A Gay Toronto Couple Was Reportedly Told To Get Married Or Leave Their Condo By Management
They've been living in their building since spring last year.
One gay couple in Toronto is reportedly dealing with some pushback from their condo for living together.
According to a CTV News Toronto report, the couple was allegedly told by the condo building's management team that they either need to get married or leave their home. Michael Cowan moved into his Bay and Wellesley condo last spring but asked his partner to move in with him this October. That's when the two were met with objections from building management.
"She said that we needed proof of marital status whether that be common law or marriage certificate," Michael Cowan told CTV News on October 26. "Which we do not have because, well, we've only been together for a short period of time."
Cowan's landlord, Seema Opal, tried to help the couple, but the condo's management team hasn't budged.
The building reportedly has a rule in place that defines the condos as a "single-family" building. This means everyone who lives in that building apparently has to fall under that definition. Shawn Pulver, a condo lawyer, told CTV News that this rule was likely put in place to prevent short-term rentals or noisy tenants from living there.
"My office has been supporting these renters & their landlord to try & find a solution for weeks. No one should face discrimination in accessing housing because of their family status or sexual orientation," Suze Morrison, the NDP MPP for Toronto Centre tweeted out in response to the news.
Several users on Reddit also commented on the story with some sharing similar experiences.
"I was surprised when my old condo building did the same thing, except it was to kick out two roommates who were students splitting rent," one user said.
Another pointed to Ontario's Human Rights Code, which states that everyone has the right to freedom from harassment by their landlord or another tenant in their building because of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status, and more, as well as a right to equal treatment in regards to occupancy of accommodation.