Waterloo regional council approves amendment to prohibit discrimination

Waterloo Regional Council is updating a code of conduct bylaw to crack down on hate and discrimination.

The amendment to prohibit harassing or discriminatory behaviour will apply to all regional property, including transit services.

Anyone making discriminatory statements or gestures or holding signs carrying discriminatory messages could receive an offence notice and be forced to leave regional property.

The bylaw states harassment includes, but is not limited to “unwelcome conduct, comment, bullying, or actions that could reasonably cause offence or humiliation, including conduct, comment, bullying, or actions because of race, religious beliefs, colour, disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or housing status.”

The amendment came after a recommendation from the Coalition of Muslim Women of K-W. Representatives view this move as one more way to create an inclusive community.

“We are not seeing this as a be-all/end-all – as the final solution. But certainly this is one tool in that work,” Sarah Shafiq, the coalition’s director of advocacy, research, and outreach. “This is one strategy, one tool in that tool kit to counter discrimination and harassment. Work needs to be done at the individual level, at the systems level, and all of that needs to be done together.”

“This is not specifically for Islamophobia or any one particular community. Our work is for the marginalized community generally. So we are already connected and we will remain in touch with other communities to do this work,” Shafiq said.

The bylaw will come into effect in January 2024.

Regional staff will now work on an implementation plan including training and communication.