Blood tests depend on a person's biological sex. Normal ranges for things like hemoglobin, iron, and kidney function are different for men and women, so a lab has to know whether a sample came from a male or a female body.
Yet the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has ordered LifeLabs to pay more than $46,000 largely because its staff went by the sex recorded on patients' ID instead of how the patients identify.
The tribunal ruled LifeLabs discriminated against three people who identify as transgender or non-binary. It said the "sex" on a B.C. health card can stand for gender identity, not a person's body.
The decision, *Moses and others v. Lifelabs LP and another*, 2026 BCHRT 225, is dated October 29, 2026. Tribunal Member Theressa Etmanski wrote it. The complaint was filed in October 2020, and the hearing was held by video in mid-2025. Etmanski apologized to the parties for the delay.
The three complaints
Noa Moses went to a LifeLabs location in Vancouver on October 10, 2019. Moses told staff that neither "M" nor "F" applied. Staff said they would not draw blood without a male or female marker. After about an hour, Moses pointed to a letter on a piece of paper. LifeLabs processed the bloodwork using the sex on the ID card Moses provided. The tribunal found the questions were asked near a public waiting room, with no private space offered.
Devan Snow went to a LifeLabs location in Burnaby on October 12, 2019, and asked staff to change the gender listed in LifeLabs' records. Staff said they could not do that at the counter and used the sex on Snow's ID. The tribunal agreed this was discrimination. It rejected Snow's claim that LifeLabs should have given different "reference ranges," the normal ranges used to read test results. The tribunal said that is a decision for doctors, not patients.
Vincent Viezzer, a woman who identifies as a man, already had "M" on her government ID. In July 2019, a LifeLabs staff member circled the "M" on her lab form and wrote "FTM," short for "female to male." The tribunal found this was discrimination. It rejected Viezzer's other claims, including that LifeLabs mishandled her complaint. It found LifeLabs looked into the issue and fixed its records within about 10 days.
The key finding
LifeLabs argued its records must match the sex marker on a patient's government ID. It also said the changes the complainants wanted were not legally or technically possible.
The tribunal disagreed. It noted that B.C. residents can now change the "sex" marker on their B.C. Services Card to "M," "F," or "X" without medical approval. It wrote that "the parties appear to share the understanding that what is sometimes described in the 'sex' field on a BC Services Card is gender identity, rather than a representation of a person's physiology."
The tribunal also said service providers have a duty to "recognize and respect" a person's gender identity, even when it differs from the person's ID.
What LifeLabs must pay and do
The tribunal ordered LifeLabs and its subsidiary, Excelleris Technologies, to pay:
- $15,000 to Moses for injury to dignity, feelings, and self-respect
- $15,000 to Snow for injury to dignity, feelings, and self-respect
- $2,000 to Viezzer for injury to dignity, feelings, and self-respect
- Lost wages for each of the three
- $11,100 toward expert costs
The complainants had asked for $30,000 each. LifeLabs argued any award should not exceed $2,500.
The tribunal also ordered LifeLabs to fix records from the 2019 visits, retrain its B.C. staff, and offer patients a private space to discuss sex or gender at intake within six months.
Rebel News first reported the decision.
*Cover image: AI-generated illustration for Billboard Chris.*