Older renters in Ontario may face subtle or obvious age-based barriers when applying for or living in rental housing. This guide explains tenant options, language to use when reporting discrimination, and the public bodies that can help you challenge unfair treatment. Whether you’re asking for a small accommodation, responding to a rejection, or dealing with harassing behaviour, knowing your rights as a tenant and how to collect evidence can make the difference. The information here is practical for seniors, caregivers, and advocates and points to official Ontario resources and steps you can take to seek remedies and protection. It covers when to contact the landlord, when to file with the Human Rights Tribunal or the Landlord and Tenant Board, and how to get community support.
What is age discrimination in rentals?
Age discrimination in rentals means being treated differently because of your age when you apply for housing, during tenancy, or when requesting a change to your living arrangement. That can include refusals to rent, higher fees, invasive screening, or biased comments that affect your ability to secure or keep reasonable housing. Discrimination can be direct (an explicit refusal) or indirect (policies that disadvantage older people).
Legal protections in Ontario
In Ontario, tenants have protections through provincial tenancy law and human rights law. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006[1] governs landlord and tenant obligations and may provide remedies for some unfair actions. Age-based discrimination is also covered under Ontario's human rights framework, enforced by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)[2]. For tenancy disputes that involve eviction, repairs, or rent issues you can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)[3] for specific remedies.
What to do if you experience discrimination
Follow practical steps to protect your rights and preserve evidence. You can pursue a human rights complaint for discrimination and/or a tenancy application for rental-specific remedies.
- Document the incident with dates, times, names, messages, photos and any witness statements.
- Contact the landlord or property manager in writing to raise the issue, request an explanation, and ask for a reasonable accommodation if needed.
- Consider filing a human rights application with the HRTO when treatment appears to be based on age or a related protected ground.
- If the problem affects rent, eviction risk, or utilities, apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for orders such as rent abatement or prohibiting eviction.
- Seek local tenant advice clinics, community legal clinics, or senior advocacy services for help preparing applications and meeting deadlines.
FAQ
- Can a landlord refuse to rent to me because of my age?
- No. Refusing to rent to someone solely because of age is discriminatory under Ontario's human rights framework; you can seek remedies through the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and, in some cases, through the Landlord and Tenant Board.
- Should I file with the HRTO or the Landlord and Tenant Board?
- Use the HRTO for age discrimination or other human-rights-based claims. Use the Landlord and Tenant Board for tenancy-specific issues like eviction, rent reduction, or vital repairs; sometimes both processes may be appropriate.
- What evidence helps the most?
- Clear, dated records such as emails, text messages, application notes, photos, witness statements, and copies of advertisements or screening forms will support your claim.
How-To
- Gather all evidence and create a timeline of events.
- Contact the landlord in writing to state your concern and request a remedy or accommodation.
- File a human rights application with the HRTO if discrimination is based on age or a related ground.
- Apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board for tenancy remedies if the issue involves eviction, repairs, or rent.
- Get free legal advice from community clinics or tenant duty counsel before key deadlines.
Help and Support / Resources
- Landlord and Tenant Board - applications, forms, and procedures
- Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario - how to file a human rights application
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 - official legislation
