An Ontario court has dismissed an important discrimination case filed by vegan firefighter Adam Knauff, who was denied appropriate food while in the field battling raging wildfires. On February 5, Mr. Knauff’s case was brought to the Divisional Court of Ontario, reviewing a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario decision that refused to accept that ethical veganism is a secular belief system that deserves to be protected under provincial anti-discrimination laws.
While the court did not rule that veganism could not be a protected belief, the three judges unfortunately dismissed the case as they felt there was no longer a “live dispute” to settle, as Mr. Kanuff had already reached a settlement with his employer that covered the other issues in the case. Animal Justice is deeply disappointed by this outcome, as it took years of hard work to bring this case before an Ontario court, and because vegans and their ethical beliefs deserve protection from discrimination.
Knauff and his legal team still have an opportunity to seek to appeal the decision.
BREAKING: An Ontario court has dismissed a case about discrimination against a vegan firefighter whose employer wouldn’t provide him with appropriate food while in the field. The court halted the suit on technical grounds, but did NOT reject #veganism as a protected belief. pic.twitter.com/7vVK146cO1
— Animal Justice (@AnimalJustice) February 12, 2025
What’s the Case for Veganism as a Protected Belief System?
Mr. Knauff was employed by the province of Ontario as a forest firefighter, and filed this case after being deployed to fight wildfires in 2017 in British Columbia. He worked gruelling 16-hour days, yet was repeatedly served meals containing animal products, food with inadequate nutrition, or no food at all—all while his employer was aware of his long-standing practice of living a vegan lifestyle out of respect for animals. Mr. Knauff tried to resolve the issue, but after he asserted his rights, he was sent home, disciplined, and suspended without pay.
In 2015, the Ontario Human Rights Commission updated its policy on “creed”—a protected ground—to make it clear that people with non-religious belief systems deserve protection.
“Creed may also include non-religious belief systems that, like religion, substantially influence a person’s identity, worldview and way of life.”
A comprehensive belief system committed to avoiding harm to animals, like ethical veganism, would likely fall under this definition. Courts in other countries, like the UK and Denmark, have already ruled that vegans deserve protection from discrimination under human rights laws.
A court decision recognizing ethical veganism as a creed in Ontario would ensure that vegans are protected against facing discrimination at work, service access, and other areas. Animal Justice will continue to advocate for the recognition and protection of ethical vegans. Stay tuned for our next steps!
