In practical terms, the most significant value of the human rights remedy is probably the educative and interpretive provisions of the Code. These can be a useful, persuasive tool in good residential care advocacy. Most cases of discrimination in residential care will relate to section 8 of the BC Human Rights Code (“Discrimination in accommodation, service and facility”), or section 43 (“Non-retaliation”). The most common protected grounds in residential care would likely relate to the residents’ physical and mental disability, age, race, marital or family status or sexual orientation.

It is possible, although challenging, to launch a “representative” case (“class action”) complaint with the Tribunal, where a number of similarly situated persons are experiencing the same discrimination. ([[Chapter Five Legal Issues in Residential Care References|102]]) The Tribunal has the capacity to hear adverse effect discrimination and systemic discrimination cases, both of which are important and relevant in residential care.