Québec landlord anti-discrimination bylaws

Housing and Building Standards Quebec 4 Minutes Read · published February 12, 2026 Flag of Quebec

In Québec, Quebec, landlords must follow both municipal bylaws and provincial human-rights rules when screening tenants or enforcing occupancy rules. This guide points to the official municipal bylaws, the city offices that handle by-law enforcement and the provincial body that handles discrimination complaints so landlords know where to find rules, how to report issues and what to expect from inspections and appeals.

Penalties & Enforcement

Municipal bylaws that affect rental housing in Ville de Québec are published and enforced by the city; where discrimination issues overlap with provincial human-rights protections, the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) handles complaints. For the city's consolidated bylaws and enforcement contacts, consult the municipal bylaws page[1]. For provincial complaint routes on discrimination in housing, consult the CDPDJ pages[2]. For landlord-tenant adjudication or related appeals, the Tribunal administratif du logement is the provincial forum for many tenancy disputes[3].

If a case involves suspected discrimination, file a provincial complaint as well as any municipal service request.
  • Fines and monetary penalties: amounts for municipal by-law contraventions are not specified on the cited municipal page; see the city bylaws repository for specific by-law text and fine schedules[1].
  • Escalation: first, repeat and continuing-offence procedures are set in individual by-laws or provincial rules; specific escalation ranges are not specified on the cited pages and must be checked in the controlling by-law document[1].
  • Non-monetary sanctions: municipalities may issue orders to remedy, compliance notices, and require work to be done; discrimination cases may lead to orders or remedies through the CDPDJ or court processes[2].
  • Enforcer and inspection: Ville de Québec by-law enforcement units and housing inspectors handle municipal contraventions; discrimination complaints are investigated by the CDPDJ and, for tenancy disputes, the Tribunal administratif du logement may have jurisdiction[1][2][3].
  • Appeal and review: municipal orders usually include review or appeal routes specified in the relevant by-law; where human-rights complaints are concerned, the CDPDJ process describes complaint, investigation and possible remedies; timelines are specified in each instrument or on the agency page and are not specified in the cited municipal summary pages[1][2].

Applications & Forms

There is typically no single municipal "anti-discrimination complaint" form; landlords and tenants use the city service request or by-law complaint channels for municipal matters and the CDPDJ complaint form/process for human-rights complaints. Specific form names, numbers, fees or submission steps are not consolidated on the municipal bylaws overview page; follow the links below to the agency complaint pages for forms and submission details[1][2].

Practical steps for landlords

  • Document screening and selection criteria used for tenants and retain records of applications and communications.
  • If you receive a complaint, gather lease, correspondence and advertisement copies and note dates and witnesses.
  • Contact Ville de Québec by-law enforcement for municipal contraventions and the CDPDJ for human-rights complaints; file both if the matter crosses jurisdictions[1][2].
  • If tenancy terms are disputed, prepare to present evidence to the Tribunal administratif du logement when applicable[3].
Keep a dated file of all tenant interactions and posted rental criteria to reduce risk of misunderstanding.

FAQ

Can a municipality pass a bylaw specifically about landlord discrimination?
Municipal bylaws can regulate housing standards and landlord conduct, but provincial human-rights law applies to discrimination claims; file municipal complaints for by-law breaches and provincial complaints with the CDPDJ for discrimination.
Where do I file a discrimination complaint about renting in Québec City?
File a complaint with the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse for discrimination issues and contact Ville de Québec by-law enforcement for municipal contraventions.
Are there published fines for discrimination-related bylaw breaches?
Specific fine amounts must be read in the controlling by-law text; the municipal bylaws repository links to individual by-laws where fine schedules appear, but the summary page does not list amounts.

How-To

  1. Gather all relevant documents: lease, ads, emails, texts and witness names.
  2. Check the applicable municipal by-law text and note any required remedy or fine schedule on the municipal bylaws site.[1]
  3. Submit a municipal service request or by-law complaint to Ville de Québec if a by-law appears contravened.
  4. File a human-rights complaint with the CDPDJ if you believe discrimination occurred.[2]
  5. If tenancy rights or eviction are contested, prepare and file materials with the Tribunal administratif du logement as needed.[3]

Key Takeaways

  • Use the municipal bylaws repository to find the specific by-law text and any fine schedules.
  • Report municipal breaches to Ville de Québec and human-rights concerns to the CDPDJ.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] Ville de Que9bec b7 Re8glements municipaux
  2. [2] Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
  3. [3] Tribunal administratif du logement

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