Welcome to the Poverty and Human Rights Centre and to the Centre's Online Library.

The Poverty and Human Rights Centre is committed to eradicating poverty and promoting social and economic equality through human rights.

The Library is a searchable database of materials related to social and economic rights. It includes texts of relevant international human rights treaties, Canadian and other laws, court decisions, legal briefs, and articles.

June 2009

PHRC Intervenes to Support Homeless People

The Poverty and Human Rights Centre is intervening to to support homeless people in the Tent City Case. The appeal will be heard in the British Columbia Court of Appeal on June 10 and 11, 2009. The PHRC was granted leave to intervene on April 3, 2009, by Groberman J.A. of the BCCA. The PHRC position is set out in the factum.

PHRC Factum Adams (PDF)

April 2009

New Lawsheet: Victoria (City) v. Adams: Advancing the Right to Shelter

Victoria (City) v. Adams: Advancing the Right to Shelter is an important new B.C. case about social and economic rights. The issue in this case is whether a City bylaw which required homeless people to remove tents and any overhead protection, while sleeping in Cridge Park, violated their right to life, liberty and security of the person. This is a key case in the development of protections for poor and homeless people in Canada.

The new law sheet describes the issues in the case and the role that international human rights law has played. Victoria (City) v. Adams: Advancing the Right to Shelter is the latest in a series of law sheets produced by the Poverty and Human Rights Centre that are focused on the domestic enforcement of  social and economic rights. The law sheets are intended to assist lawyers, front line advocates, and non-governmental organizations who rely on the human rights framework in their advocacy before tribunals and courts, to assist members of vulnerable groups.

Victoria (City) v. Adams: Advancing the Right to Shelter (PDF)

Povery and Human Rights Centre site under construction

March 20, 2009

The Povery and Human Rights Centre's Online Library is presently under construction. A new, more user friendly site will be up in the near future.