Equity plans have the same objective as the complaint system – a society in which every person is free and equal in dignity and rights. For this reason, nothing done to achieve the purposes of an equity plan is a violation of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.
Section 55 of the Code gives the SHRC authority to approve equity plans under certain circumstances. Programs must:
- be designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate disadvantages that are related to one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination: age, religion or religious creed, marital status, family status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, colour, ancestry, nationality, place of origin, race or perceived race, and receipt of public assistance.
- operate in the areas of employment, education, housing or public services
Section 55 gives the Commission the authority to monitor the progress of plans, and to vary or withdraw SHRC approval.