The Law Commission of Ontario\u2019s (LCO) multiyear project on AI Regulation and Human Rights brings together policymakers, legal professionals, technologists, NGOs, academics, and community members to examine the development, regulation, and impact of artificial intelligence (AI), automated decision-making (ADM), and algorithms on access to justice, human rights, and procedural fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project responds to the rapid adoption of these technologies by governments and industry worldwide, where AI and ADM increasingly shape decisions on liberty, benefits, compliance, and access to services. Their use has raised concerns about harmful bias, data discrimination, \u201cblack box\u201d systems, and lack of public input, transparency, disclosure and accountability\u2014issues that pose complex law reform challenges in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LCO benefited from an expert Advisory Committee to provide input during earlier phases of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LCO has completed\u00a0many reports<\/a>,\u00a0submissions, presentations, and events\u00a0as part of the\u00a0AI Regulation and Human Rights project. These address topics such as how to develop trustworthy AI, how to regulate AI, and how to ensure human rights and\u00a0procedural fairness are respected in AI systems.\u00a0Major reports include the LCO\u2019s 2022\u00a0Accountable AI<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and 2021 Regulating AI<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>reports. The LCO has also been proactive and responsive in making\u00a0research-based recommendations<\/a>\u00a0to governments, including our Bill 194 submission to the Ontario government,\u00a0our submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee Subcommittee on AI, \u00a0and our contribution to the National Sprint on Canada\u2019s AI Strategy at the federal level.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In November 2024, the LCO and Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released the first AI human rights impact assessment (HRIA)<\/a> based on Canadian human rights law. The LCO\/OHRC HRIA is a practical step-by-step guide that will help Canadian public and private sector organizations embed \u201chuman rights by design\u201d in their AI systems. The LCO also released a Backgrounder<\/a> to explain the development of the HRIA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The LCO and OHRC are currently revising the HRIA following consultations and updates in the legal landscape governing AI. An updated version is forthcoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We continue to monitor developments in the field and to engage with governments, industry, and the public on emerging AI regulation and human rights issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AI governance is an active field and the LCO is committed to being responsive to developments in research, policy and legislation in Ontario, Canada and internationally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, the HRIA is being revised based on stakeholder feedback and an update is forthcoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Project Lead is Susie Lindsay<\/a>. She can be contacted at SLindsay@lco-cdo.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdvisory Committee<\/summary>\n
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<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat Issues Are Being Looked At?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nProject Lead and Contacts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n