Discrimination in housing

Services

Includes discrimination and harassment in housing based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

What the clients may say:

"I’m on social assistance and applied to rent a home. The landlord said they only rent to people with jobs."
"A landlord refused to show an apartment to my same-sex partner and me."
"My condominium board told me it’s too expensive to install an automatic door to the building for my wheelchair."
"I am sensitive to noise due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but my landlord won’t move me to a quieter apartment."
"I am new to Canada. A landlord told me I needed somebody to co-sign my lease because I don’t have a credit history in this country."

Legal Services

African Canadian Legal Clinic

A community legal clinic dedicated to advancing equality rights of low-income members of Ontario's African-Canadian population. Provides brief advice and referrals in a variety of legal areas, including housing, employment, human rights and immigration.

Clinique juridique francophone de l'Est d'Ottawa

Provides summary legal advice to Francophones living in Eastern Ontario, re: immigration, housing, social assistance, power of attorney, victims of criminal acts, name change, advocacy, and .employment standards.

Community Legal Services Ottawa Centre

Provides free legal help to people of low income, specializing in problems involving landlord & tenant law, social assistance, immigration, employment insurance, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) & Canada Pension Plan (CPP) issues

Human Rights Legal Support Centre

Provides legal services to individuals who have experienced discrimination and provides legal assistance applications to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to resolve a human rights dispute.

Law Society Referral Service

Provides the name of a lawyer or paralegal who best fits a person’s stated needs. The service is not designed to provide legal advice or second opinions.

Ottawa Legal Information Centre

Offers legal information services, such as general explanations regarding the law and other legal topics, and is not authorized to provide legal advice or legal assistance.

Reach Canada

Educates and informs persons with disabilities, family members, lawyers and the general public about the rights and interests of persons with disabilities and ensures that quality legal and social representation is provided. Provides lawyer referral services for people with disabilities through a network of lawyers who volunteer.

South Ottawa Community Legal Services

West End Legal Services of Ottawa

Provides free legal help to people of low income, specializing in problems involving landlord & tenant law, social assistance, immigration, employment insurance, ODSP, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) & Canada Pension Plan (CPP) issues

Steps to Justice

Resources

Latest Resources – Human Rights – Discrimination in housing

More Resources from Your Legal Rights

Legal Topics

Aboriginal Issues
Aboriginal peoples are confronted by challenges in Canada and internationally, requiring programs, strategies and solutions that ensure their rights are protected under the law.
- General Aboriginal Issues
Abuse and Family Violence
Abuse and family violence can take the form of physical, psychological, sexual, financial, or emotional abuse. Abuse happens in all kinds of families, including people of all income levels, ethnocultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations.
Consumer Law
In Ontario, there are laws that set out the rights of consumers in transactions between consumers and businesses.
Criminal Law
Criminal offences and criminal procedures are defined by federal law and the Constitution of Canada. The Youth Criminal Justice Act applies to young people in trouble with the law.
Education Law
In Ontario, there are laws that establish a child's right to attend school. These laws also deal with attendance, suspensions, and expulsion, as well as the rights of children who have special needs.
Employment and Work
There are laws about hours of work, minimum wage, vacation pay, holiday pay, time off work, health and safety in the workplace, and what a worker can do if they are fired or treated so badly that they are forced to quit.
Environmental Law
Covers legal rights when it comes to pollution and environmental damage.
- Environmental protection
Family Law
Family law covers legal issues related to the formation and breakdown of families, including marriage and common-law relationships, birth and adoption, separation and divorce, child custody and access, child support, spousal support, division of property, and child protection.
Health and Disability
In Ontario, there are laws about access to health care services and to Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage.
Housing Law
In Ontario, the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) sets out the law related to rent increases, evictions, repairs, and other issues that affect tenants. The RTA applies to most rental housing, although there are some living arrangements and rental situations it does not apply to.
Human Rights
Includes information on rights under provincial, federal, and international human rights laws, and under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Immigration and Refugee Law
Includes information on rights of refugees and immigrants to Canada, how to seek admission to Canada as a permanent resident or refugee, and Canadian citizenship.
Legal System
Includes information on the Canadian legal and justice system, Canadian courts (civil and criminal), court processes, and alternatives to court.
Social Assistance and Pensions
Includes information on applying for, appealing, and maintaining income support from the government (social assistance, CPP, and ODSP).
Wills and Estates
Wills, estates, trusts and power of attorney are common tools used in estate planning: the transfer of a person's assets (e.g. property, money) when they die, and other personal matters including guardianship of dependent children.