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Goods, services and facilities

 

You have the right to be free from discrimination when you receive goods or services, or use facilities. For example, this right applies to:

  • stores, restaurants and bars
  • hospitals and health services
  • schools, universities and colleges
  • public places, amenities and utilities such as recreation centres, public washrooms, malls and parks
  • services and programs provided by municipal and provincial governments, including social assistance and benefits, and public transit
  • services provided by insurance companies
  • classified advertisement space in a newspaper. 

Relevant policies and guides:

  1. Whether the para-transit services provided by public transit services in the cities of Toronto, Hamilton, London, and Windsor are special programs under the Ontario Human Rights Code

    2006 - Public transit in cities across Ontario is fundamental to the ability of many people to participate meaningfully in the life of their communities. Public transportation is used to access employment, education, public and social services and community activities. Equal access by persons with disabilities to public transportation is a right protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code (“Code”). Equal access to transit services in not a reality for many citizens of the Province and despite its importance in our daily lives, barriers to public transit services remain.

  2. Letter to the Toronto Police Services Board regarding the analysis of contact card data

    March 28, 2013

    Dear Dr. Mukherjee, I wish to commend the Toronto Police Services Board's (the "TPSB") approval of a project to collect and analyze data related to contact cards and the pattern of contact between the police and members of the community in general including young people from certain racialized communities. I also understand that the TPSB is seeking an opinion from the City Solicitor on the legality of the practice of carding and the issuance of receipts, which engages the issue of human rights-based data collection and analysis.

  3. Refusal to print stationery containing the words "gay and lesbian" ruled discriminatory

    March 20, 2000

    Toronto - On February 24, a Board of Inquiry ordered Imaging Excellence, a printing company, and its owner, Scott Brockie, to provide printing services to gays and lesbians and their organizations and awarded damages of $5000 in total payable to Ray Brillinger and the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, a customer of Imaging Excellence. In its earlier decision released on September 29th, 1999, the Board determined that Imaging Excellence and Mr. Brockie discriminated against Mr. Brillinger when it refused to provide printing services to the Archives.

  4. Ontario Human Rights Commission urges Famous Players to provide financial data

    March 8, 2001

    Toronto - Reacting to misinformation in recent media coverage of a case involving Famous Players theatres, Chief Commissioner Keith Norton stated that, "There is a pressing need to give some balance to the information that has been provided to the public. I regret having to take the extraordinary step of commenting on a complaint that has not yet been decided on by the Board of Inquiry."

  5. Commission takes action on disability rights: Sends six Hamilton transit cases to public hearing

    March 29, 2001

    Toronto - Today the Ontario Human Rights Commission sent six disability cases to a Board of Inquiry, challenging the lack of accessibility of transit services in Hamilton, Ontario. The complaints are against the Disabled and Aged Regional Transit System (DARTS), the City of Hamilton, the Ministry of Transportation and the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth.

  6. Commission initiates complaints against the Ministry of Health and West Park Healthcare Centre over restrictive access to assistive devices

    March 29, 2001

    Toronto - Following a promise made last week to be more proactive when it comes to issues faced by persons with disabilities, the Ontario Human Rights Commission today initiated complaints against the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and its contractor, West Park Healthcare Centre. The complaints cite allegations that the Ministry of Health is acting in breach of the Human Rights Code by funding a program that uses discriminatory age-based eligibility criteria in providing assistive devices.

  7. Ruling in Famous Players Theatres case a victory for Ontarians

    September 25, 2001

    Toronto - In a recent ruling by a Board of Inquiry (Human Rights), Famous Players Theatres has been ordered to make three of its theatres accessible to persons with disabilities. The theatres to be upgraded are the Uptown, Backstage and Eglinton. The Plaza was also named in the group of inaccessible theatres in the complaint, but Famous Players Theatres chose not to renew its lease.

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