2. Talk to the person or organization
Question & Answer
What does it mean to experience discrimination?If an employer, landlord, , or provider is discriminating against you, you might be able to convince them to follow the Human Rights Code. You can try explaining the law to them, or getting someone to help you deal with them.
You could show them information about the Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Commission website has a lot of helpful information.
Take notes about any discussions you have. It’s best to make the notes when things happen while you still remember them well. This is important because, as time passes, people can forget details of events. Emailing the notes to yourself can help to prove the date that you made the notes.
Keep copies of any emails, text messages, or other written communications you have with the employer, landlord, union, or service provider.
You can also ask a friend or someone else to go with you when you meet or speak with them. That person can be a witness to what happened or what was said.
Get legal help
You might want to get legal advice before speaking to your employer, landlord, union, or service provider. You can contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre for free legal advice and information.
The Centre can help you figure out:
- if your situation might be
- if there are things you or a lawyer can do to get
- whether to make a claim with the of Ontario
- what might help you prove you discrimination
The Centre also helps people when they apply to the Tribunal and, in some cases, at the .
You can also check out the Centre’s online tool Can we help you? to see if you might be able to make a claim.
Legal Clinics
Community legal clinics (CLCs) provide free legal services to people with low incomes. CLCs may be able to help you if you think you have been discriminated against. To find a CLC in your area you can search by your postal code. Or, you can call Legal Aid Ontario at 1-800-668-8258 or 416-979-1446. TTY users can call 1-866-641-8867 or 416-598-8867.
There are also specialty clinics for people throughout Ontario that:
- represent specific individuals, for example, seniors, people living with HIV, and people with disabilities, or
- deal with a specific area of law, for example workers compensation and workers’ health and safety