ConnexOntario: Free, confidential, 24/7 navigation to Ontario mental-health, addiction and problem-gambling services; call 1-866-531-2600 or use chat/text.

Mediation is voluntary and works best when participants can negotiate safely and in good faith. Mediation is not a substitute for emergency response, investigation, accomodation, a human-rights process or occupational-safety duties. Situations of violence, threats, coercive control, severe power imbalance, active crisis and required legal/disciplinary processes are not safe conditions for mediation.

• Ontario Community Mediation Coalition (OCMC): Province-wide network and standards body. Its member list links services in Durham, Halton, Waterloo Region, Ottawa, Mississauga and Toronto.
• The Neighbourhood Group Community Mediation: Free, voluntary and confidential mediation across Toronto for neighbour, roommate, landlord/tenant and community disputes.
• Community Conflict Resolution Ottawa (CCRO): Mediation, conflict coaching, facilitation and workshops for individuals, groups and non-profits in Ottawa.
• Community Justice Initiatives: Mediation and restorative services in Waterloo Region.
• York Region Community Mediation Services: Neighbour, roommate, landlord/tenant, property-management and community disputes. Brochure (PDF)
• Community Conflict Resolution Services of Halton: Free mediation and conflict-resolution support for Halton residents.
• Dixie Bloor conflict resolution: Community mediation in Mississauga.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (ADRIO) directory: Find an accredited/private mediator, investigator, facilitator or conflict coach across Ontario when a free local program is unavailable or outside scope.
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) co-op conflict series – Mediation Services (PDF): Co-op-specific guidance on when and how to use mediation.

• Co-operative identity, values and seven principles: Authoritative International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) statement.
• Getting Our Co-op Principles Right (PDF): Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) 2025 housing co-op guide connecting principles to governance, member engagement and community care.
• Ontario Co-operative Association governance resources: Board training, seven principles, effective meetings and officer roles.
• Ontario Co-operative Housing Federation (OCHF): Regional federation contacts and sector resources.
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) conflict-resolution resource hub: Co-op-specific series for members, boards and staff.
• From Conflict to Co-operation: Five-booklet international co-op series on conflict, communication, meetings, organizational growth and board roles.
• Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act: Official current law.
• Co-operative Housing Information: Plain-language member rights, responsibilities, conflict and complaint routes; Toronto-focused but useful background.
• Board governance guidebook: Free Ontario not-for-profit governance material covering policy, meetings and conflict.

• Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR): Ontario-based housing human-rights education, training, research and renter support.
• Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO): Housing justice, human rights, education and law reform for low-income Ontarians.
• Legal Aid Ontario clinic finder: Local community legal clinics may help eligible low-income people with housing, employment, human rights and workers’ compensation.
• Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) / Steps to Justice: Plain-language Ontario legal information and guided next steps.
• Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS): Indigenous-led housing, cultural safety and community-focused resources.
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC): Urban Indigenous community services and local centres.
• Ontario Anti-Racism Strategic Plan: Current provincial anti-racism framework and related initiatives.
• Accessible workplaces: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) employment requirements for businesses and non-profits.
• Inclusive design toolkit: Practical Ontario tools for inclusive services and communications.
• Eradicate Hate Toolkit (PDF): Ontario community toolkit with active-bystander and online-hate material.

• Federal harassment and violence awareness posters: Four 11” posters plus social-media images. The source page explicitly says they may be downloaded, printed, displayed and shared.
• Violence, Aggression and Responsive Behaviours toolkits: Ontario-developed risk assessment, incident reporting, investigation, emergency response and other customizable tools. Designed for health/community care, so adapt only after checking fit for co-op housing.
• Community Care – tool to reduce workplace hazards: Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA) workplace-violence and other hazard resources relevant to staff entering homes or working in community settings.
• Make It Our Business: Ontario workplace domestic-violence policies, safety plans, threat/risk guidance and training. Check out the Safety and support PDF and the Workplace audit checklist PDF.
• Leading With Respect (PDF): Ontario municipal-sector handguide with civility, de-escalation and the 5Ds of bystander intervention; useful as a model, though not co-op-specific.

These resources are provided as related models, not as formal WE STAND partners.

• Make It Our Business (Ontario): Sector-wide workplace domestic-violence initiative combining policy, training, practical tools and a workplace-champion model.
• Neighbours, Friends and Families (Ontario): Public-education campaign helping bystanders recognize warning signs and respond safely to gender-based violence.
• Workplace Violence: A five-step prevention program and implementation toolkits from Ontario’s Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA).
• Guarding Minds at Work (Canada): Assessment-to-action model for psychological health and safety.
• Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC) – Conflict Resolution: Co-op-facing landing page that routes members, boards and staff to a coherent conflict series and external mediation.
• Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC) – Belonging: Housing co-op learning on power, privilege, unconscious bias and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion.
• Cooperative Housing International – From Conflict to Co-operation: International co-op education series with strong topic sequencing.
• Ontario police-sector Respectful Workplaces Working Group: Example of a sector-wide coalition creating shared best practices, accountability and cultural change. Best-practices PDF.