Services in Ontario

Discrimination in housing

Find help in your community

Legal clinics

Legal Aid Ontario funds legal clinics across Ontario. There are two types of legal clinics: community legal clinics and specialty legal clinics.

Community legal clinics provide free legal services to people with low incomes who live in their area. Search for the clinic in your area using your postal code. Most help with:

  • income assistance
  • tenant rights
  • employment problems

Some clinics can help with immigration and refugee problems or debt and consumer problems.

Some specialty legal clinics provide free legal services to specific groups of people with low incomes:

Some specialty legal clinics provide free legal services in only certain areas of law:

Website

legalaid.on.ca/services/legal-clinics

Contact Information

Phone: 416-979-1446 Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258 TTY: 416-598-8867 Toll-free TTY: 1-866-641-8867

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)

The centre gives free legal information and advice to people who have experienced discrimination. If you’re Indigenous, press 4 to reach the Indigenous Service intake staff. The centre can:

  • help you fill out an application to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
  • give legal advice about how to deal with discrimination
  • provide legal representation at mediations and hearings, in some situations

There is also an online tool that can help you figure out if your situation might be discrimination.

Website

hrlsc.on.ca/en/home

Contact Information

Phone: 416-597-4900 Toll-free: 1-866-625-5179 TTY: 416-597-4903 Toll-free TTY: 1-866 612-8627

Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)

CCHR is an organization that works with tenants mainly by telephone and email.

Tenants facing eviction can get information about the eviction process and services that can help them. Tenants renting in Toronto can also get help if their landlord has applied for a rent increase above the guideline, or help with maintenance and repair applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board.

CCHR’s human rights services include helping tenants who:

  • are being discriminated against when looking for housing
  • are being harassed
  • need accommodation for a human rights reason, such as a disability
  • want general information about human rights or the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

Website

housingrightscanada.com

Contact Information

Phone: 416-944-0087 Toll-free: 1-800-263-1139

Tribunals Ontario – Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)

The Landlord and Tenant Board is the tribunal that decides issues between landlords and tenants.

The Board’s website has information about housing law, forms that landlords and tenants must use, and a FAQ page that answers common questions about housing law and the Board’s processes.

You can also call the Board for information. The Board can’t give legal advice.

Website

tribunalsontario.ca/ltb

Contact Information

Phone: 416-645-8080 Toll-free: 1-888-332-3234 Toll-free TTY: 1-800-855-0511 (Bell Relay Service)

Francophone legal advice lines

LAO has 4 free regional advice lines that can give legal information and advice in French over the telephone to people living in:

  • Eastern Ontario
  • Northern Ontario, and parts of central Ontario including:

    • Barrie
    • Parry Sound
    • Muskoka and Kawartha Lakes regions
  • Greater Toronto Area
  • Southwestern Ontario

The advice lines do not help with family law or criminal law matters.

Ontario Legal Information Centre

The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario, online or by phone in English or French. They provide legal information on any legal topic, and referrals to services.  Book a meeting online or call 1-844-343-7462 if you need help.

Website

centreinfojuridique.ca/en

Contact Information

Toll-free: 1-844-343-7462
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