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Ontario's Human Rights Code applies to rental housing. If you need an accommodation — or believe you are being treated unfairly because of who you are — this page explains how the process generally works and helps you make a clear, respectful request in writing.
The general picture
These are general principles drawn from official OHRC and HRLSC guidance. How they apply to a specific situation is a question for a legal professional or, ultimately, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Discrimination and harassment in housing based on protected grounds — such as disability, family status, race, creed, sex, age, receipt of public assistance, and others — are prohibited under Ontario's Human Rights Code. This covers things like renting, evictions, rules, and how tenants are treated day to day.
Landlords generally have a duty to accommodate disability-related and other Code-related needs, up to the point of undue hardship. What counts as undue hardship is a high bar and is assessed case by case — cost alone, at ordinary levels, usually is not enough.
Accommodation generally works as a dialogue: you explain the need, the landlord can ask reasonable questions about it, and both sides look for a workable solution. Clear written requests and a calm record of responses keep the process on track.
RTO Pro cannot determine that discrimination occurred
Only the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (or a court) can make a finding of discrimination. What you describe is your account of events — important and worth recording carefully, but an allegation until it is decided. This page helps you document, communicate, and connect with the free legal support that exists for exactly these situations.
How it works
What to ask for, what to share, and what to keep track of along the way.
Put the request in writing, describe the need, say what specific change you are asking for, and ask for a written response. Accommodation is generally a cooperative process — both sides are expected to work toward a solution in good faith.
This can include physical changes (ramps, grab bars, unit transfers), policy changes (service animals despite a no-pets preference), or flexibility (communication in a certain format). The duty to accommodate generally extends to the point of undue hardship for the landlord.
Needs connected to caring for children or certain family members can also engage the Code — for example, issues around children's ordinary noise or the size of a household. If your concern involves your family responsibilities, it may be worth raising in those terms.
For disability-related requests, what generally matters is information about your needs and limitations — not your diagnosis or full medical file. A note confirming the need for the accommodation is often enough. If you're asked for more than seems necessary, get advice before sharing.
Share what is needed to support the request and no more. You can ask why particular information is required and how it will be kept. Keep copies of everything you provide, and note the date you provided it.
The exact accommodation you request may not be the one that ends up working. Offering to discuss alternatives — and considering reasonable proposals seriously — strengthens your position and often gets to a solution faster.
Keep every request, response, and follow-up in writing where possible. Date each one. If a conversation happens in person or by phone, send a short follow-up message summarizing what was said.
Keep private notes on how the situation affects you — missed work, health effects, stress, costs. Dated notes made at the time carry more weight later than memory, and they help a legal professional understand the full picture.
Your tool
A guided builder that turns your answers into a respectful accommodation-request letter — a draft you review and edit before sending.
Answer a few questions and get a respectful, clearly worded request letter you can review, edit, and send. Nothing you type here leaves your browser. You choose what to share — including whether to name a protected ground at all.
Rather than a separate tracker, use your timeline: add an event the day you send the request, another for each response or follow-up, and one if a deadline you set passes without an answer. That gives you — and anyone helping you — one dated chronology of the whole exchange.
If you are also dealing with pressure, intimidation, or entry problems, use the incident and entry logs on the harassment and privacy page. Those records land on the same timeline, so the full pattern stays visible in one place.
The Human Rights Legal Support Centre provides free legal support to people in Ontario who have experienced discrimination. The Ontario Human Rights Commission publishes the policies that explain how the Code applies to housing.
This is legal information, not legal advice. RTO Pro is not a law firm. Deadlines and exceptions may apply to your situation — a qualified legal professional should confirm anything important before you rely on it.