# Can I see the official numbers on workplace bullying and harassment in Canada?

- Jurisdiction: Canada
- Practice area: Employment Law
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Last updated: 2026-10-29
- Canonical: https://lawasked.com/ca/employment-law/can-i-see-official-numbers-workplace-bullying-harassment

## Question

I have been working for a large federal telecommunications company in Ontario for about three years now. Over the last six months, specifically since January, I have witnessed a significant increase in what feels like targeted harassment and aggressive behaviour from my direct supervisor. It has become a real labour issue for our entire department, and several of my colleagues have expressed similar fears about their mental health. I recently spoke to our human resources representative to see if there was any way to gauge if this is a widespread problem within the company or if it is just isolated to our specific team. They were quite vague and wouldn't give me any specifics about how many incidents have been reported across the whole organisation. I am trying to figure out if there is a way to see the actual data or a summary of how many people are reporting these kinds of issues across the country. I want to know if there is a public document that shows the total number of harassment cases and if those numbers are broken down by things like gender or race, without actually naming names or revealing who was involved in each specific incident. Is such a summary available to the public?

## Summary

Yes, you can access this information. The Minister is required to publish an annual report containing statistical data on workplace harassment and violence, which includes breakdowns by categories like race and gender.

## Analysis

Since you work for a federal telecommunications company, your workplace is likely governed by the Canada Labour Code. You do not need to rely solely on your HR department's information, as there is a public reporting requirement for these issues.

The Minister is required to "prepare and publish an annual report that contains statistical data relating to harassment and violence in work places to which this Part applies" [1]. This means a summary of these occurrences is made available to the public annually.

You specifically asked if the data is broken down by factors like race or gender. The law states that "the statistical data contained in the report shall include information that is categorized according to prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act" [1]. This ensures the data reflects trends related to protected characteristics.

To protect privacy, the law mandates that "the report shall not contain any information that is likely to reveal the identity of a person who was involved in an occurrence of harassment and violence" [1]. This allows you to see the numbers without compromising the anonymity of individuals.

Furthermore, the Canadian Human Rights Act defines harassment in employment as a discriminatory practice when it occurs on a prohibited ground of discrimination [2]. This provides the legal context for why the statistics are categorized the way they are in the Minister's report.

While these reports provide broad statistical trends, they may not provide the specific, internal numbers for your individual company that you requested from HR. State, provincial, or local laws may also apply depending on your specific employment contract and exact job classification.

## Statutory citations

- Canada Labour Code, R.S.C., 1985, c. L-2, s. 139.1 - Annual report [in force] (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/index.html#s-139.1)
  > The Minister shall prepare and publish an annual report that contains statistical data relating to harassment and violence in work places to which this Part applies. ... The statistical data contained in the report shall include information that is categorized according to prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act .
- Canadian Human Rights Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. H-6, s. 14 - Harassment [in force] (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/H-6/index.html#s-14)
  > it is a discriminatory practice, ... in matters related to employment, to harass an individual on a prohibited ground of discrimination.

---
General information only, not legal advice. See https://lawasked.com/disclaimer