Author: Canadian Centre for Housing Rights. Canada’s leading non-profit organization working to advance the right to housing across Canada.
Location: Toronto
Preamble: October’s evidence snapshot focused on housing discrimination faced by refugees in Australia’s private rental market. The article examined discrimination from the perspective of refugees, property managers and landlords. This month we turn the spotlight on housing discrimination experienced by immigrants and refugees in Canada’s most populous city, Toronto.
Context: Each year, hundreds of newcomers contact the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR) with complaints of discrimination and challenges with securing rental housing. Although newcomers can find an apartment, their applications are rejected based on immigration status, racial or ethnic background, family size, or being recipients of social assistance. Sometimes, the reasons for the rejection are not shared, even when affordability is not an issue and the necessary information can be provided.
In 2022, CCHR conducted a multi-method study which included 1,370 paired tests, a survey and interviews. In paired testing, also called a discrimination audit, two applicants with the same identity profile, (with the exception of one or two variables, such as race), respond to the same rental housing advertisement. The responses they receive are analyzed to determine how housing providers responded to auditors presenting with the marginalized identity marker (i.e., the variable that was different between the two applicants, such as race).
Findings showed that racialized newcomers to Toronto face a high degree of discrimination in the rental housing market.
The author’s conclusions highlighted the following:
- Discrimination in Toronto’s rental housing market against newcomers is widespread.
- Racialized newcomers and single-parent newcomer households face particularly high levels of discriminatory treatment.
- Stringent application processes are a mechanism that housing providers use for discriminatory purposes.
- Discriminatory conduct by housing providers is often hidden.
- Discrimination in the housing market may be even more acute as rental market conditions tighten.
How does this research apply to my work?
Most of the recommendations in the report are targeted at public policy and the three levels of government. However, here are relevant recommendations that providers can work with:
- Promote education for tenants to learn about their legal rights and advocate for housing providers to learn about their legal obligations.
- Multi-tenant (rooming) houses provide a deeply affordable housing option for newcomers who live on lower incomes. You may advocate for your city to adopt a regulatory framework for multi-tenant houses that allows for the legal operation of this type of accommodation.
- Build and strengthen partnerships with other community-based organizations to facilitate access to affordable, adequate and quality housing for newcomers.
What should I take away from this research?
The barriers to accessing rental housing are particularly acute for newcomers, who lack employment or credit history in Canada, and are effectively shut out of even applying for many apartments in competitive rental markets.
Discrimination can occur at any point in the process. Households that may not have been discriminated against in the initial stages may experience discrimination at a later stage, such as when viewing the apartment or filling out a rental application,
Although legislation exists, discrimination based on various forms of social identity remains persistent. This can be attributed, in part, to little recourse for people who face housing discrimination. The official recourse available to individuals is through filing a complaint. However, this process is inaccessible to many. Newcomers may be busy with other settlement needs and find the complaints process time consuming.
Many newcomers are unaware of their legal rights as tenants, and are more vulnerable to experiencing illegal requests and conditions in their tenancy arrangements. Working with newcomers to help them understand their rights and responsibilities is essential. However, policy reform and funding for direct supports and programs for newcomers needing a home are other important factors.