SASKATOON -- A Saskatchewan court has ordered the province to allow gender markers to be removed from birth certificates.

The government is also to allow people under the age of 18 to apply for gender changes on the documents.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission says it began fighting for the change when two youths filed complaints over the issue in 2014 and 2017.

The commission took the matter to court, where the government agreed yesterday that its Vital Statistics Act violates its Human Rights Code.

A judge ordered the province to change the two birth certificates and gave it 45 days to amend its legislation so others can follow.

Earlier this month, Ontario started allowing residents to opt out of displaying a gender designation on their birth certificates.

The federal government also announced last August a plan to start offering a gender-neutral option on passports.