Ena Chadha is an experienced human rights lawyer, investigator, educator and mediator, called to the Ontario Bar in 1994. A proud member of the South Asian community of Brampton, her career is dedicated to working in the areas of equality rights and conflict resolution.

About

From July 2020 to August 2021, Ena served as Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) leading the OHRC during a transition period and the unprecedented challenges of the COVID19 pandemic. Ena’s tenure as Chief Commissioner was dedicated to tackling systemic discrimination in education, health care and policing. Prior to her appointment as Chief Commissioner, Ena served as co-reviewer of the systemic racism review of the Peel District School Board and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (2018-2020 and present). She was a precedent-setting Vice-Chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (2007-2015).

Previously, Ena was Director of Litigation with ARCH: Disability Law Centre (1999-2007). She has appeared before various tribunals, trial and appellate courts, including prominent constitutional challenges at the Supreme Court of Canada, advancing Charter rights in the areas of workers compensation, immigration law and government services.

From 1994-1999, Ena practiced privately in the areas of human rights and refugee law and served as external counsel to the OHRC. She has a Journalism degree from Ryerson and received her LL.B. from University of Saskatchewan. She obtained her LL.M. degree from Osgoode in 2008, studying critical disability theory.

Ena holds certificates in Advance Alternate Dispute Resolution (Negotiations & Mediations); Intensive Trial Advocacy; and Mental Health Law. Ena has spoken widely on gender, race, disability and harassment. She has taught Administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School and teaches Negotiations and Power & Politics as a sessional lecturer with the Schulich School of Business. Ena has published extensively on equality rights, including a co-authored a chapter on Women with Disabilities in Oxford University Press authoritative textbook The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

With in-depth knowledge of human rights processes and systemic discrimination, Ena’s private practice includes conducting impartial investigations into complex allegations of racism, disability accommodation, religious discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying in employment and academic environments. Ena served as a senior consultant on the team that evaluated George Brown College’s initiatives in the areas of Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation and Anti-Racism and Diversity.

In addition to her commitment to access to justice, as a recent survivor, Ena participates in various charitable initiatives to promote education and research about triple negative breast cancer. She is a member of DAWN Canada and has resumed the role of Chair of the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.

Awards

2023 Law Society Medal

2022 Canadian Law Awards Excellence Awardee for National Female Trailblazer

2022 Ontario Bar Association Distinguished Service Award

2022 Ontario Bar Association Tom Marshall Award of Excellence Public Sector

2022 Osgoode Hall, Gold Key Public Sector Award

2019 Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce’s Female Professional of the Year Award