Female Police Officers in B.C. Want Lawsuit Over Alleged Discrimination

Female police officers in B.C. are suing over alleged harassment and discrimination.

The officers' lawyer says the lawsuit is about changing the policing culture.

The lawyer says the system has allowed sexual discrimination against women in policing.

The lawsuit should be dealt with in court, not through labour arbitration.

The lower court judge misunderstood the claim, reducing it to working conditions.

The women are not complaining about employment benefits.

The female officers have experienced harassment and discrimination across multiple police departments.

The claim targets a system that has failed to stop gender discrimination.

The lower court judge did not consider the surrounding facts.

This is a class proceeding about ending systems of discrimination.

The lawsuit names several B.C. municipalities and police boards as defendants.

The City of Surrey says the issues involve working conditions covered by a collective agreement.

The case has not been certified as a class proceeding.

Surrey's lawyer says the matters belong with a labour arbitrator.

The lawyer says the claims belong before a labour arbitrator, not the court.

The plaintiffs have other options, including human rights complaints.

The case is an attempt to bypass labour law mechanisms.

The lawyer argues there is no jurisdictional issue.

The claims can be dealt with by workers' compensation.

The panel reserved its decision.

The report was first published May 11, 2026.

Stick to the facts.

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