4. Get legal help
If your landlord’s refusing to make the adjustments you need, think about getting legal help to work out a solution.
Here are some organizations that work in the area of human rights.
Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)
The Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA) is an organization that works with tenants mainly by telephone and email. Their staff are not lawyers or paralegals.
CERA’s human rights services include helping tenants who:
- need for a human rights reason, such as a
- want general information about human rights or the of Ontario
Human Rights Legal Support Centre
You can contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) to get free legal advice and support. The HRLSC will let you know if you have a strong case for the Human Rights . The amount of support they give you depends on your case, the type of issue you’re facing, and your personal situation.
The HRLSC can sometimes speak to your landlord on your behalf to help resolve the your issue without submitting an to the Tribunal. Visit the HRLSC website to see how they can help, or call 1-866-625-5179.
Community legal clinics
If your income is low enough, legal clinics in Ontario provide free legal services for human rights cases related to housing. To find the legal clinic in your area, enter your postal code on the Legal Aid Ontario website.
Pro Bono Ontario
Pro Bono Ontario offers free legal advice for tenants who are facing legal issues. Call 1-855-255-7256.
Lawyer Referral Service
Many lawyers work on cases. For help finding a lawyer, you can use the Law Society’s online Lawyer Referral Service or call 1-855-947-5255
Ontario Legal Information Centre
The Ontario Legal Information Centre offers a free 30-minute meeting with a lawyer to anyone in Ontario. You can talk to a lawyer by telephone or in person at their Ottawa office, in any area of law, and in English or French. You may have to leave a message, and a lawyer will call you back.
JusticeNet
JusticeNet is a not-for-profit organization that helps people access legal services when their income is too high to qualify for legal aid but too low to afford legal fees. If your net family income is less than $59,000, they refer you to a directory of lawyers, paralegals, and mediators who provide help at reduced rates depending on income.
You must register and pay a $25 fee to use the website. This fee may be returned to you if you don’t find a professional to work with.
