Property management · Leasing questions (Canada)

Leasing call questions in Canada: what to ask, and what never to ask

In Canada, what a landlord may ask comes from provincial human rights codes, not the US Fair Housing Act. The questions to ask barely change. What changes is the list you never ask, and in Ontario and British Columbia that list includes where a tenant’s income comes from, their age and their marital status.

Last updated October 25, 2026

Protected grounds in rental housing: Ontario and B.C.

Each province has its own code. The two largest rental markets, side by side:

Grounds protected in rental housing under the Ontario and British Columbia human rights codes
Ground	Ontario Human Rights Code	B.C. Human Rights Code
Race, colour, ancestry	Protected	Protected
Where someone comes from	Place of origin, ethnic origin and citizenship	Place of birth or origin, and Indigenous identity
Religion	Creed	Religion
Sex and sexual orientation	Sex (including pregnancy and gender identity) and sexual orientation	Sex and sexual orientation
Age	From 18 (16 and 17 if they’ve left parental control)	From 19; buildings for people 55 and older are an exception
Marital and family status	Both protected; “adult only” housing is prohibited	Both protected; a landlord can limit how many people live in a unit, but not refuse because of children
Disability	Protected	Protected
Income	Receipt of public assistance (Ontario Works, ODSP, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance)	Lawful source of income (for example welfare, disability benefits, student loans)

Sources: Ontario Human Rights Commission, Policy on human rights and rental housing; Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (B.C.), Human rights, both read October 18, 2026. Other provinces and territories have codes with similar grounds. General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, province and city, so check yours.

What never to ask or say in Canada

The Ontario Human Rights Commission says landlords may request income information, credit checks, references, rental history and guarantees, as long as the criteria are used in a genuine and non-discriminatory way. That’s the application’s job. The phone call stays out of it.

Questions to avoid on a Canadian leasing call, with the reason and a safe alternative
Never ask or say	Why	Say instead
“Are you on Ontario Works or ODSP?”	Receipt of public assistance is protected in Ontario, and lawful source of income in B.C.	“Everyone fills in the same application, and it’s reviewed the same way.”
“Are you married?”	The Ontario Commission says landlords may not ask about marital status on a rental application.	Nothing.
“Do you have children?” or “It’s an adult building.”	Family status is protected, and Ontario’s Commission calls “adult only” housing a clear breach of the Code.	“How many bedrooms do you need?”
“How old are you?”	Age is protected from 18 in Ontario and from 19 in B.C.	Nothing.
“Are you a Canadian citizen?” or “Where are you from?”	Citizenship and place of origin are protected in Ontario.	Nothing. The application asks what your screening needs.
“No Canadian rental history? Then we can’t help.”	Treating no rental history like bad rental history can be discriminatory when it’s tied to a protected ground, such as being new to Canada.	Leave screening to the application, applied the same way to everyone.
“What’s the animal for?”	Disability is protected, and accommodation is your staff’s job.	“I’ll pass that to our leasing manager.”

General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, province and city, so check yours.

The questions, ready for your agent

The questions to ask are the same in Canada as in the US: they’re about the home, not the person. These go in step 3, Questions to ask, in this order.

Why each one matters, and what happens with each answer, is on the US leasing call questions page.

Leasing questions for step 3

Which property or unit are you calling about?
How many bedrooms do you need?
When would you like to move in?
Do you have any pets?
Would you like to book a tour?
Can I get your full name?
What’s the best number to reach you?
What’s your email address?
Is there anything you’d like the leasing team to know?

A caller who mentions benefits

The caller offers the information unasked. The virtual receptionist doesn’t react to it, and gives the answer it gives everyone.

Sample call · Lakeshore Rentals, Toronto (example company)

AI receptionistThanks for calling Lakeshore Rentals. I’m an AI assistant. This call is recorded and transcribed so we can handle your request. How can I help you today?
CallerHi, I’m calling about the one-bedroom on Queen Street. I should say I’m on ODSP. Is that a problem?
AI receptionistYou’re welcome to apply. Everyone fills in the same application, and our leasing team reviews them all the same way. The one-bedroom is available January 1, and rent is $2,050 a month with heat and water included. When would you like to move in?
CallerJanuary would be perfect.
AI receptionistWould you like to see it? I have Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. or Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

Where call data from Canadian landlords is stored

Leasing calls are full of personal information: names, numbers, sometimes a disability or a benefit the caller mentions.

Call data is stored in the United States, for customers in the United States and Canada. Some of our providers may process it elsewhere to provide the service; our Data Processing Addendum lists them. Information stored or processed outside Canada may be accessible to courts and authorities there. See PIPEDA and PHIPA and the AI receptionist in Canada.

Build it yourself

Set it up for a Canadian leasing line

The same three steps as in the US, with Canada’s own rules in steps 9 and 10.

Build yours free for 7 days

You set all of this yourself in the 365vox portal, on the Customize screen. Everything saves as you type; then you submit, test the agent with a real call and activate it.

Customize · your agent

Step 3, Questions to askThe nine questions above, in order.
Step 9, Business rulesIf a caller mentions income, benefits, rental history or where they’re from, say that everyone fills in the same application and it’s reviewed the same way. Then your listings, pet policy and viewing times.
Step 10, Things your agent will never doAdd Never ask about income sources, benefits, citizenship, age or marital status and Never describe who lives in the building or the area.

Comparing virtual receptionist services?

Live answering services usually sell monthly plans of minutes or calls. 365vox is an AI virtual receptionist that answers forwarded calls on the first ring, day and night, follows your approved answers and costs $0.75 a minute, billed by the second, with no plan.

The virtual receptionist, minus the call center

Leasing questions in Canada FAQs

Does the Fair Housing Act apply to Canadian landlords?

No. It’s a US law. In Canada, each province’s human rights code sets what a landlord may ask and consider, and the grounds differ a little from province to province.

Can an Ontario landlord ask about a tenant’s income?

The Ontario Human Rights Commission says landlords may request income information, credit checks, references, rental history and guarantees, if the criteria are used in a genuine and non-discriminatory way. Receipt of public assistance is a protected ground.

Can a landlord turn down a tenant on social assistance?

Not because of it. Ontario protects receipt of public assistance and B.C. protects lawful source of income. Your application and your criteria have to treat those tenants the same way.

Can a rental building be adults only?

In Ontario, the Commission calls “adult only” housing a clear breach of the Code. B.C. makes an exception for buildings for people 55 and older.

Can you ask a prospective tenant’s age?

Not on a leasing call. Age is protected from 18 in Ontario (and for 16- and 17-year-olds who’ve left parental control) and from 19 in B.C.

Can you require Canadian rental history?

Be careful. The Ontario Commission says treating a lack of rental history like a negative one can be discriminatory where it’s linked to a protected ground, which often affects newcomers and young people.

Where is the call data kept?

Call data is stored in the United States, for customers in the United States and Canada. Information stored or processed outside Canada may be accessible to courts and authorities there. See PIPEDA and PHIPA.

Is there a US version of this page?

Yes: leasing call questions in the US, under the Fair Housing Act.

Every prospect asked the same questions, the Canadian way.

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