Editorial source check: September 24, 2026. Official information may change; verify the current source.
Characteristic, covered area and connection
A protected characteristic is one part of the human-rights analysis. The Commission’s intake guide lists characteristics under the Nova Scotia Act and separately identifies covered activities such as employment, housing, services and certain association activities. The person making an inquiry must identify the alleged conduct and its reasonable connection to a protected characteristic.
Check the official list and applicable statute
Examples in a dictionary are not an exhaustive statutory definition and should not be substituted for the Act. Verify the currently applicable list, any statutory exceptions and whether the conduct belongs under a provincial or federal human-rights process.
Primary and official sources
Plain-language meaning
A protected characteristic is a personal characteristic or status identified by human-rights legislation as a basis on which discrimination is prohibited in covered situations. The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission lists race, colour, disability and other protected characteristics.
Do not confuse characteristic and covered area
A protected characteristic is one element of an inquiry. You also need to determine whether the conduct arose in an activity covered by the applicable law and whether provincial or federal rules apply.
Official primary sources
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — protections for individuals
- Nova Scotia Legislature — Human Rights Act (official consolidated PDF)