The Ontario Court of Appeal in Rivers v. Waterloo Regional Police Services Board has upheld the Superior Court of Justice's determination that it was without jurisdiction to hear a proposed class action on behalf of current and former female officers with the Waterloo Regional Police Service against the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board and the Waterloo Regional Police Association. The claim alleged systemic genderbased discrimination, Charter breaches, and sexual harassment by male members of the Service, over a 30-year period.
The Superior Court followed prior decisions in confirming that the putative class members were bound by their respective collective bargaining agreements, which provided for binding arbitration, as codified under the Police Services Act. For a more detailed analysis of the lower Court's decision.
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