SHARE/ÉRHAS

The Sexual Harassment and Assault Resource Exchange (SHARE) Project at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre is ending. Please note that as of March 18, 2024 the SHARE Intake line will no longer be active. If you are calling after this date, please contact the HRLSC’s main intake line for further assistance, toll free, at 1-866-625-5179.

 

Le projet Échange de ressources pour le Harcèlement et l’Agression Sexuelle (ÉRHAS) du Centre d’assistance juridique en matière de droits de la personne (CAJDP) prend fin. Veuillez prendre note qu’à compter du 18 mars 2024, la ligne de réception d’ÉRHAS ne sera plus active.  Si vous appelez après cette date, veuillez communiquer avec la ligne de réception principale sans frais du CAJDP pour obtenir de l’aide supplémentaire, en composant le 1 866 625-5179.

 

Human Rights and Housing

Ontario’s Human Rights Code and housing: Do you think you have been discriminated against or harassed in your search for a home or by your current landlord?

This is general information only. It is not legal advice about your situation.

Yes. The Code protects you against discrimination in buying a condominium, in renting an apartment or a unit in a co-op or in purchasing a home. For example, a condominium owner cannot refuse to rent to you and a condominium board cannot refuse to approve your purchase because you are a recent immigrant. A vendor cannot refuse to complete a house sale because of personal characteristics covered by the Code (see also Contracts).

If you are renting accommodation, there is an exemption in the Human Rights Code that means you if you share a bathroom or a kitchen with your landlord, the Code does not apply.

The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights and the Ontario Human Rights Commission are good resources for more information about your rights to protection from discrimination when looking for housing or keeping your housing.

Also see materials on the web sites of the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (they do not provide direct service) and the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario.

If you are a tenant facing eviction or experiencing harassment that is not related to a discriminatory ground, you can get help from the Landlord and Tenant Board at 1-888-332-3234 or 416-645-8080.

No. It is against the Code to discriminate against people looking for housing because they receive social assistance. Under the Code, this ground of discrimination is called “receipt of public assistance.”

Yes. The landlord and his or her agents have a responsibility to protect you from harassment based on Code grounds.

It is illegal for a landlord, agent of the landlord or another occupant of the building to harass a resident on the basis of any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. If one resident is subjecting another resident to discriminatory harassment, it is the landlord’s responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure that the harassment stops. If they do not take steps to stop the harassment, they could be subject to a human rights application.

The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights  has a range of materials on housing and human rights.

For information about general landlord and tenant issues that are not related to human rights see the web sites of organizations such as the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario and the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario. Also see the web site of the Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations. Although the Federation only provide service in the GTA, there are helpful documents on the site for tenants.

The Housing Help Association of Ontario (HHAO) is a provincial association of community-based, not-for-profit organizations delivering free assistance to help people find and keep their housing.