1. See if your situation is covered by the Human Rights Code

Ontario's Human Rights Code bans discrimination in most rental situations. But there are some exceptions.

The landlord can refuse to rent to you for any reason if both of these are true:

• you will be living in the same building as the property owner or their family, and
• you will be sharing a bathroom or kitchen with them

And there are other types of rental housing that are not covered by some of the rules in the Code. These include:

• seniors' homes: landlords can refuse to rent to people who are younger than 65
• single-sex residences: tenants can be chosen by sex
• subsidized housing: tenants can be chosen by their income or immigration status

Even if a building is exempt from one rule, the landlord must still follow Ontario's Human Rights Code in all the other areas.

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre has an online tool to help you figure out if what happened to you is considered discrimination under the Human Rights Code. For more information and advice, you can also speak to staff at the Support Centre.

If the Human Rights Code does not apply, check other topics and questions on this website. There might be a solution to your problem using your other rights as a tenant.