Discrimination in Housing — Ontario
Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Refusing to rent to someone, treating them worse, or evicting them based on a prohibited ground is illegal in Canada — at the federal level under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and at the provincial level under each province's human rights code. Prohibited grounds include race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status, disability, and pardoned criminal conviction.
Provinces add their own grounds on top. Ontario, for example, bans discrimination based on receipt of public assistance — a landlord cannot refuse you because you're on social assistance or ODSP.
Both direct discrimination ("we don't rent to families with children") and systemic discrimination (a policy that lands harder on one group than another) are caught.
When does it apply?
- At every stage of the tenancy — the ad, the screening, the lease terms, repairs, and eviction.
- Applies to private landlords and property management companies alike.
- Covers apartments, houses, condos, rooms, and the rest of the residential rental landscape.
What to Do If a Canadian Landlord Discriminates Against You
Discrimination cases are won and lost on what you can show in writing. Save everything as it happens.
- Document the conduct — emails, texts, screenshots of the ad, dated notes from conversations.
- File a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) for federal matters or with your provincial human rights tribunal. Most jurisdictions give you a 12-month deadline.
- Talk to a legal clinic or community legal aid program that handles housing human rights work.
- Report discriminatory rental ads to the platform hosting them and to the provincial human rights body — both routes run in parallel.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't assume nothing can be done. Human rights tribunals exist for exactly this.
- Don't sit on it. Most jurisdictions cut off the case at 12 months from the incident.
- Don't retaliate against the landlord — keep the conduct on their side of the ledger.
- Don't accept "it's already rented" at face value if your gut says discrimination. Note what happened, save the listing, file the complaint.
How Ontario differs from federal law
Housing discrimination in Ontario is prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Code protects tenants and prospective tenants from discrimination in renting, buying, and accessing housing.
- A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you or treat you differently based on: race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed (religion), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age (18+), marital status, family status, disability, or receipt of public assistance (including Ontario Works or ODSP).
- Specifically, landlords cannot discriminate against you for receiving social assistance (welfare or disability benefits). This is a common form of housing discrimination in Ontario — "No ODSP" or income requirements that exclude assistance recipients have been found to violate the Code.
- Landlords cannot refuse families with children (except in genuine seniors-only buildings with all occupants aged 65+).
- Landlords have a duty to accommodate disability-related needs (e.g., allowing a service animal despite a no-pets policy, or making accessibility modifications) to the point of undue hardship.
- Asking discriminatory questions on rental applications (about religion, family plans, country of origin, etc.) is itself a violation of the Code.
Additional Steps in Ontario
File a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) within 1 year of the discrimination. Applications can be filed online at sjto.ca/hrto. The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (1-866-625-5179) provides free legal help. The HRTO can order the landlord to pay compensation for injury to dignity, rent the unit to you, and change their rental practices. You can also contact the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) for advocacy support.
Relevant Law: Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, ss. 2, 4, 21 (Housing); Kearney v. Bramalea Ltd. (1998), CHRR Doc. 98-105 (HRTO — receipt of public assistance)
Common Questions
What is the discrimination in housing right in Canada?
Refusing to rent to someone, treating them worse, or evicting them based on a prohibited ground is illegal in Canada — at the federal level under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and at the provincial level under each province's human rights code. Prohibited grounds include race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status, disability, and pardoned criminal conviction.Provinces add their own grounds on top. Ontario, for example, bans discrimination based on receipt of public assistance — a landlord cannot refuse you because you're...
When does discrimination in housing apply?
At every stage of the tenancy — the ad, the screening, the lease terms, repairs, and eviction.Applies to private landlords and property management companies alike.Covers apartments, houses, condos, rooms, and the rest of the residential rental landscape.
What should I do if I think a landlord in Canada refused to rent to me because of discrimination?
Discrimination cases are won and lost on what you can show in writing. Save everything as it happens.Document the conduct — emails, texts, screenshots of the ad, dated notes from conversations.File a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) for federal matters or with your provincial human rights tribunal. Most jurisdictions give you a 12-month deadline.Talk to a legal clinic or community legal aid program that handles housing human rights work.Report discriminatory rental ads to the platform hosting them and to the provincial human rights body — both routes run in parallel.
What mistakes should I avoid with discrimination in housing?
Don't assume nothing can be done. Human rights tribunals exist for exactly this.Don't sit on it. Most jurisdictions cut off the case at 12 months from the incident.Don't retaliate against the landlord — keep the conduct on their side of the ledger.Don't accept "it's already rented" at face value if your gut says discrimination. Note what happened, save the listing, file the complaint.
Discrimination in Housing in other states
Same topic, different jurisdiction. Pick the one that applies to you.