With over 170 entries, this annotated bibliography represents the first comprehensive collection of grey literature on the right to housing for disabled people in Canada, focusing on four provinces – British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Ontario – as well as Canada-wide and international sources. It aims to fill a significant gap in existing research by providing a resource that captures the evolving landscape of housing rights for disabled individuals over the past 30 years.
This bibliography is particularly valuable because it highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in this area, offering a nuanced view of what has and has not changed. As grey literature often bypasses the lengthy peer review and editorial processes of academic publishing, it can provide more current and diverse insights. This is especially important for underrepresented areas and authors who might lack access to traditional publishing platforms.
Our hope is that it will serve as a crucial tool for both academic researchers and community-based groups, reflecting the lived experiences of disabled individuals and the work of non-profit organizations dedicated to service and advocacy. Ultimately, we envision this bibliography as a catalyst for political and social change, informing efforts to secure and improve the right to housing for disabled people in Canada.
Our aim is continue adding new entries to this annotated bibliography in the coming year. If you would like to make a contribution, please contact us:
Email: research [at] housingrightscanada.com
A note on terminology
* The use of “person-first” language (people with disabilities) vs. “identity-first” language (disabled people) is contentious within disability communities. Identity-first language is generally preferred by contemporary disability activists as it places the focus on societal barriers (i.e., disabled people are disabled by society). However, some others, especially people labelled with an intellectual disability, tend to prefer person-first language. We have used both forms in this paper to respect the preferences of members of these various communities.
This guide is designed to provide housing providers in Ontario with information about their obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
Housing providers are faced with the complex challenge of adhering to municipal and provincial laws and responding to the diverse needs of their renters. The purpose of this guide is to help clarify their requirements under the AODA. It also covers how the AODA works with other legislation and offers useful tips to housing providers on how to ensure that their business practices promote accessibility.
This toolkit is designed to help medical professionals support tenants (their patients) who are seeking accommodations in their rental housing from their landlord under the Ontario Human Rights Code. This guide provides an overview of the disability accommodation and letter-writing processes, offers tips for writing an effective disability accommodation letter, and provides templates that medical professionals can use to write their own letters.
In this toolkit, you’ll find information about:
This guide provides condominium boards with a clear overview of their obligations under Ontario’s Human Rights Code. It also informs condominium boards of their obligations regarding accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
In this guide, you’ll find information about:
The affordable rental housing crisis in Ontario has forced many people to compete for the few places they can afford. Renters shouldn’t be forced into such situations, but many wonder how to make their rental application stand out. One way to do this is by including a renter cover letter with your application.
Before writing your renter cover letter, it’s important to understand how some information that you provide could be used to discriminate against you, potentially leading to a rejection of your rental application.
To help avoid discriminatory outcomes, the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) has developed this toolkit, including two cover letter templates, to help you put your best foot forward, while avoiding some of the pitfalls that can impact your rental application.
A renter cover letter is a way to introduce yourself to a landlord, and to tell them what makes you the tenant they should consider.
Our sample letters outline the types of information that landlords often request from prospective tenants, as well as some helpful information that you may want to provide to help your application stand out:
Unfortunately, there are very few affordable rental homes in Ontario for those living on lower incomes. Many renters are forced to compete with one another for the few places they can afford. Renters should not be forced into such situations, and the long-term solution is for our governments to solve the housing crisis and provide more deeply affordable housing options.
In addition to a lack of affordable housing, discrimination in housing is also unfortunately still present in Ontario. Sometimes, landlords’ or property managers’ prejudices can lead them to deny an apartment to a household inappropriately.
It is important to note that a cover letter will not change discriminatory behaviours or systemic discrimination. Ending discrimination on a systemic level requires cultural shifts in attitudes and better legal protections.
In the meantime, as we work to bring about systemic change, CCHR has designed this renter cover letter toolkit to help you put your best foot forward, while potentially avoiding some of the pitfalls that can impact your application to rent. You should consider our templates as rough guides which should be personalized with the information you are comfortable providing.
The Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination on many grounds, and it also provides rules on what a landlord is allowed to ask a renter about, with the aim of reducing discrimination.
The Code makes it illegal for landlords and property managers to discriminate against renters on the grounds of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability and the receipt of public assistance. It is unlawful to discriminate against people in these groups even when they are applying for a place to rent.
In CCHR’s 2009 report, Sorry, it’s Rented, we found that discrimination in housing was widespread, affecting 14% to 34% of renters looking for a home to rent. Our study also found that where renters are members of more than one minority group, they face greater discrimination.
At the same time, the Code protects tenants by stating that, according to law, landlords are only allowed to ask potential renters for:
A credit reference is often a credit check but could also be a letter from a lender or acquaintance who can speak to a tenant’s credibility. Landlords are also allowed to ask about income information – but only after asking about the first three pieces of information. Income information can include information about the amount, source and steadiness of a potential tenant’s income.
Sometimes, even the information that landlords are explicitly allowed to request can be used in a discriminatory way. For example:
So, while landlords may use this information in deciding who to rent to, they must take care to not apply the information in a way that tends to systematically exclude particular groups. This can be especially true in places with a shortage of housing options, where landlords can choose who to rent to within a large pool of applicants.
A landlord is not permitted to use information about a protected characteristic (like gender, disability, sexuality, race or whether an applicant receives public assistance) to deny someone a place to rent. They also should not ask questions that give them information about those traits. If a landlord does ask a question that suggests they may illegally discriminate, you can use several potential responses.
Since landlords should not ask discriminatory questions, some advocates say those landlords are not owed a truthful answer. The decision of whether to be deceitful during the tenancy application process is a matter of individual conscience; however, there are risks to lying during a tenancy application and CERA does not condone being deceitful. Tenants thinking about being dishonest during a tenancy application should get legal advice about the risks of doing so.
In any of the above situations, it is prudent to take notes about the questions that you are asked so that you have evidence if you later want to complain about discriminatory conduct.
Since it is difficult to find an affordable place to live, renters should consider what type of housing search will work best for them. A renter who provides only the basic information that landlords are allowed to request under the Human Rights Code may be protected against discrimination, but they may have a harder time convincing non-discriminatory landlords to rent to them. In these instances, you may want to opt to provide more information, but this may lead to rejection of your application for discriminatory reasons, which is often hard to prove. Deciding what information to share is a very personal decision.
To account for this, we have produced two cover letter templates that can be adapted for many situations.
Contact information
Make sure to include your own email address and phone number, and any other contact information you are comfortable sharing.
Rental objective
This should be a brief 2-3 sentence statement about your goals in looking for a new rental. Talk about what you’re looking for, what your long-term goals are and why you are a good fit to live in this rental unit.
About me
This section is where you can introduce yourself. You can talk about your background and why you are moving, and if you have any pets or roommates. Try to include flattering information that makes you stand out, like being someone who is quiet, tidy and responsible. You may also include any accessibility accommodations you may need; however, this information could be used in a discriminatory way, and so you may choose to leave out this information.
Rental history and references
Include details about your rental history, including address, relevant dates, rent, and reasons for moving. Make sure you include your current / previous landlord’s contact information unless you do not want your new landlord contacting them. Include the names and contact information of 2-3 positive references. Former landlord references are best, but if those are not available, consider asking trusted employers, teachers or co-workers. You may also consider attaching a separate sheet with your rental history. Such a sheet may look like this:
My rental history:
| Address | Time Period | Monthly Rent | Reason for Moving | Landlord | Contact information |
| 12 Sesame Street, Toronto | 2013-2021 | $1020 | Change of Job | Patty Smith | 416-555-1111 Patty$#ith@gmail.ca |
Credit history
Landlords are allowed to ask for credit references and credit checks. You can order your credit report and score for free from one of Canada’s two credit reporting agencies. Credit references can include letters from business partners, or others who have made loans to you, or any other information that shows the landlord that you will pay your rent and other costs regularly. If you get a credit report, you can include it with your resume.
Proof of income
Once landlords have asked for rental and credit references, they are also allowed to ask for income information. The Human Rights Tribunal has held that landlords can ask for information like the amount, source and steadiness of a potential tenant’s income. Including this information in your renter’s cover letter allows you to frame that information in a way that works best for you. At a minimum, you should provide the current income your household receives, anything beyond that is your choice to disclose. You can also provide proof of income or make it available upon request. Proof of income could include pay slips/stubs, or an employment letter; but it can also include three months of bank statements. Sensitive information like the account number or your expenses can be blacked out by for instance photocopying a version that you have crossed out with a permanent marker.
Conclusion
In your conclusion you can summarize your objective again: that you are a tenant looking for a good apartment and are best suited to live in this home.
We have produced two cover letter templates that can be adapted for many situations. Check out our two templates and pick the one that is right for you:
This template includes lots of information that a landlord may request or be concerned with.
This template includes the minimum information that landlords are allowed to request under the Human Rights Code.
If you live in on-campus housing, the rules in the Residential Tenancies Act most likely do not apply to your living situation because of s. 5(g) of the Act. To know your rights, obligations and recourses, you must look at the agreement you signed with the university and your university’s housing policies. The agreement and policies may include a complaints procedure and process, with a final recourse to the court system if the issue cannot be solved internally.
While the Residential Tenancies Act may not apply to your on-campus housing situation, the Human Rights Code of Ontario does. If you feel that you are being discriminated against by on-campus housing administrators or if you are not receiving disability accommodations that you require in your college housing, you can file an application with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal under the Human Rights Code.
The remainder of this FAQ post discusses leases that are subject to the Residential Tenancies Act.
Generally, tenants can transfer their rental unit to someone else for a period of time. This is referred to as a sublease. In a sublease, the individual who moves into the rental unit is called a subtenant. The subtenant is responsible to the tenant, who is responsible to the landlord. The subtenant often pays rent directly to the original tenant, who then pays the landlord.
Section 97 of the Residential Tenancies Act requires that you get consent from your landlord to sublet your unit. Your landlord cannot refuse to allow you to sublet the unit. If your landlord refuses to let you sublease to a specific person without good reason, you can file an A2 Application about a Sublet or an Assignment with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). At the hearing, the LTB may decide to make an order authorizing your sublease agreement, ending your tenancy, or confirming that the landlord’s refusal was reasonable.
When subletting your unit to someone else, the initial lease agreement between you and the landlord continues to exist. This means that if your subtenant causes damage to the unit or fails to pay rent, you may be held responsible.
If you want to transfer your rental unit to someone else permanently, that is called assignment and has similar rules to subletting, except you are no longer responsible for the unit after the other tenant takes over the lease.
A landlord cannot control who you invite over to your home. In fact, in certain circumstances, if your landlord tries to limit who you can invite over, this may be considered harassment. However, if you live in subsidized housing, landlords may restrict the length of your guests’ visits.
It is important to note that under s. 34 of the Residential Tenancies Act, you are responsible for your guest’s actions while they are at your apartment building. For example, if they break something, commit a crime, or substantially interfere with other tenants, your landlord may have grounds to evict you.
Under the Human Rights Code, landlords are allowed to ask for a guarantor, also called a co-signer, when you sign a lease. This is to ensure that, if you do not pay rent, your guarantor will. Landlords most commonly ask for guarantors when the potential tenant has a low credit rating, bad landlord references or a history of missed or late rent payments. However, landlords cannot ask that you provide a guarantor for a discriminatory reason under the Human Rights Code.
In general, tenants must give proper notice. For a fixed-term tenancy or a month-to-month tenancy, you must give at least 60 days’ notice. If you pay rent daily or weekly, and you are not in a fixed-term tenancy, then you must give at least 28 days’ notice.
There are, however, a few ways you can legally terminate a lease early.
If you and your landlord come to a mutual agreement about ending the lease early, you can move out by an agreed upon date. It is best to fill out the N11 Agreement to End the Tenancy form available from the Landlord and Tenant Board to set this agreement out in writing to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.
If you can find another individual to take over your lease agreement, which is referred to as assignment, you can move out before the end of your lease. In this situation, the lease is transferred to someone new. There are rules in place that could release you from your lease if the landlord refuses to let you assign your tenancy.
Additionally, Ontario has used a standard lease form since 2018. If your landlord did not use the standard lease form for your lease agreement after April 2018, there is a process you can use to terminate your lease early.
Lastly, if your landlord has not upheld their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act, you may be able to end your lease early through an application to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
If you or a child are a victim of domestic or sexual violence occurring in your home, you may be able to terminate a lease with 28 days’ notice by providing your landlord with the N15 Tenant’s Notice to End my Tenancy Because of Fear of Sexual or Domestic Violence and Abuse and the Tenant’s Statement About Sexual or Domestic Violence and Abuse. You might also want to consult the following resources for help in this situation: The Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, the Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and Legal Aid Ontario. The Ontario government website also has a list of crisis and help lines, emergency shelters and victim services.
If you and your roommate rent the entire apartment and have each signed the lease, you are likely “joint tenants.” In this situation, both of you are jointly responsible towards the landlord. This means that if rent is not paid on time or damage is done to the unit, you can both be evicted or held responsible. If you signed separate leases with the landlord, or have locks on your bedroom doors, or moved in at different times, you may be “tenants in common”, and each responsible for your own behaviour.
If you signed the lease but your roommate did not sign the lease, they may be considered an “occupant”, which is not defined under the Residential Tenancies Act, and they may not be protected by the Act. Even though your roommate may still be subject to the terms of the lease, only you , as the tenant, are responsible and liable to the landlord. If your roommate does not pay their share of the rent, you would be held responsible.
Determining if your roommate is a joint tenant, a tenant in common or an occupant is not always easy. You can use this interactive tool to better understand what kind of relationship you have with your roommate. The Landlord and Tenant Board has the final say on what the true nature of the relationship is.
The Residential Tenancies Act does not mention roommate relationships. Therefore, if you have a dispute with your roommate, you will need to sort things out through conversation, negotiation, mediation or court. It may, therefore, be a good idea to create an agreement between roommates to create clear expectations for everyone in the apartment.
The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) provides free, individualized services to renters in Ontario who are facing challenges in their housing.
Discrimination is the differential and unjust treatment of people based on personal characteristics. It often occurs when people judge others based on stereotypes, prejudice, and biases. In the context of renting a home, renters can experience discrimination by their landlords. This can occur at many stages of the housing process including when a renter is searching for housing, when they apply for housing, or while the renter is living in their rental home.
Black people, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, those living on lower incomes, single mothers, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, young people, seniors, and families with children generally face higher levels of discrimination in housing. Many people can face multiple forms of discrimination based on their intersecting identities. For example, an Indigenous woman does not experience the world as an Indigenous person and as a woman separately. Instead, these identities intersect and she may experience multiple forms of oppression and discrimination at once as an Indigenous woman.
Discrimination can sometimes be overt. For example, a landlord who tells a single mother with two children that a two-bedroom unit is best suited for a couple without children is discriminating against her in an overt way based on family composition and marital status. However, discrimination can often be very subtle and difficult to identify. For example, a landlord requiring co-signors or guarantors for a newcomer renter is making renting difficult because most newcomers will not have a community or family to support them on that front. This form of discrimination is more indirect. It is referred to as constructive discrimination, where a policy or rule indirectly creates barriers for particular groups of people.
Other examples of discrimination may include:
The lack of available rental property in both Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has forced many renters to put up with discrimination as they fear not finding another place to call home. While the vacancy rate in Toronto increased in 2020 to 3.4%, the vacancy rate for affordable rental units remained low. The vacancy rate for purpose-built rentals with rents ranging from $750 – $999 was 1.4%. This means that for every 1,000 affordable rental units in the city there were only 14 units available for rent. The low vacancy rate of affordable rental housing means that a landlord has access to a larger pool of renters to choose from and may base their choice on discriminatory grounds. Additionally, when rental housing is scarce, renters are more willing to stay in housing situations where they are being discriminated against by their landlord.
How does the Ontario Human Rights Code protect against discrimination?
The Ontario Human Rights Code seeks to ensure that all people are treated equally and that their rights are protected. The Ontario Human Rights Code (“the Code”) prohibits discrimination in housing based on the following protected grounds:
In addition to the Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects peoples’ rights to be treated equally under the law. Canada also has obligations under international law, in particular, under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter, to ensure that all people are treated with dignity and that their human rights are respected. Canada has also signed several international treaties which commit the government to protect people from discrimination.
If a renter believes they have been discriminated against, they can file a claim to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”). This claim must be made based on a protected ground under the Code and filed within one year of the event. Once the claim is filed, the application will be sent to their landlord who may then respond to the claim. The renter is then given the option of mediation before a hearing takes place. In mediation, the Tribunal will hear both sides of the dispute and try to find a resolution that satisfies both parties – the renter and the landlord. If a settlement is not reached or the renter chooses not to pursue mediation, their claim will go to a hearing. During the hearing, the parties will each present evidence to support their position to the adjudicator who will consider both sides and make a final decision. This process can be quite lengthy and onerous on renters. The Tribunal aims to hold a hearing within a year of an application being filed but this may take longer depending on the circumstances. Additionally, final decisions are usually given to the parties three to six months following the hearing.
What makes discrimination a systemic issue is when it is caused by patterns of behavior, policies or practices that are a part of the structures of our society, organizations and institutions which put certain groups at a disadvantage. We can determine whether systemic discrimination is occurring in different ways. We can look at data to see how many marginalized people are represented in an organization and how they are treated. We can look at the policies and decision-making of institutions to see if they exclude certain groups. This is because although policies may seem neutral on the surface, they do not affect everyone equally. We can also look at the culture of organizations to see if that leads to certain groups being marginalized or excluded.
Examples of systemic discrimination in housing may include:
In 2019, the federal government passed the National Housing Strategy Act (NSHA), Canada’s first piece of legislation to identify housing as a fundamental human right. Under the NHSA, the federal government is required to ensure that vulnerable groups can participate in developing housing policy. To encourage participation, the NHSA establishes several mechanisms allowing for systemic issues, including those related to discrimination, to come to the attention of policy makers.
Three mechanisms created under the NHSA are meant to hold the federal government accountable to implement the right to housing:
The National Housing Council has been established, while the Federal Housing Advocate is yet to be named. The Federal Housing Advocate role in particular, creates an opportunity for people and communities to bring systemic issues to its attention by allowing them to make a submission. The Federal Housing Advocate can then investigate these issues and make recommendations to the federal Minister responsible to find policy solutions.
Claims to the Federal Housing Advocate are different from claims at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario in the following ways:
In addition to the federal mechanisms in place, the City of Toronto has also made a commitment to a rights-based approach to housing policy through its 10-year housing plan, the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan.
The plan includes the establishment of the Housing Commissioner’s Office that will hold the City accountable for the right to housing and to its promise of addressing systemic housing barriers. The Commissioner will help the City create policies that are consistent with the right to housing and will monitor its progress in reaching its goals. Additionally, the Commissioner will ensure that vulnerable groups are consulted about housing policy and that the systemic issues they face will be brought to the attention of City Council. Similar to the Federal Housing Advocate role, the creation of the Housing Commissioner will provide an opportunity for groups to bring forward their experiences of systemic discrimination in housing. The City of Toronto’s Housing Commissioner has yet to be established.
In Ontario, the Human Rights Code protects individual from discrimination and unfair treatment in five areas:
The Code also identifies 16 grounds upon which individuals should be protected from discrimination in the area of housing:
Specifically in relation to housing the Code states:
“Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to the occupancy of accommodation, without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, disability or the receipt of public assistance.”
This means that individuals are protected from discrimination in housing based on the 16 grounds above. If an individual experiences discrimination in housing, it is considered illegal and a violation of the Human Rights Code.
If you think you are facing discrimination when trying to access housing, or in any matter in your housing, CCHR may be able to assist you. Please contact us for support:
Discrimination can occur in any area of housing.
Some people may face discrimination when trying to access housing. For example, a landlord may refuse to rent to someone because they think that person is too young, or that they won’t be able to pay the rent because they receive social assistance, or because they hold prejudicial attitudes about the applicant’s race or ethnicity.
Other people may face discrimination while they are living in their unit. For example, a landlord may refuse to make changes to a unit to accommodate their tenant’s physical needs, or they may try to evict a tenant who is having a baby because they do not want a family living in the unit.
These are all examples of discrimination in housing as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The Code guarantees equal treatment and protection from discrimination in all aspects of housing. The right to be free from discrimination in housing includes not only the right to enter into a rental agreement and start a residential tenancy, but also the right to be free from discrimination in all matters during an individual’s tenancy.
Discriminatory treatment in any aspect of housing is illegal.
If you think you are facing discrimination when trying to access housing, or in any matter related to your housing, CCHR may be able to assist you. Please contact us for support:
The Ontario Human Rights Commission provides some information on how to identify discrimination. However, it can be difficult to identify and prove that discrimination has occurred, because discriminatory behaviour can often be subtle or unintended.
Various factors could be the cause of a negative housing issue, and it’s possible that none of these factors are due to discrimination as defined by the Human Rights Code. If you think you have experienced a negative issue in your housing – for example, a landlord has refused to rent to you – you should consider whether or not the landlord’s actions may have been discriminatory based on at least one of the protected grounds of the Human Rights Code.
If multiple factors contributed to a negative housing issue – like an individual being denied fair access to housing – and at least one of these factors were due to discrimination, the outcome could be the result of discrimination, and a violation of the Code.
If you think you are facing discrimination when trying to access housing, or in any area of housing, CCHR may be able to assist you. Please contact us for support:
You can also file an application with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
The Human Rights Tribunal is one of eight Ontario Tribunals. When a complaint is filed with the Tribunal, they will determine whether or not the Code has been violated. If a person files an application with the Human Rights Tribunal they may need to attend a mediation session or a hearing and provide evidence of their complaint. If the Tribunal determines that there has been a violation of the Human Rights Code, the Tribunal may order what is known as a remedy, such as financial compensation.
If you would like assistance filing a human rights complaint, contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre:
If you think you are facing discrimination when trying to access a place to call home or to ensure that your home is fit for you to live in, CCHR may be able to assist you. Please contact us for support:
You can also file an application with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.
The Human Rights Tribunal is one of eight Ontario Tribunals. When a complaint is filed with the Tribunal, they will determine whether or not the Code has been violated. If a person files an application with the Human Rights Tribunal, they may need to attend a mediation session or a hearing and provide evidence of their complaint. If the Tribunal determines that there has been a violation of the Human Rights Code, the Tribunal may order what is known as a remedy, such as financial compensation.
If you would like assistance filing a human rights complaint, contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre:
The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) provides free, individualized services to renters in Ontario who are facing challenges in their housing.
Ontario’s Human Rights Code has primacy over all other legislation in Ontario, and offers the most fulsome protection of a tenant’s accessibility rights. Two other laws also protect tenants’ accessibility rights in Ontario: the Building Code Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians and Disabilities Act.
The Ontario Building Code Act governs the construction of new buildings and the renovation and maintenance of existing buildings. However, the accessibility requirements set out in the Building Code do not always result in equal access to housing for people living with disabilities as required by the Ontario Human Rights Code. Many housing providers continue to rely only on the requirements of the Ontario Building Code without considering their obligations under the Human Rights Code. However, because the Human Rights Code takes precedence over all other legislation in Ontario, including the Building Code, housing providers may be vulnerable to a human rights claim if their premises do not meet the requirements of the Human Rights Code that housing must be accessible to residents.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) provides a mechanism for developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards to provide full accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities in goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises by January 1, 2025. Under the AODA, housing providers will be required to comply with accessibility standards for people with disabilities. If accessibility standards under the AODA fall short of the requirements in the Human Rights Code, the requirements of the Human Rights Code will prevail.
Provisions concerning housing under the Ontario Human Rights Code state:
“Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to the occupancy of accommodation, without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability or the receipt of public assistance.”
What this means is that everyone in Ontario is entitled to equality, equal treatment, and freedom from discrimination in housing, whether through the tenancy application process or in the terms and conditions of a tenancy. The Code applies to public and private housing, as well as to housing cooperatives and condominiums.
If you are facing accessibility issues in your building or unit, under the Human Rights Code you have the right to request an accommodation from your landlord.
CCHR has a self-advocacy toolkit that walks tenants through the process of requesting accommodation from their landlord.
CCHR also provides assistance to tenants throughout this process, including advocating directly with landlords on their behalf.
If you have made a request and you believe that you have not been properly accommodated by your landlord, you can file an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
For more information about how to pursue an application at the Tribunal, reach out to the Human Rights Legal Support Centre:
For more information about the Human Rights Code, visit our FAQ on Human Rights.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy and Guidelines on Disability and the Duty to Accommodate set out the definition of disability, as well as obligations related to the duty to accommodate and the process involved in making accommodations.
Disability is defined very broadly and includes:
If a tenant is in need of accommodation, they have the option of requesting an accommodation from their landlord. Under the Human Rights Code, landlords are obligated to accommodate a tenant’s disability by taking action to make their unit accessible.
CCHR has a self-advocacy toolkit that walks tenants through the process of requesting accommodation from their landlord.
CCHR also provides assistance to tenants throughout this process, including advocating directly with landlords on their behalf.
If you have made a request, and you believe that you have not been properly accommodated by your landlord, you can file an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
For more information about how to pursue an application at the Tribunal, reach out to the Human Rights Legal Support Centre:
No. Landlords are responsible for the costs of making a building or unit that they own accessible for tenants.
Under the Human Rights Code, your landlord is obligated to accommodate your accessibility needs up to the point of “undue hardship”. This means that your landlord is only discharged of their duty to accommodate your needs if they can demonstrate that making the accommodations you asked for would result in undue hardship. To do that, your landlord would need to prove that:
CCHR has a self-advocacy toolkit that walks tenants through the process of requesting accommodation from their landlord. CCHR also provides assistance to tenants throughout this process, including advocating directly with landlords on their behalf.
If you have questions or concerns about your landlord not accommodating your disability, you can contact CCHR for assistance. We can help you by advocating on your behalf to your landlord.
If you need legal information or help, contact the ARCH Disability Law Centre. ARCH is a legal clinic that offers free services to people with disabilities with low income or who receive social assistance.
The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) provides free, individualized services to renters in Ontario who are facing challenges in their housing.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
