Deborah Howden Weighs in on Service Animal Rules

Our own Deborah Howden was recently featured in a CBC article discussing a service animal dispute in a Toronto-area condominium.

The case involved a Mississauga condo board that initially required a visitor with a service dog to register with the property manager each time she entered the building. This requirement was established in an updated rule passed by the condominium corporation.  The rule was challenged by the visitor on the grounds that it violated the Ontario Human Rights Code, ultimately leading to the board reversing its decision.

Although Deborah was not directly involved in this case, her legal insights provided important context on the enforceability of condominium rules.

As she explained to CBC, “Rules have to be reasonable, as do bylaws. If they are not reasonable, they are not enforceable.”

Deborah’s commentary highlights the crucial balance condo boards must strike between implementing rules and policies on the one hand, and ensuring compliance with the Human Rights Code on the other.

The CBC story can be viewed here.