Use of the term “accommodation” refers to housing. You have the right to equal treatment when buying, selling, renting or being evicted from an apartment, house, condominium or commercial property. This right also covers renting or being evicted from a hotel room.
The Code applies to terms and conditions in contracts and leases such as the amount of rent, security deposits, the requirement of guarantors, occupants’ rules and regulations, lease termination and eviction. Your right to housing without discrimination also includes suitable access to doors, laundry rooms, swimming pools, other common areas, repairs and other aspects of housing.
The Code does not apply if you have a “personality conflict” with the landlord or another tenant that is not linked to a Code ground. Also, the Code does not apply if you share a bathroom or kitchen with the owner or the owner’s family.
The Code also applies to municipalities, as both regulators and providers of housing. They must ensure that their bylaws, processes and decisions do not target or disproportionately affect groups relating to a Code ground.
OHRC policies, guides and other publications include:
On human rights and rental housing:
- Policy on human rights and rental housing
- Human rights for tenants (brochure)
- Human rights in housing: an overview for landlords (brochure)
- Writing a fair rental housing ad (fact sheet)
- Guidelines on developing human rights policies and procedures
- Discrimination based on disability and the duty to accommodate: Information for housing providers
On municipal responsibilities in planning and licensing housing:
- In the zone: Housing, human rights and municipal planning
- Room for everyone: Human rights and rental housing licensing
- Neighbourhood housing tip sheet
- Planning and human rights: legal cases and resources (fact sheet)
- From Exclusion to Inclusion: Human Rights and Planning (OPPI webinar)
For other publications on housing, click “Resource Types” on the left-hand panel.
Mental health round table sessions wrap up in North Bay
Toronto - North Bay-area residents will have their say at the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) final round table session on human rights and mental health issues on Monday, March 28, 2011. The OHRC, in cooperation with the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre, People for Equal Partnerships in Mental Health (PEP) and True Self, will meet with consumer/survivors, members of the mental health community, people with addictions, employers and housing and service providers. They will hear personal stories of discrimination and identify solutions and best practices to deal with discrimination in the areas of housing, services and employment.
Celebrating the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Toronto – Today, human rights commissions and agencies across Canada are celebrating the United Nations (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Sexual harassment in housing (fact sheet)
The Ontario Human Rights Code says everyone has the right to be free from sexual harassment by their landlord, someone working for their landlord, or someone who lives in the same building. Because landlords are in a position of authority, and have access to apartments and often hold personal information, tenants can feel very threatened when they are sexually harassed. This may be especially true for low-income, racialized, gay and lesbian people, people with disabilities and other people identified by the Code who are sometimes targeted for sexual harassment.
Celebrating International Women's Day – Ontario Human Rights Commission releases new Policy on preventing sexual and gender-based harassment
Toronto – A new policy on preventing sexual and gender-based harassment was launched today by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) in partnership with the Ryerson Students’ Union, Ryerson University and the CAW-Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy, Ryerson University.
Human rights and mental health project arrives in Ottawa
Toronto - Ottawa-area residents will have their say at the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) next human rights and mental health round table session on Wednesday March 2, 2011. The OHRC and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Ottawa Branch will meet with consumer/survivors, members of the mental health community, people with addictions, employers and housing and service providers. They will hear personal stories of discrimination and identify solutions and best practices to deal with discrimination in the areas of housing, services and employment.
Human rights and mental health project continues
Toronto - The next phase of a consultation on human rights and mental health begins Thursday February 3rd. The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) will meet with people with mental health disabilities and addictions, employers and housing and service providers to discuss human rights and mental health-related issues.
Human rights in housing: an overview for landlords (brochure)
2011 - International law says that people in Canada should be able to get good housing that they can afford. To help achieve this in Ontario, tenants and landlords (or housing providers) have rights and responsibilities under the Human Rights Code. Under the Code, everyone has the right to equal treatment in housing without discrimination and harassment. As a landlord, you are responsible for making sure the housing you operate is free from discrimination and harassment.
New e-learning package puts human rights training online
Toronto – Marking International Human Rights Day, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) today launches Rental Housing e-learning at an event hosted by the York Centre for Human Rights. This second in a series of e-learning courses provides online learning and training for everyone who needs information on human rights issues that come up in rental housing.
OHRC launches survey on discrimination based on mental health and addiction disabilities
Toronto - The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) launched a survey today to learn more about the human rights issues and barriers people with mental health and addiction disabilities face. The survey kicks off a broader consultation process on human rights and mental health-related issues.