Toronto's school board has become the first in Canada to recognise that Hindu caste discrimination exists in the city's schools and has asked a provincial human rights body to help in creating a framework to address the issue.

The Toronto District School Board on Wednesday voted in favour of a motion to that effect, which was introduced by board trustee Yalini Rajakulasingam. Sixteen trustees voted in favour of the motion and five voted against it.

The move addresses an issue important to the area's South Asian diaspora, particularly the Indian and Hindu communities.

It comes weeks after Seattle became the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after a city council vote.

"This motion is not about division, it is about creating healing and empowering communities and providing them safer schools that students deserve," Rajakulasingam said.

Rajakulasingam called for a partnership between the human rights commission of Ontario, Canada's most populous province, and Toronto's school board.