Ottawa — Ch. 46 Human Relations § 46-40
Complaints, conciliation
Operative Text
(a) Any person aggrieved in any manner by any violation of any provision of this article may file with the commission a written verified complaint setting forth his grievance. The complaint shall state the name and address of the complainant, the name and address of the person against whom the complaint is brought, if known to the complainant, and the alleged facts surrounding the alleged violation of this article; and such complaint shall state the name and address of all persons believed to have knowledge concerning the alleged facts. The commission shall provide a printed form of complaint for the use of aggrieved persons. (b) After the filing of any complaint, the commission shall serve a copy of the complaint on the party or parties charged and the chairman of the commission shall designate a panel to make a prompt investigation in connection therewith. (c) If such panel shall determine after such investigation that probable cause exists for the allegations of the complaint: (1) The panel shall set a time and date for a conference; and (2) At such meeting, the panel or any member thereof shall interview the complainant and the person or persons against whom the complaint has been directed and shall attempt to resolve the complaint by all proper methods of conciliation and persuasion. (d) If at any time within 60 days after the date of filing of the complaint such panel shall determine that such attempts at conciliation would not be in furtherance of the objectives of this article, the commission shall thereupon proceed promptly to a full hearing on the complaint in accordance with section 46-41 . (e) Any complaint filed under this section with the commission must be filed within 120 days after the alleged discriminatory practice occurred or it shall be barred.
Ottawa Chapter 46, Section 46-40 establishes the process by which a person who believes they have experienced a violation of the Human Relations article may bring a formal complaint before the commission. Once a written, verified complaint is filed, the commission serves notice on the accused party and convenes a panel to investigate and, where probable cause is found, attempt to resolve the matter through conciliation. If conciliation efforts are deemed unlikely to succeed within 60 days of filing, the matter proceeds to a full hearing under Section 46-41. Critically, any complaint must be filed within 120 days of the alleged discriminatory act or it is time-barred.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ottawa Ch. 46 § 46-40, property owners and managers named in a complaint will receive formal notice from the commission and are expected to participate in the panel's investigation and any scheduled conciliation conference. Operators who maintain clear records of their rental practices and communications are generally better positioned to engage constructively with the conciliation process. If conciliation does not resolve the matter within the 60-day window, the case moves to a formal hearing under Section 46-41, making thorough documentation of all relevant transactions and decisions an important operational practice.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ottawa Ch. 46 § 46-40 gives individuals who believe they have experienced a violation of the Human Relations article the right to file a written, verified complaint with the commission — but that complaint must be submitted within 120 days of the alleged discriminatory act. The commission provides a printed complaint form, and the process begins with an investigation and an attempt at conciliation before any formal hearing under Section 46-41 is convened. Tenants who believe their rights may have been violated can consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to better understand the complaint process and the 120-day filing window.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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