Transgender people in Quebec are gearing up for a legal battle as Montreal's Centre for Gender Advocacy takes the province to court.

The group wants the Civil Code changed to protect the rights of transgender people from birth to death.

Quebec's decision this fall to relax the rules on changing gender designation was welcomed by the trans community.

In 2013 Quebec dropped its requirement that transgender people have sex reassignment surgery before changing the sex listed on a birth certificate, but had to live as their chosen sex for at least two years and obtain a medical letter.

In September those requirements were dropped, and the policy changed so that people needed only to swear a solemn oath, and only required a medical note if they had previously changed their sex.

Gabrielle Bouchard of Montreal's Centre for Gender Advocacy says the province needs to do more.

"Right now it's important for people to understand that trans folks are still legally discriminated in Quebec," said Bouchard.

Bouchard said the new rules should apply to all residents of Canada -- and not just citizens.

"I think that right now it's significant to talk about this. You have trans folks coming to Canada because they want to make it their home and they can't be recognized in their gender identity until they are recognized by Canada which is highly problematic," said Bouchard.

The Centre for Gender Advocacy calls it a question of human rights.

Egale Canada supports the lawsuit and agrees that this is a legal rights issue.

Robert Leckey handles legal issues for Egale Canada, and said that, much as language used to discuss transgender people has changed over the past generation, so has the understanding of human rights.

"What might have seemed like satisfying civil rights ten or 20 years ago isn't actually up to par by today's understandings," he said.

Leckey expects one of the tougher decisions might be regarding transgender minors who may face hostility at school and in public.

"At a certain point you've got to say if the kids are doing this, taking these risks, this is clearly something crucially important to them and the Charter of Rights doesn't restrict rights to people over the age of 18," said Leckey.

A court date is expected to be set some time next year.