Jessica Larabee is a young woman who receives Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits. On September 6^th, 2010, she saw an advertisement on Viewit.ca for a bachelor apartment operated by a property management company with residential properties across the Greater Toronto Area. The location – downtown Toronto – was good and, at $739/month, the rent was affordable to her.

The next day, Jessica called the number listed in the ad and spoke to a rental agent. When Jessica asked about the rental criteria, the agent said that they would do a credit check and that the lease would be for one year. The rental agent then asked Jessica if she was employed. When Jessica said that she was receiving ODSP benefits, the rental agent told her that she would need to get someone to co-sign on the lease and she would also need to provide copies of her medical documentation. Jessica was shocked and asked for an explanation, to which the rental agent replied, “They are running a business and not a homeless shelter.” The rental agent then rudely ended the call.

To see if someone in paid employment (and not receiving disability benefits) would be treated this way, Jessica asked her mother, Francine Larabee, to anonymously call and inquire about the apartment. Francine contacted the rental agent and, like Jessica, was asked if she was employed. Francine said “Yes.” The rental agent seemed pleased by this and, as expected, did not tell Jessica’s mother that she would need to provide a co-signor or medical documentation. These extra requirements were made of Jessica simply because she was receiving disability benefits. The rental agent appeared to be acting on the discriminatory assumption that a person in receipt of ODSP benefits will not be a good tenant.

A few days later, Theresa Thornton from CERA called the building and confirmed that rental applicants in receipt of ODSP would need to provide a co-signor to be eligible for an apartment.

On September 24, 2012, Jessica filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.  She hopes her application will stop the property management company from discriminating in the future. CERA is represented her. The Application was settled at mediation. The terms of the deal are confidential. 

SOURCE: http://www.equalityrights.org/cera/?page_id=653